SB    373 


• 


A   HISTOEY 


OF  THE 


ISRAELITISH   NATION 


FROM  THEIR  ORIGIN 


TO   THEIR   DISPERSION   AT   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF 
JERUSALEM   BY   THE   ROMANS. 


BY 

ARCHIBALD  ALEXANDER,  D.  D. 

LATE  PROFESSOR  IN  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  AT  PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

WILLIAM    S.   MARTIEN. 
1853. 


Entered,  according  to  the  act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1853 
Br  WILLIAM  S.  MARTIEN 

In  the  office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Eastern  District  of 

Pennsylvania. 


DS  us 

A3! 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


THE  nature  and  design  of  the  following  work  may  be  suf- 
ficiently gathered  from  the  Preface  which  follows.  It  might  be 
unnecessary  to  say  another  word,  but  for  the  fact  that  while 
the  labours  of  the  lamented  author  were  taking  their  present 
form,  it  pleased  God  to  remove  him  to  a  better  world.  It  will 
be  observed  that  the  materials  of  the  publication  had  to  a 
certain  extent  appeared  in  separate  volumes,  which  were  well 
received  by  Christian  readers.  But  an  important  end  is 
attained,  by  throwing  them  into  a  continuous  series.  The 
chasm  which  existed  in  one  great  period  of  the  annals  has  been 
filled  by  the  hand  of  a  clergyman  whose  learning  and  discre- 
tion commended  him  to  Dr.  Alexander  as  remarkably  fitted 
for  the  task.  He  has  performed»his  part  with  complete  suc- 
cess ;  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  History,  as  now  pre- 
sented, will  be  found  eminently  useful  as  an  instrument  of 
Biblical  instruction. 

JAMES  W.  ALEXANDER. 

NEW  YOEK,  January  1853. 


•-.J879 


PUBLISHER'S  NOTICE. 


THE  revision  of  the  following  work  was  completed  by  its  ven- 
erable and  much  esteemed  author  only  a  short  time  previous  to 
the  illness  which  terminated  in  his  death.  Circumstances  have 
delayed  its  publication  until  the  present  time.  Although  the 
usual  care  has  been  taken  to  avoid  typographical  errors,  yet  it 
is  possible,  that  in  passing  so  large  a  work  through  the  press, 
much  of  which  was  printed  from  manuscript,  errors  may  have 
occurred,  which  would  have  been  prevented  had  the  proof- 
sheets  been  corrected  by  the  author  himself.  It  is  confidently 
hoped,  however,  that  no  material  imperfection  will  be  discov- 
ered, and  that  the  work  will  be  appreciated  as  one  of  the 
latest  literary  efforts  of  a  man  whose  praise  is  in  the  churches. 
It  may  be  added  that  the  Fifth  and  Sixth  Parts  of  this  work 
contain  all  that  is  important  to  the  Biblical  Student  in  Pri- 
deaux's  "Connection  of  Sacred  and  Profane  History." 


THE  importance  of  the  study  of  History  as  a  branch  of  know- 
ledge is  universally  admitted;  and  of  all  History,  that  con- 
tained in  the  Bible  is  the  most  ancient,  the  most  authentic,  and 
the  most  interesting.  It  gives  us  information  of  those  events 
which  we  can  learn  no  where  else,  and  with  which  it  is  most 
necessary  that  we  should  be  acquainted.  Here  we  learn  the 
origin  of  our  race — the  state  in  which  they  were  created — their 
unhappy  fall — the  revelation  of  God's  merciful  designs  towards 
them,  and  the  remarkable  dispensations  of  Divine  Providence 
towards  a  chosen  generation,  the  descendants  of  Abraham,  with 
whom  God  entered  into  covenant,  and  to  whom  and  his  posterity 
he  made  great  and  precious  promises ;  all  of  which  were  punctu- 

vr 

ally  and  literally  fulfilled.  In  the  Sacred  Scriptures  we  have  an 
account  of  the  first  religious  institutions  established  by  divine 
authority ;  and  a  complete  code  of  the  laws  given  to  the  Israel- 
ites by  the  hand  of  Moses,  which,  being  typical,  were  not  in- 
tended to  be  perpetual,  but  continued  to  be  obligatory  until 
the  advent  of  the  promised  Messiah,  in  whom  they  met  with 
their  accomplishment,  and,  of  course,  ceased  to  be  any  longer 
in  force.  The  moral  law,  however,  clearly  revealed  at  the  same 
time,  is  of  perpetual  obligation;  and  remains  immutable  under 
all  dispensations,  although  its  extent  and  spirituality  are  much 
better  understood  since  the  light  of  the  gospel  has  been  mani-  $f 
fested. 


VI  PREFACE. 

The  history  of  the  Bible  exhibits  human  nature  in  its  true 
colours ;  and  furnishes  us  with  a  wonderful  variety  of  charac- 
ters of  men,  occupying  different  stations,  and  acting  under 
different  circumstances.  The  character  of  the  saint,  as  well  as 
that  of  the  sinner,  is  here  portrayed;  not  as  perfect,  or  free 
from  every  blemish;  but  as  in  the  main,  sincere  and  upright; 
as  penitent  for  sins  committed,  and  truly  devoted  to  the  ser- 
vice of  God.  The  inspired  penmen  do  not  conceal  the  faults 
of  the  servants  of  God;  but,  with  an  impartial  and  faithful 
hand,  their  failings  as  well  as  their  virtues  are  exhibited. 

Many  of  the  events  of  the  sacred  history  are,  it  is  true,  of  a 
marvellous  kind;  and  as  miracles  do  not  take  place  in  our 
times,  and  before  our  eyes,  sceptical  men  are  disposed  to  call 
in  question  the  truth  of  events  of  this  kind  recorded  in  the 
Bible.  But  the  evidence  by  which  miracles  are  authenticated 
is  too  strong  to  be  resisted  by  an  impartial  mind;  and  the 
events  which  followed,  and  the  present  condition  of  the  world, 
cannot  be  accounted  for  on  any  other  hypothesis,  but  the  his- 
toric verity  of  the  miracles  recorded  in  the  sacred  volume. 

It  may  to  some  seem  an  unnecessary  labour  to  draw  out  the 
history  contained  in  the  Bible,  as  it  can  be  better  studied 
as  written  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  than  in  any  abridg- 
ment. There  is  apparent  force  in  this  objection ;  but  it  should 
be  remembered,  that  there  exists  a  lamentable  negligence  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  every  thing  which  has  any  tendency 
to  make  the  people  acquainted  with  the  facts  recorded,  should 
be  made  use  of;  and,  as  the  sacred  narrative  of  the  Bible  is 
often  interrupted  by  genealogies,  and  ritual  laws  and  ceremo- 
nies, it  has  been  found,  that  by  separating  the  history  from  other 
matters,  and  exhibiting  it  in  the  concisest  and  simplest  manner, 
it  may  be  made  interesting  to  many,  who  otherwise  would  not 
take  the  pains  to  seek  for  it.  Such  an  abridgment  may  be 


PREFACE.  Vll 

serviceable,  especially  to  the  young,  for  whose  benefit  chiefly 
the  vrork  has  been  prepared. 

It  should  be  remarked,  also,  that  this  volume  contains  the 
history  of  an  important  period  not  contained  in  the  Bible.  I 
%mean  the  period  between  the  close  of  the  Old  Testament  histo- 
ry, and  the  commencement  of  that  of  the  New  Testament. 
For  the  events  and  transactions  of  this  period  of  nearly  five 
hundred  years,  we  have  no  inspired  guide ;  and  are  under  the 
necessity  of  resorting  to  mere  human  testimony.  But  it  has 
been  so  ordered  in  Providence,  that  for  the  events  of  this 
period  we  have  credible  historians,  on  whom  we  can  rely  for 
the  principal  transactions. 

Without  some  knowledge  of  the  events  of  the  intervening 
period,  the  reader  of  the  Scriptures,  when  he  has  finished  the 
Old  Testament  and  begins  the  New,  feels  himself  much  at  a 
loss,  as  here  he  finds  a  state  of  things  for  which  he  is  not  pre- 
pared by  any  thing  which  he  has  read  in  the  Old  Testament. 
There  are  also  many-  collateral  events  which  are  requisite  to  a 
full  understanding  of  the  history  of  the  New  Testament;  a 
knowledge  of  which  has  a  tendency  to  confirm  his  faith  in  the 
authenticity  of  the  sacred  history. 

There  is  also  a  very  important  .event,  predicted  indeed  by 
our  Lord,  but  which  occurred  after  the  termination  of  the  his- 
tory of  Christ  and  his  Apostles.  I  refer  to  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem ;  an  account  of  which,  taken  chiefly  from  Josephus 
a  Jew,  who  was  an  eye  witness,  closes  the  history  contained  in 
the  present  volume. 

The  attentive  reader  will  no  doubt  remark,  that  the  several 

parts  of  this  history  are  not  entirely  homogeneous.     On  this 

'  subject  it  will  be  sufficient  to  remark,  that  originally  it  existed 

in  several  volumes,  written  at  different  times,  and  for  different 

purposes ;  but  these  having  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  pre- 


Vlll  PREFACE. 

sent  publisher,  he  has  determined  to  make  of  them  a  contin- 
uous history.  One  important  chasm,  however,  remained  to  be 
filled,  namely,  from  the  beginning  of  the  regal  government 
to  the  end  of  the  Babylonish  captivity.  To  fill  this  impor- 
tant period,  the  services  of  a  young  clergyman  were  obtained ; 
but  his  modesty  does  not  permit  us,  at  present,  to  mention  his 
name. 

ARCHIBALD  ALEXANDER. 


CONTENTS. 


PART   I. 

FROM  THE  CREATION  TO  THE  DEATH  OF  JOSEPH. 

PAGE 

SECTION  I. — Creation — Garden  of  Eden — Endowments  of  Man         ...  1 

SECT.  II — Fall  of  our  First  Parents,  and  their  Punishment        ....  6 

SECT.  III. — Cain  and  Abel 9 

SECT.  IV.— Seth  and  his  Posterity .  12 

SECT.  V. — Great  corruption  of  Manners,  the  consequence  of  intermarriages 

between  the  descendants  of  Seth  and  those  of  Cain          .         .  .13 

SECT.  VI.— The  Deluge— The  Ark  14 

SECT.  VII. — Noah  and  his  Family  leave  the  Ark 17 

SECT.  VIII. — The  Earth  peopled  again  from  the  three  sons  of  Noah         .        .  19 

SECT.  IX. — Babel — The  Confusion  of  Tongues 20 

SECT.  X.— Posterity  of  Shem  23 

SECT.  XI. — History  of  Abraham 25 

SECT.  XII. — Covenant  of  Circumcision — God  visits  Abram,  and  promises  him 

a  Son  by  Sarah — Destruction  of  Sodom — Escape  of  Lot  .         .         .28 

SECT.  XIII. — Birth  of  Isaac — Command  to  Abraham  to  sacrifice  his  Son  .     31 

SECT.  XIV.— Death  of  Sarah— Purchase  of  a  Burying  Place       .        .        .        .32 

SECT.  XV. — Abraham  sends  to  his  kindred  for  a  wife  for  Isaac — Rebekah  is 

sent — Death  of  Abraham 34 

SECT.  XVI. — Esau  and   Jacob   born — Esau  deprived  of  the  blessing  of  the 

first-born  by  the  fraud  of  Rebekah  and  Jacob 36 

SECT.  XVII. — Jacob  goes  to  Padan-aram,  and  is  entertained  by  Laban — He  is 
deceived  by  Laban,  and  receives  Leah,  instead  of  Rachel,  to  wife — 
Rachel  also  given  to  him  for  seven  year's  service  .  !  •  .  .40 

SECT.  XVIII. — Jacob's  return — Pursued  by  Laban — Esau   comes  with  a  host 

to  meet  him,  but  God  turns  away  his  displeasure  .         .         .         .42 

SECT.  XIX. — Jacob's  residence  in  Canaan — Dinah's  misfortune — The  Des- 
truction of  the  Shechemites — Jacob  goes  to  Bethel — Deborah  dies — 
God  appears  to  him  at  Bethel,  when  he  builds  an  altar  to  Jehovah  .  47 

SECT.  XX. — Reuben's  Incest — Death  of  Isaac — Joseph's  Dreams — Jacob's 
fondness  and  partiality  for  Joseph — The  envy  of  his  Brethren — He  is 
sold  into  Egypt 50 


X  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

SECTION  XXI. — Method  taken  to  conceal  the  crime  from  their  Father — His 
Grief — The  Midianites  sell  him  to  Potiphar — His  Temptation  and  Con- 
tinence— Is  cast  into  Prison 54 

SECT.  XXII. — Dream  of  the  Baker  and  Butler  of  Pharaoh  in  the  Prison — 
Joseph's  Interpretation — The  Fulfilment — Dream  of  Pharaoh — Joseph 
sent  for  to  interpret  it — His  counsel  to  Pharaoh,  and  exaltation  .  56 

SECT.  XXIII. — JOSEPH'S   ADMINISTRATION. — The    arrival    of   his    Brothers — 

His  treatment  of  them — He  retains  Simeon  and  sends  for  Benjamin       .     59 

SECT.  XXIV. — Their  money  returned — Jacob  refuses  to  let  Benjamin  go — 
But  the  famine  presses,  and  he  at  length  consents — Joseph,  after 
bringing  his  brothers  into  trouble,  makes  himself  known,  and  sends 
for  his  Father 62 

SECT.  XXV. — Jacob,  after  asking  counsel  of  God,  goes  down  to  Egypt  to  his 

son ....     67 

SECT.  XXVI. — Jacob's  interview  with  Pharaoh — Pressure  of  the  Famine — 

Joseph's  policy 69 

SECT.  XXVII. — Jacob  resides    in   Egypt    seventeen  years — His    end    draws 

nigh — His  interview  with  Joseph,  and  benediction  on  his  Sons       .         .     70 

SECT.  XXVIII. — Jacob's  dying  Prophecy  respecting  his  Sons — His  Decease         71 

SECT.  XXIX. — Jacob  is  buried  according  to  his  request  in  Canaan — Mourn- 
ing on  account  of  the  Patriarch  74 

SECT.  XXX. — Joseph's  brethren  suspicious  of  his  friendship — Character  of 
Joseph — Length  of  his  Life — His  injunction  respecting  his  bones — 
His  decease 75 


PART  II. 

FROM  THE  DEATH  OF  JOSEPH  TO  THE  DEATH  OF  MOSES. 

SECTION  I. — The  continuance  of  the  Hebrews  in  the  Land  of  Egypt — The  cruel 
edicts  of  the  Egyptians  against  the  male  Hebrew  children — The  birth, 
concealment,  exposure,  and  adoption  of  Moses — Miserable  bondage 
of  the  Hebrews — Moses  kills  an  Egyptian,  and  flies  to  Arabia,  where 
he  enters  into  the  family  of  Jethro,  priest  of  Midian,  whose  daughter 
he  marries • 77 

SECT.  II. — Moses  sojourns  in  Midian  forty  years — Receives  his  commission 
from  God  to  go  and  deliver  the  People  of  Israel  from  their  cruel  bond- 
age— The  strong  reluctance  of  Moses  overcome — He  is  empowered 
to  work  Miracles — Aaron  is  associated  with  him  in  the  Commission  .  83 

SECT.  III. — Moses  takes  leave  of  Jethro — Circumcision — Aaron,  his  brother, 
joins  him,  and  receives  a  full  account  of  the  Message  of  Jehovah — 
They  go  to  the  Hebrews  first,  and  then  appear  before  Pharaoh,  and 
exhibit  the  miracles  which  they  were  directed  to  perform — Pharaoh's 
heart  is  hardened  and  the  condition  of  the  People  is  more  wretched — 
God  promises  deliverance  .........  S6 

SETT.  IV. — Aaron's  Rod  becomes  a  Serpent — The  Magicians  of  Pharaoh 
imitate  the  Miracle — Moses  and  Aaron  turn  the  water  into  Blood — 
This  also  imitated  by  the  Magicians — The  Miracle  of  the  Frogs — This 
also  imitated  by  the  Magicians — The  Dust  converted  into  Lice — Magi- 
cians confounded  S9 

SECT.  V. — The  Miracle  of  "Divers  kinds  of  Flies" — The  Murrain — The  Hail 
— Pharaoh  affrighted  by  the  Thunder  which  accompanied  the  Hail — 
But  his  heart  remains  obdurate — The  Plague  of  the  Locusts — Of  the 
miraculous  Darkness .  .  91 

SECT.  VI. — Institution  of  the  Passover — The  destruction  of  the  first-born  of 

all  the  Egyptians — The  Exodus 94 


. 

CONTENTS.  XI 

PAGE 

SECTION  VII. — Number  of  the  People — Time  of  sojourning — Change  of  the 
commencement  of  the  Year — Redemption  of  the  first-born — The  way 
which  they  were  led — Joseph's  bones — Succoth — Pillar  of  Fire  and 
Cloud 96 

SECT.  VIII. — Pharaoh  pursues  the  Israelites,  and  overtakes  them  at  the  edge 
of  the  Red  Sea — Alarm  of  the  People — Promise  of  Deliverance — The 
Sea  divided  by  the  Rod  of  Moses 97 

SECT.  IX. — Israel  in  the  Wilderness — Want  of  Water — Marah — Elim — Want 
of  Food — Manna  promised — Sabbath — Quails — Description  of  the  Man- 
na— Regulations  for  collecting  it — Pot  of  Manna  to  be  laid  up  for  a 
Memorial 99 

SECT.  X. — Rebellion  of  the  People  at  Rephidim  for  want  of  Water — The  Rock 

smitten — The  People  assailed  by  the  Amalekites — Joshua  defeats  them  101 

SECT.  XI. — Jethro's  visit  to  Moses — His  wise  counsel — Institution  of  Officers 

— Jethro  returns  home      ..........  103 

SECT.  XII. — Moses  called  up  into  the  Mount — Communicates  the  words  of 
Jehovah  to  the  People — Tremendous  exhibition  on  Mount  Sinai — The 
Ten  Commandments  uttered  in  a  voice  of  Thunder — Various  other  Laws  105 

SECT.  XIII. — Laws  respecting  Murder — Lex  Talionis — Mischief  by  an  Ox — 
Opening  a  Pit — Penalty  for  stealing  an  Ox  or  a  Sheep — The  killing  of  a 
Thief — Goods  in  Trust — Animals  borrowed — Seduction — Idolaters — 
Witches "...  107 

SECT.  XIV. — Provision  for  the  Poor,  the  Stranger,  Widow,  and  Orphan — 
Loans  to  a  Brother — Pledges — Speaking  evil  of  Rulers — First-fruits — 
Animals  torn  by  Wild  Beasts — Slander  Forbidden — Duties  to  Enemies 
— Sabbatical  Year — Annual  Festivals — The  Passover — Feast  of  Taber- 
nacles— And  Feast  of  Harvest  of  Pentecost — Leaven  forbidden  in  the 
Sacrifices — Other  Laws 109 

SECT.  XV. — The  Angel  of  God  promised  to  go  before  the  People     .        .        .  Ill 

SECT.  XVI. — Moses,  Aaron,  Nadab,  and  Abihu  called  into  the  Mount — Glori- 
ous appearance  of  God — Tables  of  the  Law Ill 

SECT.  XVII. — Offerings  for  the  Tabernacle — Pattern — Curtains — Altar — Lay- 
er— Holy,  and  Most  Holy  Place,  and  their  furniture  .  .  .  .113 

SECT.  XVIII. — Designation  of  Aaron  and  his  Sons  to  the  Priest's  office — Sac- 
erdotal Garments — Materials  offered  freely — Wisdom  given  to  execute 
the  work — Amount  of  Gold  and  Silver  contributed — Whence  obtained  114 

SECT.  XIX. — Erection  of  the  Tabernacle — Laws  respecting  Sacrifices  and 
Offerings — Sm-offerings — Unbloody  Sacrifices — Drink-offerings — Flour- 
offerings  . .116 

SECT.  XX. — Consecration  of  the  Priests  and  Levites — Holy  Fire  .  .  .  118 
SECT.  XXI. — The  Sin  and  fearful  Punishment  of  Aaron's  eldest  Sons  .  .  120 
SECT.  XXII. — Clean  and  unclean  animals — Leprosy,  laws  respecting  it  .  .  121 

SECT.  XXIII. — Laws  of  Purity  and  Health 122 

SECT.  XXIV. — The  Vow  of  the  Nazarite 124 

SECT.  XXV. — Great  Day  of  Atonement •  125 

SECT.  XXVI. — Laws  respecting  the  Priests  and  Levites — Sacerdotal  Benedic- 
tion   126 

SECT.  XXVII. — Laws  respecting  Incest    . 128 

SECT.  XXVIII. — Miscellaneous  Laws .         .129 

SECT.  XXIX. — Daily  Service  of  the  Tabernacle 130 

SECT.  XXX.— Tables  of  the  Law 131 

SECT.  XXXI. — Departure  from  Mount  Sinai — Order  of  march  ....  133 
SECT.  XXXII.— Moses'  Invitation  to  Hobfeb 134 

SECT.  XXXIII. — The  People  rebel  against  Moses — A  Burning  sent  among 

them — The  Lord  puts  his  Spirit  on  the  Elders         .        .        .        .        .135 


Xll  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

SECTION  XXXIV. — New  Troubles  arise  from  an  unexpected  quarter  .  .  137 
SECT.  XXXV. — Men  sent  to  explore  the  Promised  Land  .  .  .  .139 

SECT.  XXXVI. — The  People  rebel  against  Moses  again — God's  Displeasure — 
Declares  with  an  oath  that  none  but  Caleb  and  Joshua  of  all  that  genera- 
tion should  ever  possess  the  Promised  Land 141 

SECT.  XXXVII. — The  Rebellion  of  Korah,  Dathan,  Abiram  and  On,  with  two 

hundred  and  fifty  Princes  of  the  Congregation 143 

SECT.  XXXVIII. — Second  murmuring  on  account  of  the  want  of  Water  .  .  146 
SECT.  XXXIX. — Message  to  the  King  of  Edom — Death  of  Aaron  .  .  ..146 
SECT.  XL. — Fiery  Serpents  infest  the  People  on  account  of  their  rebellion  .  147 

SECT.  XLI. — Balak  sends  for  Balaam  to  curse  Israel 149 

SECT.  XLII. — Balaam  blesses  Israel 151 

SECT.  XLIII. — Seduction  of  the  Israelites  by  the  Daughters  of  Moab        .        .154 

SECT.  XLIV. — Punishment  of  the  Israelites 154 

SECT.  XLV. — Second  Census  of  the  People 155 

SECT..XLVI. — Overthrow  of  the  Midianites 157 

SECT.  XLVII. — The  tribes  of  Reuben  and  Gad  ask  permission  to  take  their 
inheritance  on  the  East  of  Jordan — Also  the  half  tribe  of  Manasseh 
— Their  request  is  granted 158 

SECT.  XLVIII. — A  retrospect  of  the  journeyings  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness  159 
SECT.  XLIX.— Deuteronomy,  or  recapitulation  of  the  Law  ....  161 

SECT.  L. — The  Law  to  be  inscribed   on  plaistered  stones — The  blessings  from 

Mount  Gerizim,  and  curses  from  Mount  Ebal  .....  164 

SECT.  LI. — A  Prophecy  of  the  Destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  Captivity  of  the 

Jews 167 

SECT.  LII. — Covenant  of  Horeb  renewed  in  the  Plains  of  Moab         .         .         .  168 

SECT.  LIII. — Valedictory  of  Moses  concluded 169 

SECT.  LIV. — Inauguration  of  Joshua,  and  blessing  of  the  Twelve  Tribes  .  171 

SECT.  LV. — Death  of  Moses  .  173 


PART  III. 


FROM  THE  DEATH  OF  MOSES  TO  THE  COMMENCEMENT  OF 
THE  REGAL  GOVERNMENT. 

SECTION  I. — Entrance  of  the  Host  of  Israel  into  the  Promised  Land  under  the 

conduct  of  Joshua,  the  successor  of  Moses 175 

SECT.  II. — The  Passage  of  the  Israelites  over  the  River  Jordan        .         .         .  181 

SECT.  III. — Circumcision  of  the  Israelites  atGilgal — The  Passover  is  observed 
— The  Manna  ceases — The  Captain  of  the  Host  of  the  Lord  appears  to 
Joshua 183 

SECT.  IV. — The  Conquest  of  Jericho — The  curse  denounced  by  Joshua  against 

the  man  who  should  rebuild  this  city 185 

SECT.  V. — The  transgression  of  Achan — The  Attack  upon  Ai,  and  the  defeat 
of  the  Israelites — Joshua's  Distress — The  Lord's  communication  to  him 
— Achan  detected  and  punished  with  all  his  House — Righteousness  of 
God  in  this  transaction 187 


CONTENTS.  Xlll 

PAGE 

SECTION  VI. — Ai  again  assaulted  and  taken  by  stratagem,  and  utterly  destroyed 
— Joshua  erects  an  Altar  in  Ebal  and  offers  Sacrifices — Writes  a  Copy 
of  the  Law  on  Stones — From  Mount  Gerizim  and  Ebal  pronounces  the 
Blessings  and  the  Curses 191 

SECT.  VII. — The  Gibeonites  deceive  Joshua  and  the  Princes,  and  obtain  from 
them  an  oath  that  they  should  not  be  destroyed — The  People  would 
have  had  them  to  violate  their  engagement  and  destroy  this  People 
who  had  imposed  on  them — Joshua  considers  the  oath  obligatory — The 
general  subject  of  the  Obligation  of  Vows 193 

SECT.  VIII. — Powerful  combination  of  the  Kings  of  Canaan  to  destroy  the 
Gibeonites — Joshua  is  made  acquainted  with  their  danger,  and  hastens 
to  their  relief — Combined  Kings  defeated — Wonderful  miracle  of  the 
Sun  standing  still — The  execution  of  five  Kings  .  .  195 

SECT.  IX. — A  new  combination  under  Jabin — Joshua  defeats  him,  and  takes 
Hazor,  his  capitol — Conquest  of  the  whole  hill-country — Parts  uncon- 
quered 198 

SECT.  X. — Joshua  divides  the  Land  among  the  nine  and  a  half  Tribes — Caleb's 
Speech  and  Portion — Othniel  conquers  Kirjath-zepher,  and  receives 
Caleb's  daughter  Achsah  as  his  reward — Lot  of  Judah — Of  Ephraim — 
Half  Tribe  of  Manasseh — The  case  of  Zelophehad — Children  of  Joseph 
complain  of  the  narrowness  of  their  limits 200 

SECT.  XI. — Shiloh  the  residence  of  the  Ark — Seven  tribes  yet  destitute  of  an 
inheritance — The  lots  of  Benjamin — Of  Simeon — Of  Zebulon — Of  Issa- 
char — Of  Asher — Of  Naphtali — Of  Dan — Joshua's  inheritance  .  .  204 

SECT.  XII. — Cities  of  Refuge  appointed — Cities  for  the  Levites — Suburbs  to 

the  Cities  also  granted 206 

SECT.  XIII. — The  armed  men  of  the  two  and  a  half  Tribes  have  leave  to 
return — Joshua's  testimony  and  exhortation — They  build  an  altar  near 
Jordan — Impression  of  this  event  on  Israel — Their  deputation  and  sol- 
emn message — Their  satisfactory  answer — The  People  rejoiced  at  the 
successful  issue 208 

SECT.  XIV. — Prosperous  condition  of  Israel — Joshua's  solemn  address  to  the 
Elders  and  People — His  Valedictory — His  proposal  that  they  should 
now  choose  whom  they  would  serve — Decease  of  Joshua  and  Eleazar  210 

SECT.  XV. — Judah  and  Simeon  directed  to  attack  the  Canaanites — Though 
successful  they  could  not  expel  the  Canaanites  from  every  part  of  their 
Jot — Benjamin  not  able  to  expel  the  Jebusites — Manasseh  very  unsuc- 
cessful in  reclaiming  their  Possession — Solemn  message  of  the  Angel 
of  God — Character  of  the  generation  who  first  possessed  Canaan — The 
People  forsake  God  after  the  decease  of  this  generation — God  raises  up 
Judges — When  the  Judges  were  dead  they  again  grievously  provoked 
God  to  anger  .  . 214 

SECT.  XVI. — Othniel  delivers  Israel — Ehud  delivers    them  from  Moab,  and 

slays  ten  thousand  Men  •         .         .         .217 

SECT.  XVII. — Shamgar — Deborah  judges  Israel — Barak  associated  with  her — 
The  Tribes  summoned  to  the  help  of  the  Lord  against  Jabin — Sisera 
defeated — His  death  by  the  hand  of  Jael — Song  of  Deborah  and  Barak  218 

SECT.  XVIII. — Midian  oppresses  Israel — A  nameless  Prophet  is  sent  with  a 
message  from  God  to  Israel — The  Angel  of  the  Lord  appears  to  Gid- 
eon, who  sacrifices  a  kid  to  Jehovah,  and  the  Angel,  after  delivering 
his  message,  ascends  in  the  flame — Gideon  throws  down  the  altar  of 
Baal  by  Divine  direction — Joash,  Gideon's  father,  refuses  to  give  him 
up — A  great  host  gathered  against  Israel — Gideon  collects  the  People 
— Asks  for  a  two-fold  sign,  which  is  granted 222 

SECT.  XIX. — Gideon  collects  his  Forces — A  mere  handful  in  comparison  of 
Midian,  yet  the  Lord  tells  him  there  are  too  many — All  are  dismissed 
except  three  hundred — Gideon  goes  to  the  Midianitish  host,  and  hears 
a  dream  which  encourages  him — The  enemy  are  thrown  into  confusion, 
and  slay  one  another — Two  Princes  of  the  Midianites  are  taken,  Oreb 
and  Zeeb— Their  heads  cut  off 225 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

SECTION  XX. — The  Men  of  Ephraim  complain  of  Gideon — The  conduct  of  the 
Men  of  Succoth  and  Penuel — Zebah  and  Zalmunna,  Kings  of  Midian, 
taken  and  slain — The  People  wish  to  make  Gideon  their  permanent 
and  hereditary  ruler — He  refuses — His  idolatry — Midian  subdued — 
The  People  enjoy  a  long  repose 227 

SECT.  XXI. — Ambition  of  Abimelech  the  son  of  Gideon — His  cruelty — The 
Parable  of  Jotham — Transactions  at  Shechem — Contest  of  Gaal  and 
Zebul — Abimelech  suddenly  comes  and  smites  Gaal  and  his  party — 
Abimelech  killed  by  a  Woman  ........  229 

SECT.  XXII. — Tola  judges  Israel  for  Twenty  Years — Is  succeeded  by  Jair — 
The  Israelites  decline  to  Idolatry — Fall  under  the  dominion  of  Ammon 
— A  reformation  commenced — Jephthah  called  to  lead  the  army  .  .  233 

SECT.  XXIII. — Jephthah  attempts  to  settle  the  dispute  by  negotiation — 
Claims  of  the  King  of  Ammon — Jephthah's  just  view  of  the  whole  sub- 
ject in  his  able  answer 235 

SECT.  XXIV. — Jephthah's  vow — His  Daughter  comes  out  to  meet  her  Father 
— His  distress — Her  piety  and  submission — An  inquiry  whether  Jeph- 
thah actually  put  his  daughter  to  death — Lamentations  for  her  by  the 
daughters  of  Israel 237 

SECT.  XXV.— Ingratitude  of  the  People  towards  Jephthah — His  vindication 
of  himself  and  brethren — The  Men  of  Ephraim  smitten  at  the  fords  of 
Jordan — Detected  by  their  pronunciation  of  a  word — Jephthah  dies, 
after  a  government  of  only  six  years 240 

SECT.  XXVI. — Ibzan  of  Beth-lehem — Nature  of  the  Theocracy — Elon  of  Zeb- 
ulon  next  judges  Israel — Abdon  of  Ephraim — Great  increase  of  pop- 
ulation and  the  number  in  their  armies 241 

SECT.  XXVII. — An  Angel  appears  to  the  wife  of  Manoah — And  again  to  her 
and  her  husband — Samson  is  born — A  Nazarite  from  the  womb — 
Israel  under  the  yoke  of  the  Philistines — Samson  seeks  a  wife  of  this 
race  at  Timnath — Slays  a  lion  on  his  way  to  visit  her — His  Marriage 
— His  Riddle — Its  meaning  discovered  by  his  Wife — His  method  of 
paying  the  forfeit — His  Wife  given  to  another 243 

SECT.  XXVIII. — Samson,  not  knowing  what  was  done,  comes  to  visit  his 
Wife — Her  younger  sister  is  offered  by  the  father — Samson  declines 
all  further  connexion,  and  sets  the  grain  of  the  Philistines  on  fire — 
Slays  a  thousand  men  in  Lehi — A  miraculous  fountain  opened  in  this 
place  • 246 

SECT.  XXIX. — Moral  character  of  Samson — His  love  of  Delilah — By  tam- 
pering with  her  the  Philistines  learn  wherein  his  great  strength  con- 
sisted— His  head  shorn  and  his  eyes  put  out — Is  put  into  the  prison  at 
Gaza  and  kept  at  hard  labour 248 

SECT.  XXX. — Origin  of  idolatry  in  Israel  in  the  house  of  Micah — The  Dan- 
ites  send  spies  to  seek  a  new  habitation — Six  hundred  men  are  sent 
out  to  seize  a  country  visited  by  the  spies — They  carry  off  Micah's 
goes  and  the  priest  who  officiated — These  idols  they  set  up  and  wor- 
shipped for  a  long  time  251 

SECT.  XXXI. — History  of  the  Levite  and  his  concubine,  and  the  war  against 

Benjamin 253 

SECT.  XXXII. — The  Tribe  of  Benjamin  refuse  to  give  up  the  guilty  perpetra- 
tors of  the  enormous  wickedness — They  defeat  the  other  tribes  with 
great  slaughter  in  two  successive  battles — On  the  third  day  the  men 
of  Israel  placed  an  ambush,  and  drew  the  men  of  Benjamin  from  Gib- 
eon,  by  a  pretended  flight — The  Tribe  nearly  extinguished — The 
Israelites  repent  of  their  exterminating  severity 256 

SECT.  XXXIII. — Jabesh-Gilead  severely  punished  for  refusing  aid — The  young 
virgins  of  this  place  only  preserved,  for  wives  to  the  surviving  Benja- 
mites — The  daughters  of  Shiloh  seized  and  carried  off  for  the  same 
purpose •  •  259 

SECT.  XXXIV. — History  of  Ruth,  and  Naomi  her  mother-in-law      .        .        .261 


.CON, TENTS.  XV 

PAGE 

SECTION  XXXV. — Boaz  marries  Ruth — her  eon  Obed  was  the  father  of  Jesse, 

the  father  of  David .'....  265 

SECT.  XXXVI.— Birth  of  Samuel ,        .        .  270 

SECT.  XXXVII.— Hannah's  Divine  Song 272 

SECT.  XXXVIII.— Samuel  is  left  at  Shiloh— Eli's  sons— God's  message  to  Eli, 

by  a  nameless  Prophet •  273 

SECT.  XXXIX. — Jehovah  speaks  to  the  child  Samuel,  and  reveals  his  purpose 

in  regard  to  Eli's  family — Eli's  humble  submission         ....  276 

SECT.  XL. — The  Israelites  defeated  by  the  Philistines — The  two  sons  of  Eli 
slain,  and  the  Ark  taken — The  intelligence  overcomes  Eli,  who  falls 
back  and  breaks  his  neck — The  wife  of  Phinehas  also  expires  .  .  278 

SECT.  XLI. — The  Ark  carried  to  Ashdod  and  placed  by  Dagon — This  idol  falls 
on  the  floor,  and  is  mutilated — The  Philistines,  afflicted  with  disease 
and  mice,  send  back  the  Ark •  280 

SECT.  XLII. — Samuel  judges  Israel — Appoints  a  day  of  public  prayer  at  Miz- 

peh — Defeats  the  Philistines  at  Ebenezer 283 

SECT.  XLIII. — Samuel  in  his  old  age  associates  his  sons  as  judges  with  him- 
self— Their  bad  character — The  people  demand  a  king — Samuel  is 
displeased — But  God  directs  him  to  comply,  but  to  explain  the  nature 
of  kingly  government — By  insisting  on  a  king  they  rejected  not  Sam- 
uel, but  God — The  tendency  of  power  to  abuse 286 


PART    IV. 

FROM  THE  INSTITUTION  OF  THE   EEGAL  GOVERNMENT  TO 
THE  BABYLONISH  CAPTIVITY. 

SECTION  I. — Saul's  election  as  King — His  victory  over  Nahash  and  the  renewed 
confirmation  of  his  kingdom — Samuel's  charge — Saul's  first  offence — 
Jonathan's  exploit  and  defeat  of  the  Philistines — Saul  sent  to  destroy 
the  Amalekites — His  second  offence,  and  rejection  from  the  kingdom  289 

SECT.  II. — Anointing  of  David — His  introduction  to  Saul — His  battle  with 
Goliath,  and  victory  over  the  Philistines — The  friendship  of  David  and 
Jonathan — David's  escape  from  Saul's  anger,  and  his  marriage — Saul 
threatens  his  life — David's  flight  to  Samuel — His  return  to  Jonathan, 
and  final  parting 297 

SECT.  III. — David's  flight  and  first  sojourn  with  the  Philistines — He  comes  to 
the  cave  Adullam — Saul  kills  the  priests — David  delivers  Keilah  and 
is  hunted  by  Saul — He  spares  Saul's  life — Death  of  Samuel — David's 
adventure  with  Nabal — He  spares  Saul's  life  a  second  time — His  se- 
cond flight  to  the  Philistines v  .  .  .  .304 

SECT.  IV. — David's  wars  at  Ziklag — Saul's  interview  with  the  Sorceress  at 

Endor — His  death  at  Gilboa,  and  the  lamentation  of  David  .  .  .311 

SECT.  V. — David  made  King  at  Hebron — The  civil  war  between  David  and 
Abner,  or  Ish-bosheth  the  son  of  Saul — Abner's  revolt  and  death — 
The  murder  of  Ish-bosheth 315 

SECT.  VI. — David  made  King  over  all  Israel — He  captures  Jerusalem — Defeats 
the  Philistines — The  Ark  brought  to  Jerusalem — David  commanded  not 
to  build  the  Temple 318 

SECT.  VII. — David's  wars — The  organization  of  the  army — David's  kindness 

to  Mephibosheth — The  war  with  the  Ammonites 324 

SECT.  VIII. — David's  sin  in  the  affair  of  Bath-Sheba  and  Uriah — His  domestic 
afflictions — Absalom's  rebellion — David's  restoration  to  the  kingdom 
— Insurrection  of  Sheba 329 


XVI  CONTENTS.' 

PAGE 

SECTION  IX. — Famine  of  Three  Years — War  with  the  Philistines — The  Pesti- 
lence— The  preparation  for  the  Temple — Solomon  made  King — Da- 
vid's charge  to  the  People  and  Solomon — David's  death  .  .  .  343 

SECT.  X. — Solomon  King — His  sacrifice  at  Gibeon — Death  of  Adonijah  and 
Joab — Solomon  prepares  to  build  the  Temple — The  Treaty  with  Tyre 
and  Egypt 352 

SECT  XI. — The  temple,  its  furniture,  the  Dedication — God  appears  a  second 

time  to  Solomon 356 

SECT.  XII. — Solomon's  other  buildings — The  source  of  his  wealth — Solo- 
mon's offence,  the  troubles  of  his  latter  days — His  death  .  .  .  363 

SECT.  XIII. — Division  of  the  kingdom — Rehoboam's  reign  and  death — Jero- 
boam, the  contemporary  of  Rehoboam  and  Abijam  .  .  .  368 

SECT.  XIV. — The'  good  reign  of  Asa — Contemporary  kings  of  Israel — Nadab, 

Baasha,  Elah,  Zimri,  (Omri  and  Tibni,)  Omri  alone,  Ahab       .        .         .  375 

SECT.  XV. — Ahab's  reign  continued — History  of  Elijah  the  Prophet — Ahab's 
war  with  Benhadad — The  sin  of  Ahab — The  reign  of  Jehoshaphat, 
king  of  Judah — The  defeat  of  Rameth — Jehoshaphat's  civil  govern- 
ment— His  commerce — His  war  with  Moab  and  Ammon  .  .  .  380 

SECT.  XVI. — Ahaziah's  reign — History  of  Elisha,  and  the  reign  of  Jehoram — 
Naaman  the  leper — The  Siege  of  Samaria  and  its  miraculous  deliver- 
ance— The  anointing  of  Jehu  and  Hazael — The  reign  of  Jehoram  and 
Ahaziah  king  of  Judan 390 

SECT.  XVII — Jehu's  conspiracy — and  reign — Athalia  usurps  the  throne  of 
Judah — Joash  the  king  of  Judah — Joash  king  of  Israel — The  history  of 
Amaziah  and  Jeroboam  (II.) — The  reigns  of  Uzziah  and  Jotham- — The 
conspiracy  against  Zechariah  king  of  Israel — The  Civil  War  under 
Menahem,  and  the  invasion  from  Assyria 400 

SECT.  XVIIL— The  reign  of  Ahaz— The  fall  of  Samaria,  and  destruction  of 
the  kingdom  of  Israel — The  good  reign  of  Hezekiah — Manasseh  reigns 
wickedly — The  reign  of  Amon 408 

SECT.  XIX. — Josiah's  reign — The  finding  of  the  copy  of  the  Law — Josiah's 
reformation — Jehoahaz  and  Jehoiakim  —  The  first  removal  of  the 
people  to  Babylon — Jehoiakim — The  second  removal  to  Babylon — Ze- 
dekiah,  the  last  king  of  Judah — The  capture  of  Jerusalem  .  .  .  416 

SECT.  XX. — Some  account  of  the  Jews  in  their  captivity  .        .        .        .421 


PART   V. 

FROM  THE  BABYLONISH  CAPTIVITY  TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF 
JUDEA  BY  THE  ROMANS. 

SECTION  I From  the  edict  of  Cyrus,  permitting  their  return  to  their  own  land, 

to  the  finishing  of  the  Second  Temple 423 

SECT.  II. — From  the  completion  of-the  building  of  the  Temple,  to  the  Mission 

ofNehemiah 431 

SECT.  III. — From  the  arrival  of  Nehemiah  to  the  invasion  of  Asia  by  Alexan- 
der the  Great -  ....  441 

SECT.  IV. — Reign  of  Alexander  the  Great — Invasion  of  Asia  by  Alexander — 
Conquest  of  the  Persian  empire — Siege  and  Capture  of  Tyre — Alexan- 
der's visit  to  Jerusalem — Is  met  by  Jaddua  and  the  other  Priests — His 
strange  behaviour — His  kind  treatment  of  the  Jews — Conduct  towards 
the  Samaritans — Death  of  Darius — Invasion  of  India — Voyage  of  Near- 
chus — Capricious  and  violent  character  of  Alexander — His  death  .  454 

SECT.  V. — From  the  time  of  the  immediate  successors  of  Alexander  the  Great, 

to  the  death  of  Onias  the  High-Priest 460 


CONTENTS.  xvii 

PAGE 

SECTION  VI. — The  accession  of  Simon  the  Just — Megasthenes,  Historian  of  In- 
dia— Building  of  Seleucia — Destruction  and  Desolation  of  Babylon — 
Death  of  Simon 465 

SECT.  VII. — Retrospect  of  the  succession  of  Kings  and  High-Priests  who  had 
authority  over  Judea,  until  the  death  of  Simon  the  Just — Simon  suc- 
ceeded by  Eleazar  in  the  Priesthood — By  Antigonus  as  President  of 
the  Sanhedrim  — Mishnical  Doctors — Sanhedrim — How  conducted — 
Changes  in  the  Jewish  worship -  469 

SECT.  VIII. — The  reign  of  Ptolemy  Philadelphus — Tower  of  Pharos — Septua- 

gint  Version — Library  of  Alexandria 471 

SECT.  IX. — Origin  of  the  Sadducees — Berosus,  the  Chaldean  Historian — Riches 
and  Commerce  of  Tyre — Alexandria — Arsinoe,  her  death  and  monu- 
ment— Character  of  Ptolemy •  477 

SECT.  X Ptolemy  Euergetes — Berenice — Prophecies  fulfilled — The  Arun- 

delian  Marbles 480 

SECT.  XI. — Ptolemy  Euergetes  an  encourager  of  Learning — Seleucus  defeated 
and  taken  prisoner — Origin  of  the  Kingdom  of  the  Parthians — Remark- 
able history  of  Joseph — Great  earthquake  in  the  East  ....  482 

SECT.  XII. — Accession  of  Ptolemy  Philopater  to  the  throne  of  Egypt — His 
contest  with  Antiochus — His  cruelty — Visits  Jerusalem  and  attempts 
to  enter  the  Sanctuary — Resolves  to  exterminate  the  Jews — Their 
providential  deliverance — He  dies  and  leaves  the  Kingdom  to  his 
son  Ptolemy  Epiphanes,  only  five  years  of  age — Antiochus  endeavours 
to  conquer  Egypt — Engages  in  War  with  the  Romans — Marches  an 
army  to  the  East,  to  collect  Tribute — Robs  the  Temple  of  Belus  of  its 
treasures  but  is  slain  by  the  enraged  populace — Remarkable  story  of 
Joseph  and  his  son  Hyrcanus  486 

SECT.  XIII. — Judea  falls  under  the  power  of  Antiochus — Predictions  respect- 
ing Seleucus — Good  character  of  Onias  the  High-Priest — Jason's  wicked 
conduct — And  the  more  wicked  of  Menelaus — Death  of  Onias — Rob- 
bery of  the  Temple  by  Lysimachus — Strange  sights  seen  at  Jerusalem — 
Temple  desecrated  by  Antiochus — Wretched  end  of  Menelaus — Antio- 
chus invades  Egypt,  but  is  met  by  an  embassy  from  Rome — Dreadful 
persecution  of  the  Jews  by  Antiochus  Epiphanes 495 

SECT.  XIV. — Asmonean  family  of  Modin — Constancy  of  Mattathias — He  and 
his  friends  take  refuge  in  the  Mountains — Martyrdom  of  Eleazar — Of 
the  Mother  and  her  Seven  Sons — Assideans — Antiochus  aims  to  destroy 
all  copies  of  the  Law — Death  of  Mattathias — Judas  Maccaba;us — Books 
of  the  Maccabees — Victories  of  Judas — Antiochus  resolves  to  destroy 
the  whole  Jewish  Nation — Wonderful  success  of  Judas — Occupies  Jeru- 
salem— Cleanses  and  dedicates  anew  the  Temple — Prophecies  respect- 
ing Antiochus  Epiphanes 502 

SECT.  XV. — History  of  Judas  continued — Distressing  condition  of  the  Jews — 
Death  of  Eleazar,  brother  of  Judas — Death  of  Antiochus — Miserable 
end  of  Menelaus — Civil  War  between  the  two  brothers  in  Egypt — In- 
terposition of  the  Romans — Demetrius  succeeds  Antiochus — Alcimus 
appointed  High-Priest — The  quarrel  of  the  two  brothers,  Ptolemy 
Philometor  and  Ptolemy  Physcon,  brought  before  the  Roman  Senate  and 
decided 513 

SECT.  XVI. — The  War  renewed — Suicide  of  Razis — Victory  of  Judas  and 
death  of  Nicanor — Bacchides  is  sent  to  succeed  Nicanor — Death  of 
Judas — Dreadful  state  of  the  Jews — Jonathan  and  Simon,  brothers  of 
Judas,  make  a  successful  stand — Death  ot'Alcimus — the  Jews  enjoy  rest 
for  two  years — War  between  the  two  Ptolemies  renewed — Demetrius 
abandons  himself  to  dissipation  —  An  impostor  arises  to  claim  his 
crown — Both  court  the  aid  of  Jonathan — Jonathan  assumes  the  office  of 
High-Priest — Alexander  Balas  obtains  the  throne  of  Syria  .  .  .  519 

SECT.  XVII. — Onias  obtain  the  favour  of  the  King  and  Queen  of  Egypt — Builds 
there  a  temple  similar  to  that  at  Jerusalem — Contentions  between  the 
Jews  and  Samaritans  about  the  place  of  worship — Hipparchus  the 
Astronomer — War  between  Alexander  the  Impostor  and  Demetrius — 
The  former  forsaken  by  his  father-in-law  is  overthrown  and  slain  .  524 

B 


XY111  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

SECTION  XVIII. — Carthage  and  Corinth  destroyed  in  the  same  year — History  of 
Polybius — Cleopatra  marries  Physcon,  who  murders  her  son  by  her 
former  husband — Syria  in  a  disturbed  state — Tyrannical  conduct  of 
Demetrius — Tryphon  conspires  against  him  and  overcomes  him — Theos 
is  made  King,  who  grants  great  privileges  to  Jonathan  and  Simon  .  .  527 

SECT.  XIX. — Jonathan  renews  his  league  with  the  Romans  and  Lacedemo- 
nians— He  and  Simon  call  a  Great  Council  of  the  Nation — Tryphon 
treacherously  murders  Jonathan — Simon  succeeds  him — Erects  a  famous 
Monument  for  his  brothers — Demolishes  the  strong  fortress  at  Jeru- 
salem—  Demetrius  goes  against  the  Parthians,  and  falls  into  their 
Hands — His  life  is  spared  by  Mithridates,  who  gives  him  his  daughter 
in  marriage — Cleopatra  marries  Antiochus  Sidetes,  who  invades  Syria, 
and  overcomes  and  slays  Tryphon — Simon  sends  an  embassy  to  Rome 
to  obtain  their  confirmation  of  his  authority  —  Antiochus  seeks  the 
destruction  of  Simon  —  Beastly  character  of  Ptolemy  Physcon  and 
Attalus — Simon  treacherously  murdered  at  Jericho  .  .  .  .529 

SECT.  XX. — Antiochus  invades  Judea — Besieges  Hyrcanus  in  Jerusalem — 
Terms  of  Peace — Family  of  Josephus — Book  of  Ecclesiasticus — Antio- 
chus Sidetes  marches  an  army  into  the  East,  where  he  is  attacked  and 
slain  by  Phraates — Hyrcanus  seizes  the  opportunity  of  delivering  his 
country  from  subjection  to  the  Syrian  yoke — Demetrius  restored  to  his 
Throne — Invades  Egypt — Is  called  back  by  a  revolt  at  Antioch — Ptole- 
my raises  up  a  youth  who  pretends  to  be  the  son  of  Alexander  Balas — 
He  raises  an  army  and  defeats  Demetrius,  who  is  slain  at  Tyre — Alex- 
ander Zebina  reigns  over  Syria — Vast  swarm  of  Locusts  —  Zebina 
defeated  and  put  to  death 534 

SECT.  XXI. — Remarkable  season — Cleopatra  dies  by  a  potion  prepared  for 
her  Son — Disturbances  in  Syria — John  Hyrcanus  goes  on  prosperously — 
Is  opposed  by  the  Pharisees — Origin  of  this  sect — Hyrcanus  joins  the 
Sadducees — His  death — The  Castle  of  Baris 539 

SECT.  XXII. — Hyrcanus  succeeded  by  Aristobulus,  his  son,  who  forces  the 
Itureans  to  embrace  the  Jewish  religion,  as  his  father  had  the  Idu- 
means — Slays  his  brother  Antigonus,  but  repents  and  dies  in  great 
agony — Story  of  Judas  the  Essene — Origin  of  this  Sect — Alexander  suc- 
ceeds his  brother,  Aristobulus — Siege  of  Ptolemais — Defeat  of  Alex- 
ander by  Lathyrus — Civil  War — Anna  the  Prophetess — Death  of  Alex- 
ander Janneus  .  .  .  541 


PART    VI. 

FROM  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA  BY  THE  ROMANS  UNTIL  THE 
DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM. 

SECTION  I. — Alexander  bequeaths  the  kingdom  of  Judea  to  Alexandra  his  wife — 
counsels  her  to  conciliate  the  Pharisees — Origin  of  the  family  of  the 
Herods — Disputes  about  the  Priesthood — Pompey  comes  into  the  East — 
His  head-quarters  at  Damascus — The  quarrel  between  Aristobulus  and 
Hyrcanus  brought  before  him — Imprudent  conduct  of  Aristobulus — 
Pompey  is  received  into  Jerusalem — Enters  the  Sanctuary — Places 
Hyrcanus  in  the  office  of  High-Priest — Orders  the  walls  of  Jerusalem 
to  be  demolished — Leaves  a  garrison  in  the  city,  and  departs  .  .  549 

SECT.  II. — Octavius  Cesar  born — Diodorus  Siculus — Alexander,  son  of  Aristo- 
bulus, escapes  from  Rome — Seizes  several  strong  places — Gabinius, 
Governor  of  Syria — Aristobulus  himself  escapes  from  Rome,  and  raises 
new  disturbances  in  Judea — Crassus  visits  Jerusalem  and  robs  the 
Temple  of  its  treasures — The  judgment  of  God  overtakes  him — Battle 
of  Pharsalia — Cesar  confirms  Hyrcanus  in  the  Priesthood — Antipater  ac- 
companies Cesar  in  all  his  expeditions — His  four  sons — Herod  arraigned 


CONTENTS.  XIX 

PAGE 

for  illegally  putting  certain  thieves  to  death — Meditates  the  destruc- 
tion of  Hyrcanus  and  the  whole  Sanhedrim — Receives  from  Sixtus  the 
government  of  Ccelo-Syria 555 

SECTION  III. — The  Julian  Year — Death  of  Cesar — Malichus,  his  influence  and 
character — Death  of  Antipater — Battle  of  Philippi — Antigonus,  young- 
est son  of  Aristobulus,  claims  the  Kingdom  —  The  Parthians  again 
cross  the  Euphrates — Are  hired  to  invade  Judea  to  make  Antigonus, 
son  of  Aristobulus,  King — His  adherents  are  resisted  by  Herod  and 
Phasael — Civil  war  within  the  city  of  Jerusalem — Flight  of  Herod  and 
death  of  Phasael 559 

SECT.  IV. — Herod  obtains  the  favour  of  Antony,  and  is  solemnly  appointed 
King  of  Judea — Is  successful  against  his  enemies — Antony  sends  him 
two  legions  to  reduce  Jerusalem,  still  in  the  possession  of  Antigonus — 
Herod  goes  to  Samosata  to  meet  Antony — Returns  to  Judea  with  fresh 
forces — His  brother  Joseph  slain  in  an  expedition  against  Jericho — 
Herod  lays  siege  to  Jerusalem — Mariamne  the  wife  of  Herod — Jeru- 
salem taken  and  given  up  to  pillage — Abject  spirit  of  Antigonus  .  .562 

SECT.  V. — Herod  established  on  the  throne  of  Judea — Destroys  the  whole 
Sanhedrim  except  two  —  Hillel  and  Shammai — Their  distinguished 
descendants — Simon— Gamaliel — Judah  Hakkadosh — Scholars  of  Hillel 
— Chaldee  Paraphrases — Their  high  estimation  among  the  Jews — Jona- 
than Ben  Uzziel  and  Onkelos 565 

SECT.  VI. — Ananelus  made  High-Priest — Hyrcanus  a  captive  among  the  Par- 
thians— His  desire  to  return — Alexandra,  the  mother  of  Aristobulus 
and  Mariamne  his  sister,  dissatisfied  that  he  was  passed  over  when 
Ananelus  was  exalted  to  be  High-Priest — Herod  causes  Aristobulus  to 
be  drowned — Cleopatra  visits  Jerusalem — Her  manners  so  licentious 
that  even  Herod  is  disgusted  —  Great  earthquake  in  Judea — Antony 
entirely  defeated  at  Actium — Herod  now  seeks  to  conciliate  the  favour 
of  the  conqueror,  and  succeeds — Mariamne  manifests  the  utmost  hatred 
of  Herod — Herod  became  furious  with  jealousy,  and  put  both  his 
uncle  Joseph  and  Mariamne  to  death — Immediately  he  was  seized  with 
intolerable  remorse,  and  fell  sick — Becomes  more  severe — Is  insti- 
gated to  acts  of  cruelty  by  Alexandra  and  others — Conspiracy  against 
his  Life 569 

SECT.  VII. — Divine  judgments  on  the  land — Herod  erects  a  stately  palace 
on  Mount  Zion — Erects  another  palace  on  a  beautiful  hill  seven  miles 
from  Jerusalem — Aristobulus  and  Alexander,  sons  of  Mariamne  sent  to 
Rome  for  education — Herod  repairs  to  Mitylene,  to  visit  Agrippa — 
Augustus  himself  visits  the  East — Is  waited  on  by  Herod — All  accusa- 
tions against  him  turn  out  to  his  benefit — Undertakes  to  rebuild  the 
Temple — The  work  commenced  just  forty-six  years  before  Christ's 
first  passover 574 

SECT.  VIII. — Herod  visits  his  sons  at  Rome — Attends  the  Olympic  Games  on 
his  way — Is  received  with  honour  by  Augustus — Brings  his  sons  back 
to  Jerusalem — The  rebuilding  of  the  Temple  is  driven  on — Imprudent 
speeches  of  Herod's  sons,  Alexander  and  Aristobulus — Domestic 
troubles  of  Herod  increase — Becomes  more  suspicious — The  young 
men,  his  sons,  continue  to  indulge  in  rash  speeches — Archelaus,  king  of 
Cappadocia  and  father-in-law  to  Alexander,  comes  to  Jerusalem — 
Herod's  expedition  to  Arabia — Difference  between  him  and  his  song 
increases — Augustus  recommends  a  council — Herod  accuses  his  sons, 
and  the  judges  pronounce  sentence  of  condemnation  against  them — 
Herod  causes  this  sentence  to  be  carried  into  execution  at  Sebaste, 
by  strangulation 578 

SECT.  IX. — Antipater  conspires  agansit  the  life  of  his  Father — Pheroras  dis- 
pleases his  brother  by  refusing  one  of  his  daughters  and  marrying  a 
maid-servant — He  joins  the  plot  of  Antipater — The  Temple  of  Janus  at 
Rome  closed — The  Angel  Gabriel  sent  to  Mary  at  Nazareth — Birth  of 
Jesus  Christ  at  Bethlehem — The  registration  which  called  them  thither 
— Luke  and  Josephus  reconciled — Visit  of  the  Magians — Massacre  of 
the  Infants — Herod  causes  his  son  Antipater  to  be  put  to  death — Gives 
orders  to  slay  all  the  eminent  men  of  the  country,  that  there  might  be 
mourning  at  his  own  death,  which  he  perceived  was  near — Death  of 


XX  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Herod — His  family  and  descendants — Division  of  the  kingdom  among 
his  sons     .............  5S2 

SECTION  X. — Joseph  returns  from  Egypt — Vulgar  Era — Archelaus  goes  to  Rome 
and  is  deposed  —  Cyrenius  governor  of  Syria — The  Jews  resist  the 
taxation  by  the  Romans — Annas  appointed  High-Priest  by  the  Romans 
— Death  of  Augustus 5S7 

SECT.  XI. — Procuratorship  of  Valerius  Gratus — Annas  removed  from  the  office 
of  High-Priest  and  Ishmael  substituted — Eleazar,  son  of  Annas,  is  put  in 
his  place,  and  the  next  year  Gratus  removes  him,  and  substitutes 
Simon  son  of  Cannith — Caiaphas — Gratus  recalled  and  succeeded  by 
Pontius  Pilate — Preaching  of  John  the  Baptist — Baptism  of  Christ — 
Death  of  John — Public  ministry  of  Christ — Death  of  Christ — His  Resur- 
rection and  Ascension — Pilate's  account  of  Christ,  sent  to  the  empe-  • 
ror — Pilate  removed  by  Vitellius,  Governor  of  Syria,  and  sent  to  Rome, 
whence  he  was  banished  to  Gaul — Tiberius  dies,  and  is  succeeded  by 
Caius  Caligula 589 

SECT.  XII. — Preaching  of  the  Apostles — Martyrdom  of  Stephen  and  ensuing 
persecution — Conversion  of  Paul — Caiaphas  removed  from  the  High- 
Priesthood  by  Vitellius,  and  Ananas  substituted — Agrippa  acquires  the 
supreme  power  of  Judea — Herod  Antipas  banished  to  Gaul — Embassy 
from  Alexandria  to  Rome — Philo  Judeus — Caius  succeeded  by  Claudius 
— Theophilus  removed  from  the  priesthood  and  Simon  put  in  his 
place — Petronius,  Governor  of  Syria,  succeeded  by  Marsus — Agrippa 
zealous  for  the  Jewish  religion,  but  severe  towards  the  Christians — 
Remarkable  death  of  Agrippa — His  character  and  successors  .  .  592 

SECT.  XIII. — Fadus  made  Procurator  of  Judea — Dearth  in  the  reign  of  Clau- 
dius— Proselytes  to  Judaism — False  Messiah — Fadus  recalled,  and  suc- 
ceeded by  Tiberius  Alexander — Herod,  King  of  Chalcis,  displaced  Joseph 
the  son  of  Camus  from  the  High-Priesthood,  and  substituted  Ananias 
the  son  of  Nebedeus — Tiberius  Alexander  recalled,  and  Cumanus  ap- 
pointed to  succeed  him — Commotions  at  Jerusalem — Dispute  between 
the  Galileans  and  Samaritans — Cumanus  recalled  and  Felix  appointed 
Procurator — Tumultuous  conduct  of  the  Jews — Death  of  Claudius — 
Succeeded  by  Nero — Anarchical  state  of  Judea  during  the  Procurator- 
ship  of  Felix — Is  succeeded  by  Festus — Both  reside  at  Cesarea — Festus 
dies — Is  succeeded  by  Albinus — State  of  society  more  and  more  disor- 
dered— Ananus  made  High-Priest — Cestius  Gallus  visits  Jerusalem  .  597 

SECT.  XIV. — Rome  set  on  fire  by  Nero — Disturbances  at  Cesarea — Floras, 
the  Procurator,  excites  insurrection — His  cruelty — The  Jews  complain 
to  Agrippa — Eleazar,  son  of  the  High-Priest,  and  Master  of  the  Temple, 
persuades  the  priests  to  reject  all  Pagan  sacrifices — Dreadful  commo- 
tions in  Judea,  and  massacres  in  the  Temple — Cestius  Gallus  marches 
an  army  towards  Jerusalem — The  Jews  assembled  at  the  Feast  of 
Tabernacles,  furiously  rush  on  the  hostile  army,  and  slay  five  hundred 
men — Agrippa  interposes — Persuades  the  Jews  to  make  peace,  but  in 
vain — Gallus  brings  back  his  army  to  the  gates  of  Jerusalem — Retires 
again  to  Scopas — Is  attacked  in  the  defile  of  an  ambuscade,  and  flies 
with  a  few  hundred  men — Josephus,  the  historian,  appointed  to  the 
command  of  Galilee  and  Gamala — Nero  sends  Vespasian  to  Judea — He 
first  subdues  Galilee — Bands  of  robbers  infest  the  country — The  Zeal- 
ots— Parties  in  Jerusalem — Cruelties  perpetrated 604 

SECT.  XV. — Vespasian's  preparations  for  carrying  on  the  war — State  ot  parties 
in  Jerusalem — Titus  marches  his  army  to  Jerusalem  and  commences 
the  Siege — Great  multitudes  of  people  within  the  walls — External  part 
of  the  city  taken  by  Titus — Great  efforts  made  to  bring  the  Jews  to 
terms,  but  in  vain — Castle  of  Antonia  demolished — A  lady  eats  her 
own  child  in  the  famine — The  Temple  is  set  on  fire  and  destroyed, 
contrary  to  the  wishes  and  orders  of  Titus — The  walls  thrown  down, 
and  the  site  of  the  Temple  ploughed  over — Dreadful  infatuation  of  the 
Jewish  nation — Their  restoration  clearly  predicted  ....  612 


HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION. 


PART  I. 


THE    PATRIARCHS. 

SECTION  I. 

^» 

CREATION — OAHDEN  OF  EDEN — ENDOWMENTS  OF  MAN. 

WHEN  God  in  the  beginning  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth, 
it  pleased  him  to  bring  the  work  to  perfection  not  in  a  moment, 
but  gradually,  through  a  period  of  six  days.  At  first,  "  the 
earth  was  without  form  and  void,  and  darkness  was  upon  the 
face  of  the  deep."  To  reduce  this  confused  mass  to  order, 
"  The  Spirit  of  God  moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters,  and 
God  said,  Let  there  be  light,  and  there  was  light."  The 
expanse  or  atmosphere  was  next  produced,  in  which  the  clouds 
and  vapours  were  suspended.  The  great  body  of  the  waters 
were  gathered  unto  one  place,  and  thus  the  dry  land  arose  to 
view.  The  name  EARTH  was  given  to  the-  dry  land,  and  SEAS 
to  the  collection  of  waters. 

The  vegetable  world,  in  all  its  freshness,  beauty,  variety, 
and  fruitfulness,  now  sprung  into  existence,  at  the  command  of 
the  Creator.  "  And  God  said,  Let  the  earth  bring  forth  grass, 
the  herb  yielding  seed,  and  the  fruit-tree  yielding  fruit  after 
his  kind,  whose  seed  is  in  itself  upon  the  earth:  and  it  was  so." 

From  the  beginning,  there  was  an  alternation  of  darkness 
and  light,  causing  evening  and  morning ;  but  it  was  not  until 
the  fourth  day  of  creation  that  the  luminaries — the  sun,  moon, 
and  stars — were  placed  in  the  heavens ;  or  became  visible  in 
the  heavens.  "  The  waters  now  brought  forth  abundantly  the 
moving  creature,  that  hath  life;"  and  winged  fowls  of  every 
kind  were  formed  "  to  fly  above  the  earth,  in  the  open  firma- 
ment of  heaven."  And  a  command  was  given  that  these 
I 


2  HISTOKY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

inhabitants  of  the  water  and  of  the  air  should  be  fruitful  and 
multiply. 

The  sea  and  air  being  thus  stocked  with  inhabitants,  possess- 
ing natures  suited  to  their  respective  elements,  God  proceeded 
to  create  the  animals  adapted  to  the  earth.  "  And  God  made 
the  beast  of  the  earth  after  his  kind,  and  cattle  after  their 
kind ;  and  every  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth  after  his 
kind."  When  the  world  was  thus  furnished  and  prepared, 
"  God  said,  Let  us  make  man  in  our  own  image,  after  our  like- 
ness, and  let  them  have  dominion  over  the  fish  of  the  sea,  and 
over  the  fowl  of  the  air,  over  the  cattle,  and  over  all  the  earth, 
and  over  every  creeping  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth." 

In  the  creation  of  other  things,  nothing  was  necessary,  but  a 
simple  expression  of  the  divine  will ;  but  when  the  lord  of  this 
lower  world  was  to  be  brought  into  existence,  a  council  is  called, 
and  it  is  said,  "  Come,  let  us  make  man."  With  whom  did  the 
great  Creator  take  counsel  on  this  memorable  occasion,  but 
with  his  Son  and  Spirit?  both  of  whom  we  know  were  efficient 
agents  in  the  work  of  creation. 

"  So  God  created  man  in  his  own  image,  in  the  image  of  God 
created  he  him;  male  and  fenwle  created  he  them.  And  God 
blessed  them,  and  God  said  unto  them,  Be  fruitful  and  multi- 
ply, and  replenish  the  earth,  and  subdue  it ;  and  have  dominion 
over  the  fish  of  the  sea,  and  over  the  fowl  of  the  air,  and  over 
every  living  thing  that  moveth  on  the  earth.  And  God  said, 
Behold  I  have  given  every  herb  bearing  seed,  which  is  upon 
the  face  of  all  the  earth,  and  every  tree,  in  the  which  is  the 
fruit  of  a  tree  yielding  seed :  to  you  it  shall  be  for  meat.  And 
to  every  beast  of  the  earth,  and  to  every  fowl  of  the  air,  to 
everything  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth,  wherein  there  is  life, 
I  have  given  every  green  herb  for  meat." 

In  this  grant  of  food  to  man  there  is  no  mention  of  the  flesh 
of  animals:  it  has  therefore  been  generally  believed  that 
animal  food  was  not  in  use  before  the  flood. 

We  have  a  still  more  particular  account  of  the  formation  of 
man.  "And  the  Lord  God  formed  man  of  the  dust  of  the 
ground,  and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life,  (lives,) 
and  man  became  a  living  soul." 

"  And  the  Lord  God  planted  a  garden,  eastward  in  Eden ; 
and  there  he  put  the  man  whom  he  had  formed.  And  out  of 
the  ground  made  the  Lord  God  to  grow  every  tree  that  is  plea- 
sant to  the  sight,  and  good  for  food.  The  tree  of  life  (lives) 
also  in  the  midst  of  the  garden,  and  the  tree  of  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil." 

This  garden  was  watered  by  a  river  which  went  out  of  Eden, 
and  was  divided  into  four  heads.  Two  of  these,  it  is  thought, 
were  the  Euphrates,  and  the  Tigris,  called  by  Moses,  Hiddekel, 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  3 

but  nothing  satisfactory  has  been  ascertained  respecting  the 
other  two.  Indeed,  although  the  situation  of  Paradise  seems 
to  have  been  well  known  when  Moses  wrote,  great  obscurity 
now  rests  upon  the  whole  subject;  and  the  conjectures  of  com- 
mentators have  served  rather  to  darken  than  to  elucidate  it. 
The  most  judicious,  however,  for  a  long  time  supposed  that  the 
terrestrial  Paradise  must  have  been  situated  not  very  far  from 
the  mouth  of  the  two  rivers  before  mentioned;  and  they  con- 
jectured, that  the  other  two  rivers  were  streams  passing  from 
one  of  these  to  the  other,  as  it  is  known  that  a  communication 
of  this  kind  did  exist  between  them  in  after-ages.  But  the 
more  modern  cultivators  of  sacred  geography  seem  more  gen- 
erally inclined  to  look  for  the  site  of  this  famous  garden  at  the 
source  of  these  rivers ;  and  allege,  that  two  other  rivers  run- 
ning to  the  north-east  and  to  the  north-west,  have  their 
source  in  the  same  region. 

Man,  when  created,  was  taken  and  put  into  the  garden  of 
Eden,  "to  dress  it  and  keep  it."  Even  in  Paradise  idleness  was 
not  tolerated.  Activity  and  occupation  are  among  the  essen- 
tial ingredients  of  human  happiness. 

The  permission  to  eat  freely  of  all  the  trees  of  the  garden 
was  explicitly  granted,  with  one  only  exception.  "But  of  the 
tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  thou  shalt  not  eat  of  it ;  for 
in  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof,  thou  shalt  surely  die." 
But  why  this  prohibition?  Was  the  fruit  of  a  poisonous  nature? 
So  some  have  supposed.  But  no;  it  was  "good  for  food,"  and 
beautiful  in  its  aspect.  Why,  then,  was  man  interdicted  its 
use?  Simply  as  a  test  of  his  obedience  to  his  Creator.  That 
all  creatures  should  make  it  their  first  and  highest  object  to 
glorify  Him,  from  whom  they  received  their  being,  and  on  whom 
they  depend,  is  one  of  the  plainest  dictates  of  reason  and  con- 
science. It  was  therefore  reasonable  and  proper  that  the  Law- 
giver should  require  some  test  or  proof  of  obedience,  before 
man  should  be  confirmed  in  a  state  of  blessedness.  And  God 
selected  this  thing,  in  itself  of  an  indifferent  nature,  as  furnish- 
ing a  fair  probation  of  man's  obedience. 

It  has  already  been  mentioned,  that  God  made  man  male 
and  female;  but  the  woman  was  not  created  as  early  as  the 
man.  For  awhile  he  was  alone.  "And  the  Lord  God  said,  It 
is  not  good  that  the  man  should  be  alone;  I  will  make  an  help 
meet  for  him."  "And  the  Lord  God  caused  a  deep  sleep  to 
fall  upon  Adam,  and  he  slept;  and  he  took  one  of  his  ribs, 
(sides,)  and  closed  up  the  flesh  instead  thereof.  And  the  rib 
(side)  which  the  Lord  God  had  taken  from  man,  made  he  a  woman, 
and  brought  her  unto  the  man.  And  Adam  said,  This  is  bone 
of  my  bone,  and  flesh  of  my  flesh :  she  shall  be  called  woman, 
because  she  was  taken  out  of  man.  Therefore  shall  a  man  leave 


4  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

his  father  and  his  mother,  and  shall  cleave  unto  his  wife,  and 
they  shall  be  one  flesh." 

That  man,  from  the  moment  of  his  creation,  must  have  been 
endued  with  all  necessary  knowledge,  cannot  reasonably  be 
doubted.  Without  an  original  stock  of  ideas  he  would  have 
been  inferior  to  all  the  other  animals,  for  to  them  instinct  is  a 
sufficient  guide;  but  man  has  no  such  guide;  and  if  he  had 
been  turned  loose  upon  the  wide  world,  without  any  knowledge 
until  he  could  acquire  it  by  the  slow  process  of  experience,  his 
life  could  not  have  been  preserved  for  a  single  day.  Even  the 
danger  arising  from  the  common  elements  of  fire  and  water, 
which  are  known  to  children  as  soon  as  they  can  learn  any 
thing,  would  have  been  unknown  to  him. 

Moreover,  if  man  was  placed  under  a  law,  and  required  to 
love  and  serve  his  Creator,  his  new  created  mind  must  have 
been  furnished  with  ideas  of  the  character  of  God,  and  of  the 
obligations  of  a  creature  to  his  Creator. 

It  is  also  reasonable  to  think,  and  indeed  may  be  inferred 
from  the  sacred  record,  that  man  when  created  was  gifted  with 
the  faculty  and  use  of  articulate  speech.  To  suppose  that  Adam 
and  Eve  were  at  first  mutes,  and  incapable  of  conversing 
together,  except  by  dumb  signs,  is  neither  probable  in  itself, 
nor  honourable  to  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  their  Maker. 
Indeed,  without  such  a  gift,  it  may  well  be  doubted  whether 
man  ever  could  have  invented  a  language.  But  we  need  not 
argue  this  point ;  for  we  find,  that  from  the  beginning  of  man's 
existence,  God  addressed  him  in  words.  And  as  a  striking 
evidence,  both  of  Adam's  knowledge  and  use  of  speech,  the 
Creator  brought  to  him  every  beast  of  the  field  and  fowl  of 
the  air,  to  see  what  he  would  call  them;  "and  whatsoever 
Adam  called  every  living  creature,  that  was  the  name  thereof. 
And  Adam  gave  names  to  all  cattle,  and  to  the  fowl  of  the  air, 
and  to  every  beast  of  the  field." 

This  work  must  have  required  much  time;  and  if  it  is  true 
that  Adam  was  able  to  designate  some  leading  quality  of  each 
species  by  the  name  given,  as  seems  probable,  his  knowledge  of 
natural  history  must  have  been  more  accurate  and  extensive 
than  that  of  any  of  his  posterity. 

But  the  crowning  excellence  of  the  character  of  this  first 
man,  as  he  came  from  the  hands  of  his  Creator,  was  HOLINESS, 
or  moral  integrity.  All  his  affections  were  in  just  proportion 
to  their  objects,  and  his  passions  so  happily  balanced  and 
harmonized,  that  in  all  the  exercises  of  the  various  constituent 
principles  of  human  nature,  there  was  no  jar,  nor  the  least  irre- 
gularity. Objects  were  loved  and  pursued  according  to  their 
value.  The  higher  and  nobler  powers  of  the  mind  governed, 
and  the  inferior  and  animal  principles  were  in  complete  subor- 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  5 

dination.  This  happy  state  of  moral  purity  seems  to  have 
been  the  chief  thing  intended  by  the  IMAGE  OF  GOD,  in  which 
man  is  said  to  have  been  created. 

The  perfect  purity  of  their  hearts,  and  the  bland  serenity  of 
the  atmosphere,  may  be  judged  of  from  a  single  circumstance 
mentioned  in  the  narrative.  "And  they  were  both  naked,  the 
man  and  his  wife,  and  were  not  ashamed." 


SECTION  II. 

TALL   OF    OUR    FIRST   PARENTS,    AND   THEIR   PUNISHMENT. 

SATAN,  by  some  means,  found  his  way  into  Paradise,  and 
with  much  subtlety  laid  his  plan  for  the  seduction  and  ruin  of 
the  innocent  pair,  whose  happiness  this  fiend  envied.  Assuming 
the  body  of  one  of  the  most  sagacious  and  noble  of  the  animal 
tribes,  he  accosted  the  woman,  as  being  the  weaker  vessel,  when 
she  was  a  little  separated  from  her  husband.  He  had  become 
acquainted  with  the  prohibition,  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil;  and  watching  his  opportunity,  when  Eve  was 
near  to  this  tree,  he  said,  "  Yea,  hath  God  said,  Ye  shall  not 
eat  of  every  tree  of  the  garden?"  This  insidious  question  was 
intended  to  suggest  a  doubt  of  the  reasonableness  of  the  com- 
mandment of  God.  The  woman  promptly  and  properly  an- 
swered, "We  may  eat  of  the  fruit  of  the  trees  of  the  garden, 
but  of  the  tree  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  garden,  God  hath 
said,  Ye  shall  not  eat,  neither  shall  ye  touch  it,  lest  ye  die." 
It  may,  indeed,  seem  strange  that  she  was  not  filled  with  aston- 
ishment at  hearing  the  serpent  speak ;  but  let  it  be  recollected, 
that,  in  the  beginning  of  the  world,  when  there  had  not  been 
time  to  observe  the  regular  course  of  the  laws  of  nature,  all 
events  were  equally  new  and  strange.  She  might  not  know 
but  that  some  of  the  animal  tribes  had  received  the  gift  of  rea- 
son and  speech.  The  tempter,  finding  that  the  woman  was 
willing  to  enter  into  conversation  with  him,  assumed  more 
boldness,  and  ventured  to  utter  a  direct  contradiction  of  the 
declaration  of  God.  "  And  the  serpent  said,  Ye  shall  not  sure- 
ly die."  This  was  the  first  lie  which  ever  polluted  the  air  of 
the  world ;  and  therefore,  he  who  set  this  example,  which  has 
been  followed  by  so  many,  is  called  a  LIAR,  and  the  FATHER  OF 
LIES.  But  not  contented  with  simply  uttering  a  falsehood  in 
direct  opposition  to  the  word  of  God,  he  went  on  to  confirm  his 
assertion,  by  saying,  "For  God  doth  know,  that  in  the  day  ye 
eat  thereof,  then  your  eyes  shall  be  opened,  and  ye  shall  be  as 
gods,  knowing  good  and  evil." 

"  And  when  the  woman  saw  that  the  tree  was  good  for  food, 


6  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

and  that  it  was  pleasant  to  the  eyes,  and  a  tree  to  be  desired 
to  make  one  wise,  she  took  of  the  fruit  thereof,  and  did  eat." 

The  temptation  entered  first  by  the  ear.  She  listened  to  an 
insidious  speech,  which  conveyed  a  poison  to  her  heart,  by 
suggesting  a  doubt  of  the  Divine  veracity.  It  next  entered  by 
the  eye,  for  the  fruit,  which  was  beautiful  in  its  aspect,  hung 
clustering  within  her  reach.  Her  appetite  was  whetted,  proba- 
bly, by  seeing  the  serpent  eating  it  with  great  apparent  gratifica- 
tion. She  believed  it  to  be  good  for  food.  But  probably  the 
desire  of  an  increase  of  knowledge,  and  a  curiosity  to  be  as 
God,  knowing  good  and  evil,  was  the  prevailing  motive.  The 
desire  of  knowledge  is  innocent  when  restrained  within  proper 
bounds ;  but  when  our  curiosity  leads  us  to  pry  into  the  secret 
things  of  God,  or  to  use  any  unlawful  means  to  increase  our 
knowledge,  it  becomes  sinful. 

"And  she  gave  also  to  her  husband  with  her,  and  he  did  eat." 
Whether  Adam  was  deceived  by  the  same  artful  suggestions  of 
Satan  as  the  woman,  or  was  influenced  by  his  fondness  for  the 
society  of  Eve  to  connect  his  destiny  with  her's  even  in  death, 
is  not  easily  determined,  since  the  sacred  historian  is  silent 
respecting  the  motive.  Paul  says,  "Adam  was  not  deceived, 
but  the  woman  being  deceived,  was  in  the  transgression." 
But  he  probably  means  no  more  than  that  Eve  led  the  way 
in  sinning. 

The  first  sin  was  marked  with  peculiar  guilt.  Our  first 
parents  were  supplied  with  every  blessing  which  the  heart  of 
man  ought  to  desire.  They  were  pressed  by  no  painful  neces- 
sity to  eat  this  fruit;  the  whole  garden,  with  all  its  variety  of 
delicious  fruits,  was  before  them;  and  they  enjoyed  unres- 
trained liberty  in  regard  to  every  tree,  but  this  one.  Igno- 
rance and  inadvertence  cannot  be  pleaded  in  palliation  of  their 
crime.  The  law  of  God  prohibiting  this  fruit  was  brought 
clearly  before  the  woman  by  the  very  words  of  the  tempter. 
"  Yea,  hath  God  said,  Ye  shall  not  eat  of  every  tree."  Upon 
which  she  distinctly  repeats  the  prohibition,  with  a  circum- 
stance nowhere  else  mentioned,  namely,  that  they  were  not 
only  forbidden  to  eat  the  fruit,  but  "  to  touch  it."  It  was  then 
not  only  a  voluntary  but  a  deliberate  transgression.  And  in 
the  case  of  Adam,  the  opportunity  for  deliberation  was  even 
greater.  He  saw  his  wife  in  the  very  act  of  disobedience.  He 
saw  the  forbidden  fruit  in  her  hand,  and  in  her  mouth;  and  yet 
when  she  offered  it  to  him  he  did  not  refuse  it ;  but  took  it,  and 
did  eat,  conscious,  no  doubt,  at  the  moment,  that  he  was  diso- 
beying the  positive  command  of  his  Maker. 

The  constitution  of  the  human  mind  is  such,  that  some  prin- 
ciples or  passions  are  not  developed  until  certain  circumstances 
occur  which  call  them  forth.  For  example,  fear  would  never 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  7 

be  experienced,  if  we  never  apprehended  any  danger:  anger 
would  remain  latent  if  we  were  never  exposed  to  any  injury : 
and  shame  was  a  feeling  to  which  our  first  parents  were  stran- 
gers, until  conscious  guilt  took  possession  of  their  minds.  When 
any  new  thoughts  or  feelings  arise  in  the  mind,  it  is  agreeable 
to  the  Hebrew  method  of  speaking,  to  say  that  the  eyes  are 
opened;  so  now,  Adam  and  Eve  experienced  an  entirely  new 
state  of  mind.  The  clear  light  of  truth  was  obscured;  serenity 
was  exchanged  for  perturbation,  peace  for  remorse,  and  confi- 
dence for  fear.  0  what  desolations  hath  sin  produced ! 

The  intercourse  which  man  enjoyed  with  his  Maker  was  not 
only  profitable,  but  in  a  high  degree  delightful.  But  now  how 
sad  the  reverse !  When  the  well-known  voice  of  the  Lord  was 
heard  in  the  garden  at  the  cool  of  the  day,  guilty  man,  instead 
of  running  to  hail  the  presence  of  his  Creator,  flees  to  the 
thickest  part  of  the  trees  of  the  garden.  Guilty  shame  of 
nakedness,  not  experienced  before,  impels  them  to  make  them- 
selves aprons  (girdles)  of  fig  leaves ;  guilty  fear  now  drives 
them  into  a  hiding  place,  as  though  any  covert  could  conceal 
from  the  eye  of  Omniscience.  But  no  sinner  can  flee  so  far,  or 
hide  himself  so  securely,  as  to  escape  the  justice  of  God. 
How  terrible  now  was  the  sound  of  that  voice  which  said, 
"Adam,  where  art  thou?"  When  God  calls  unto  judgment, 
man  must  obey.  The  trembling  culprits  are  now  forced  to 
come  forth  from  their  concealment,  and  to  confess  their  crime. 
But  the  man  endeavours  to  palliate  his  guilt  by  laying  the 
principal  blame  on  the  woman ;  and  the  woman  excuses  herself, 
by  pleading  that  she  had  been  beguiled  by  the  serpent. 

In  pronouncing  sentence  upon  the  partakers  of  the  crime, 
the  righteous  Judge  began  with  the  serpent,  and  said, 
"  Because  thou  hast  done  this,  thou  art  cursed  above  every 
beast  of  the  field ;  upon  thy  belly  shalt  thou  go,  and  dust  shalt 
thou  eat  all  the  days  of  thy  life.  And  I  will  put  enmity 
between  thee  and  the  woman,  and  between  thy  seed  and  her 
seed:  it  shall  bruise  thy  head,  and  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel." 

From  what  is  here  said,  it  would  seem  that  the  serpent  origi- 
nally possessed  a  noble  form  and  erect  attitude,  but  was  now 
degraded.  It  is  not  necessary  to  understand  the  sacred  his- 
torian as  saying  that  the  serpent  race  are  nourished  by  dust, 
but  only,  that  in  their  grovelling  condition  on  the  ground,  dust 
would  necessarily  enter  their  mouths  with  their  food. 

That  Satan  was  really  the  prime  agent  in  this  transaction,  is 
evident  from  this,  that  in  the  book  of  Revelation  he  is  called 
"the  old  serpent,"  and  from  the  words  of  our  Saviour,  who 
calls  him  a  "liar"  and  a  "murderer,"  in  manifest  allusion  to 
this  event. 

Here  we  have  the  first  intimation  of  the  Messiah. 


8  HISTORY    OF   THE    ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

As  the  woman  was  first  in  the  transgression,  there  was 
denounced  upon  her  a  peculiar  curse,  which  has  descended 
upon  her  sex  in  all  generations.  "  Unto  the  woman  he  said,  I 
will  greatly  multiply  thy  sorrow  and  thy  conception ;  in  sorrow 
shalt  thou  bring  forth  children,  and  thy  desire  shall  be  to  thy 
husband,  and  he  shall  rule  over  thee."  But  this  did  not 
exempt  her  from  her  full  share  of  the  punishment  denounced 
upon  our  whole  race. 

"And  unto  Adam  he  said,  Because  thou  hast  hearkened 
unto  the  voice  of  thy  wife,  and  hast  eaten  of  the  tree  of  which 
I  commanded  thee,  saying,  Thou  shalt  not  eat  of  it ;  cursed  is 
the  ground  for  thy  sake:  in  sorrow  shalt  thou  eat  of  it  all  the 
days  of  thy  life.  Thorns  and  thistles  shall  it  bring  forth  unto 
thee,  and  thou  shalt  eat  of  the  herb  of  the  field.  In  the  sweat 
of  thy  brow  shalt  thou  eat  bread,  until  thou  return  unto  the 
ground,  for  out  of  it  wast  thou  taken ;  FOR  DUST  THOU  ART,  AND 

UNTO  DUST  SHALT  THOU  RETURN." 

That  Adam  acted  in  this  transaction  as  a  public  person,  and 
not  as  a  private  individual,  is  evident  from  the  undeniable  fact, 
that  the  whole  of  this  denunciation,  as  it  relates  to  the  curse 
upon  the  ground,  the  necessity  of  labour,  and  the  death  of  the 
body,  fall  as  fully  upon  his  posterity  as  they  did  upon  himself. 
Well  then  might  Paul  say,  "By  one  man  sin  entered  into  the 
world,  and  death  by  sin." 

The  loss  sustained  by  the  human  race,  in  consequence  of 
the  fall  of  our  first  parents,  is  immense.  The  image  of 
G  od  was  defaced,  immortality  was  forfeited,  and  happiness  was 
blighted. 

Concerning  the  use  to  be  made  of  the  "tree  of  life,"  which 
stood  also  in  the  midst  of  the  garden,  the  Scriptures  are  silent ; 
and,  as  is  common  in  such  cases,  the  conjectures  of  men  are 
abundant.  Some  ascribe  to  it  the  power  of  conferring  immor- 
tality ;  others  are  more  moderate  in  their  opinions  of  its  virtues, 
and  suppose  that  the  fruit  was  highly  invigorating  and  medici- 
nal, and  would  have  preserved  in  health  our  first  parents, 
as  long  as  it  was  intended  they  should  continue  upon  earth ; 
but  a  third  and  more  probable  opinion  is,  that  the  tree  of  life 
possessed  a  sacramental  character,  and  was  merely  a  sign  and 
seal  of  that  immortal  life  which  God  had  promised  on  condition 
of  obedience.  The  words  of  God  in  the  following  passage  are 
very  extraordinary,  and  very  difficult  of  explanation:  "And 
the  Lord  God  said,  Behold  the  man  is  become  as  one  of  us,  to 
know  good  and  evil;  and  now,  lest  he  put  forth  his  hand,  and 
take  also  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  eat,  and  live  for  ever;  there- 
fore the  Lord  God  sent  him  forth  from  the  garden  of  Eden  to 
till  the  ground  from  whence  he  was  taken.  So  he  drove  out 
the  man;  and  he  placed  at  the  east  of  the  garden  of  Eden, 


THE   PATRIARCHS. 

cherubims,  and  a  flaming  sword  (or  a  flame  turning  on  itself), 
which  turned  every  way,  to  keep  the  way  of  the  tree  of  life." 
It  would  detain  us  too  long,  even  to  notice  the  various  inter- 
pretations of  this  difficult  passage.  Leaving  this,  therefore,  to 
expositors,  I  would  only  remark  that  we  here  learn  that  agri- 
culture was  the  first  occupation  of  man,  after  his  expulsion  from 
Paradise.  He  was  sent  to  "till  the  ground."  The  only  pro- 
vision made  for  his  comfort,  of  which  a  record  was  made,  was 
"  That  unto  Adam,  and  unto  his  wife,  did  the  Lord  God  make 
coats  of  skins,  and  clothed  them." 

It  has  been  remarked  by  many,  that  probably  the  rite  of 
sacrificing  was  at  this  time  instituted,  and  that  these  skins  were 
taken  from  the  bodies  of  those  animals  which  were  offered  on 
the  altar. 


SECTION  III. 

CAIN   AND   ABEL. 

OF  the  particulars  of  their  history  afterwards  very  little  is 
known.  The  sacred  historian  passes  at  once  from  the  birth  of 
Cain  and  Abel,  to  an  interesting  narrative  respecting  their  cha- 
racters, occupations,  and  destiny.  Cain  was  a  cultivator  pf  the 
ground,  but  Abel  was  a  keeper  of  sheep.  Both  of  them  were 
professedly  religious,  for  we  find  them  engaged  in  the  worship 
of  God;  each  presenting  as  an  offering  a  portion  of  the  fruits 
of  his  labour.  No  doubt,  the  rite  of  sacrificing  is  of  divine 
institution,  else  Abel  could  not  have  offered  of  the  firstlings  of 
his  flock,  and  of  the  fat  thereof,  in  faith ;  and  it  is  altogether 
probable,  that  the  productions  of  the  earth  had  also  been 
appointed  to  be  offered,  as  an  acknowledgment  of  the  goodness 
of  God,  in  granting  rain  and  fruitful  seasons  from  heaven ;  as 
we  know,  that  after  this  time  such  offerings  were  made  by  divine 
appointment.  There  does  not,  therefore,  appear  to  be  any  cer- 
tain ground  for  the  opinion  advocated  by  some  learned  men, 
that  Cain  failed  in  his  sacrifice,  not  only  by  a  want  of  faith,  but 
by  an  external  disobedience  to  the  command  of  God ;  refusing 
to  bring  a  bloody  sacrifice,  and  following  the  suggestions  of  his 
own  reason,  in  the  business  of  religion,  rather  than  the  revealed 
will  of  God.  This  may  have  been  the  fact,  but  no  intimation 
of  any  such  thing  is  given  by  Moses ;  at  least  as  his  meaning  is 
given  in  our  version.  There  is,  indeed,  a  translation  of  the  ori- 
ginal, which  contains  a  distinct  reproof  of  Cain,  because  he  had 
not  offered  a  sin-offering,  or  bloody  sacrifice,  when  the  animals 
requisite  for  such  an  offering  were  in  his  possession,  and  even 
then  couching  at  his  door.  Leaving  it  to  the  critics  to  settle 


10  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

the  true  meaning  of  the  passage,  I  go  on  to  remark,  that  by 
some  visible  manifestation,  God  expressed  his  approbation  of 
the  worship  of  Abel,  while  he  gave  no  sign  of  approbation  to 
the  offering  of  Cain.  How  the  mind  of  God  was  signified,  on 
this  occasion,  we  are  not  informed ;  but  the  conjecture  has  much 
probability,  that  Abel's  sacrifice,  when  laid  upon  the  altar,  was 
consumed  by  fire  from  heaven.  This  evident  preference  of 
Abel  and  his  offering,  filled  the  mind  of  Cain  with  thoughts  the 
most  gloomy  and  desperate.  His  cheerfulness  forsook  him,  and 
his  inward  anguish  appeared  in  the  dejection  of  his  countenance. 
It  would  seem,  from  the  history  here  given,  that  God  was 
accustomed  to  speak  familiarly  to  the  first  men.  Whether  this 
intercourse  was  held  merely  by  articulate  sounds,  or  whether  he 
appeared,  as  often  afterwards,  in  the  form  of  an  angel  or  a 
man,  it  would  be  rash  for  us  to  decide.  On  this  occasion,  God 
inquired  of  Cain,  why  his  countenance  was  fallen?  and  intima- 
ted to  him  the  method  proper  to  be  pursued  by  him  in  order  to 
find  acceptance;  but  this  expostulation  from  his  Creator  had 
no  salutary  effect  on  the  malignant  feelings  of  this  first-born  of 
men.  He  not  only  remained  dissatisfied,  but  actually  began  to 
feel  a  hatred  to  his  pious  and  unoffending  brother,  which  would 
be  satisfied  with  nothing  short  of  his  death.  Abel  seems  to 
have  remained  unsuspicious  of  the  bloody  designs  of  his  brother, 
and,  therefore,  took  no  pains  to  shun  his  presence.  Cain,  hav- 
ing determined  to  murder  him,  invites  him  to  accompany  him 
to  the  field  or  forest ;  far,  we  may  presume,  from  the  eye  of  all 
human  witnesses.  Here  the  first  murder  was  committed.  Of 
the  two  first-born  among  men,  children  of  the  same  parents,  the 
one  is  slain  by  the  other.  Cain  had  avoided  the  presence  of 
human  witnesses,  but  the  eye  of  God  was  fixed  on  the  murderer, 
and  he  was  soon  astonished  by  the  question — "Where  is  Abel, 
thy  brother?"  Irritated,  as  well  as  confounded,  he  answers, 
"I  know  not;"  and  subjoins,  "Am  I  my  brother's  keeper?" 

The  Almighty  soon  let  him  understand  that  his  guilt  was 
fully  known,  and  that  his  brother's  blood,  which  he  had  wicked- 
ly shed,  had  cried  unto  him  from  the  ground.  That  is,  the 
crime  of  which  he  had  been  guilty,  in  murdering  his  brother, 
was  so  great,  that  it  was  as  if  the  blood  sent  forth  a  cry  for 
vengeance  against  Cain.  It  is  well  for  us  that  all  blood  does 
not  cry  for  vengeance.  There  is  blood,  the  cry  of  which,  before 
the  throne  of  God,  is  for  mercy  and  peace ;  which,  therefore, 
is  said  to  "  speak  better  things  than  the  blood  of  Abel." 

A  curse  is  immediately  denounced  against  the  murderer. 
As  yet  there  was  no  civil  government  instituted,  and  no  human 
laws  or  human  officers  to  apprehend  and  punish  this  criminal. 
God  took  the  matter  into  his  own  hands ;  and  though  he  did 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  11 

not  inflict  immediate  death  upon  the  murderer,  yet  he  may  be 
said  to  have  subjected  him  to  many  deaths,  until  it  seemed  good 
to  him  to  cut  him  off  from  the  face  of  the  earth.  The  curse 
upon  Cain  was  in  the  following  words :  "  And  now  art  thou 
cursed  from  the  earth,  which  hath  opened  her  mouth  to  receive 
thy  brother's  blood  from  thy  hand.  When  thou  tillest  the 
ground,  it  shall  not  henceforth  yield  unto  thee  her  strength.  A 
fugitive  and  a  vagabond  shalt  thou  be  on  the  earth."  Cain 
expostulated  with  his  Maker  in  regard  to  the  intolerable  burden 
of  his  guilt  and  misery;  and  seemed  now  to  fear  the  face  of 
man,  dreading  lest  every  one  who  found  him  should  slay  him. 
To  satisfy  him  that  this  should  not  be  the  fact,  God  gave  a  sign 
to  Cain;  or,  as  it  is  commonly  understood,  impressed  a  mark 
upon  him ;  concerning  the  nature  of  which  it  would  be  trifling 
even  to  conjecture.  The  miserable  wretch  is  now  driven  away 
from  the  altar  and  house  of  God;  and  is  separated  from  his 
parents,  and  from  all  his  brothers  and  sisters,  except  his  own 
wife,  who  followed  her  worthless  husband  into  the  land  of  Nod : 
thus  verifying  the  declaration  made  at  the  institution  of  mar- 
riage: "For  this  cause  shall  a  man  leave  his  father  and  his 
mother,  and  shall  be  joined  to  his  wife,  and  they  shall  be  one 
flesh."  The  same  is  true  in  regard  to  the  woman.  How  many 
children  had,  during  more  than  a  century,  been  born  unto  our 
first  parents,  we  have  no  means  of  knowing.  It  is  pretty  clear, 
however,  that  Abel  died  childless ;  and  we  may  infer  from  what 
is  said  about  appointing  Seth  as  a  seed  in  the  place  of  Abel, 
that  his  parents  were  not  easily  comforted,  on  account  of  the 
premature  and  unnatural  death  of  such  a  son.  And  if  there 
were,  besides  those  mentioned  in  the  record,  many  other  child- 
ren of  the  original  pair,  it  would  seem  that  none  of  them  were 
like  Abel ;  otherwise,  it  would  not  have  been  necessary  to  raise 
up  a  child  to  take  his  place.  Cain  seems  to  have  been  the 
father  of  a  numerous  posterity ;  and  among  them  were  found 
ingenious  men,  who  became  distinguished  throughout  all  ages 
as  the  inventors  or  improvers  of  the  useful,  and  even  of  some 
of  the  fine  arts.  We  learn  from  this,  that  God  may  grant 
worldly  prosperity  to  man  while  under  his  curse.  Probably  a 
large  portion  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  before  the  flood 
were  the  descendants  of  Cain.  Their  skill  in  the  arts,  so 
necessary  to  the  refined  comforts  of  human  society,  would  give 
them  a  great  influence  among  men.  With  these,  the  practice 
of  having  more  than  one  wife  seems  first  to  have  made  its 
appearance.  Lamech  is  the  person  to  whom  belongs  this  bad 
distinction ;  and  the  names  of  his  wives  were,  Adah  and  Zillah. 


f 

12  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 


SECTION  IV. 

SETH   AND   HIS   POSTERITY. 

No  transactions  of  any  of  the  children  of  Adam  are  mentioned 
in  the  brief  history  of  Moses,  except  the  sacrifice  of  Cain  and 
Abel,  and  the  cruel  murder  of  the  latter  by  his  envious  brother. 
To  Seth,  who  was  the  successor  of  Abel,  there  was  born  a  son, 
in  the  hundred  and  fifth  year  of  his  age.  The  name  of  this 
son,  from  whom  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  since  the  de- 
luge have  descended,  was  Enos.  Adam  was  one  hundred  and 
thirty  years  old  when  Seth  was  born.  It  is  therefore  probable 
that  Cain  and  Abel  were  more  than  a  hundred  years  of  age 
when  the  latter  was  murdered,  but  no  mention  is  made  of  the 
age  of  Adam  at  the  birth  of  his  first-born.  The  plan  of  the 
writer  is  to  give  the  age  of  the  father  at  the  birth  of  those  sons 
only  through  whom  the  genealogy  is  reckoned.  Commonly,  it 
is  presumable,  that  these  were  the  first-born  of  their  respective 
fathers ;  but  of  this  there  is  no  certainty.  Indeed,  in  the  case 
of  Cain,  we  know  that  the  contrary  was  the  fact.  At  the  birth 
of  his  grandson  Enos  then,  Adam  and  Eve  were  two  hundred 
andJJhirty-five  years  of  age.  Enos  was  ninety  years  old  at  the 
birtn  of  his  son  Cainan,  at  which  time  Adam  had  reached  the 
age  of  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  years.  To  Cainan  a  son 
was  born  in  the  seventieth  year  of  his  age,  which  was  in  the 
three  hundred  and  ninety-fifth  year  of  Adam's  life.  The  son 
of  Cainan  was  named  Mahalaleel,  to  whom,  in  the  sixty-fifth 
year  of  his  age,  there  was  born  a  son  by  the  name  of  Jared. 
This  occurred  in  the  four  hundred  and  sixtieth  year  of  the  life 
of  Adam. 

Jared  was  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  years  of  age  when 
Enoch  was  born,  one  of  the  most  excellent  and  remarkable  men 
who  ever  lived.  He  was  a  prophet,  and  a  man  so  distinguished 
for  piety,  that  at  the  age  of  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  years, 
he  was  taken  to  heaven  without  dying.  This  remarkable  event 
occurred  in  the  eight  hundred  and  fifteenth  year  of  Adam's  life. 
But  this  holy  man  was  married,  and  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  had 
born  to  him  Methuselah,  who  is  the  oldest  man  mentioned  in 
Scripture.  It  was  three  hundred  years  after  the  birth  of  this 
son,  that  God  took  Enoch  to  himself.  At  the  age  of  one 
hundred  and  eighty-seven  years,  a  son  was  born  to  Methuselah 
called  Lamech.  And  in  the  hundred  and  eighty-second  year 
of  Lamech's  life,  another  very  remarkable  person  was  born, 
namely,  Noah.  From  an  inspection  of  this  genealogical  table, 
it  will  appear  that  Adam  was  living  at  the  same  time  with 
Methuselah  for  two  hundred  and  forty-three  years,  and  died 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  13 

only  sixty-five  years  before  the  birth  of  Noah.  It  is  also  evi- 
dent, that  Adam  lived  a  number  of  years  after  the  translation 
of  Enoch,  and  was  living  during  the  whole  time  of  his  contin- 
uance upon  earth.  On  account  of  the  ages  to  which  these 
early  patriarchs  lived,  many  generations  inhabited  the  world  at 
the  same  time.  Adam.  Seth,  Enos,  Cainan,  Mahalaleel,  Jared, 
Enoch,  Methuselah,  and  Lamech,  (eight  successive  generations,) 
were  alive  together.  Among  these  Adam  would,  of  course, 
hold  the  chief  authority.  He  was  not  only  the  father  of  the 
whole  race,  but  the  source  of  information  to  them  all.  Adam 
had  been  created  in  a  state  of  perfection  of  all  his  faculties  of 
mind  and  body ;  had  conversed  with  his  Maker,  before  sin  had 
perverted  his  powers ;  and  had  received  upon  his  entrance  on 
the  world  such  a  stock  of  knowledge,  as  was  absolutely  neces- 
sary in  his  condition.  It  has  sometimes  been  inquired,  whether 
the  antediluvians  had  any  form  of  civil  government ;  to  which 
it  may  be  answered,  with  certainty,  that  in  the  beginning,  the 
patriarchal  form  existed,  and  no  other ;  that  is,  the  oldest  per- 
son governed  when  there  was  any  necessity  for  authority. 
Adam,  by  his  care  and  government  of  his  children,  would 
acquire  such  an  authority  over  them  as  to  constitute  him  their 
natural  ruler;  and  his  superiority  to  all  others,  in  knowledge, 
would  serve  to  render  his  influence  still  greater.  For  nealiy  a 
thousand  years,  this  first  man  ruled  his  numerous  and  increasing 
posterity;  except  that  Cain  and  his  descendants  appear  to  have 
formed,  for  a  long  time,  a  separate  society,  and  had  no  connex- 
ion with  the  children  of  Seth. 


SECTION  V. 

GREAT  CORRUPTION  OF  MANNERS,  THE   CONSEQUENCE  OF  INTERMARRIAGES  BETWEEN 
THE  DESCENDANTS  OF  SETH  AND  THOSE  OF  CAIN. 

BUT  when  the  population  of  the  earth  was  much  increased, 
an  intercourse  by  marriage  took  place  between  these  two  por- 
tions of  mankind.  "The  sons  of  God  saw  the  daughters  of 
men  that  they  were  fair,  and  they  took  them  wives  of  all  that 
they  chose."  It  is  not  said  that  these  daughters  of  men  were 
the  descendants  of  Cain ;  but  the  supposition  is  by  no  means 
improbable.  Cain  was  driven  out  from  the  face  of  God,  that 
is,  from  the  place  where  God  made  himself  known.  He  and 
his  family  were,  therefore,  in  a  manner,  expelled  from  the  pri- 
mitive church.  But  they  had  probably  increased  in  wealth, 
luxury,  and  the  arts,  above  the  other  posterity  of  Adam.  For 
a  long  time,  we  may  presume,  it  would  have  been  deemed 


14  HISTORY   OP  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

impious  to  hold  any  intercourse  with  the  murderer:  but  at 
length  this  distance  was  diminished ;  visits  were  paid  from  one 
party  to  the  other.  And  the  young  men  who  belonged  to  the 
line  of  Seth,  seeing  the  daughters  of  Cain  that  they  were  very 
beautiful,  soon  formed  marriages  with  them.  This  connexion 
seems  to  have  been  the  source  of  a  grievous  corruption  of  man- 
ners. God,  however,  continued  to  warn  and  reprove  the  people 
by  his  Holy  Spirit,  either  immediately  by  striving  with  their 
consciences,  or  by  raising  up  prophets,  who  were  inspired  of 
God  to  instruct  and  preach.  He  was,  however,  now  almost 
prepared  to  abandon  them,  and  to  say,  "My  Spirit  shall  not 
always  strive  with  man,"  yet  he  determined,  in  his  mercy,  that 
he  would  wait  with  them  for  a  further  period  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  years. 

That  the  marriages  above  mentioned  had  an  intimate  connex- 
ion with  the  corruption  of  manners  which  ensued,  is  expressly 
asserted.  Of  their  children  it  is  said,  "The  same  became 
mighty  men,  which  were  of  old,  men  of  renown."  Their 
renown,  doubtless,  was  not  for  good  actions,  but  for  high-handed 
violence,  injustice,  and  oppression.  "And  God  saw  that  the 
wickedness  of  man  was  great  upon  the  earth,  and  that  every 
imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  con- 
tinually." 


SECTIOX  VI. 


THE    DELUGE — THE    ARK. 


THE  Almighty  now  resolved  that  he  would  destroy  man 
whom  he  had  created,  from  the  face  of  the  earth;  "for," 
speaking  after  the  manner  of  men,  "it  repented  the  Lord  that 
he  had  made  man  upon  the  earth."  In  surveying  the  millions 
who  now  peopled  the  globe,  there  was  only  one  man  who  found 
favour  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord.  This  was  Noah,  the  son  of 
Lamech.  As  has  been  mentioned,  he  was  born  about  sixty-five 
years  after  the  death  of  Adam,  was  a  preacher  of  righteous- 
ness, and  was  directed  to  prepare  an  ark  for  the  salvation  of 
himself  and  family,  which  consisted  of  no  more  than  eight 
souls.  Accordingly,  Noah  set  to  work  to  cut  down  and  prepare 
gopher  wood,  or  wood  of  a  light  and  resinous  quality,  of  differ- 
ent kinds.  This  is  the  first  specimen  of  a  vessel  for  the  water, 
of  which  we  have  any  account.  The  dimensions  of  the  build- 
ing and  its  interior  arrangements  were  divinely  directed.  It 
had  a  door  on  the  side,  and  a  window  or  sky-light,  which  was 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  15 

probably  on  the  top.  How  much  derision  and  mocking  the 
pious  patriarch  underwent,  while  engaged  in  erecting  this 
edifice,  may  be  left  to  conjecture.  The  probable  size  was  about 
five  hundred  feet  in  length,  eighty  feet  in  breadth,  and  about 
fifty  feet  in  height,  which  was  abundantly  large  enough  for  all 
the  purposes  for  which  it  was  intended. 

The  ark  being  completed,  and  the  season  of  grace  and  for- 
bearance, already  mentioned,  having  come  to  an  end;  and  Noah 
and  his  three  sons,  Ham,  Shem,  and  Japheth,  and  their  wives, 
having  received  a  Command  to  enter  into  the  ark,  took  "of 
clean  beasts  by  sevens,  the  male  and  the  female,"  that  is,  pro- 
bably, seven  of  each  sex,  "and  of  beasts  that  were  not  clean, 
two,  the  male  and  the  female."  If  we  have  rightly  interpreted 
the  former  passage,  four  of  each  species  of  unclean  animals 
were  taken  in.  Within  seven  days  after  Noah  had  entered  the 
ark,  the  flood  commenced.  This  was  in  the  six  hundredth  year 
of  Noah's  life,  in  the  seventeenth  day  of  the  second  month  of 
the  year.  If  the  original  year  commenced  about  the  autumnal 
equinox,  as  is  commonly  supposed,  then  the  deluge  began, 
according  to  the  dates  here  given,  about  the  first  week  in  our 
November.  It  is  not  the  business  of  the  historian  to  account 
for  events,  but  to  state  them  accurately.  This  event  was  pro- 
bably produced  by  a  miraculous  interposition ;  but  if  other- 
wise, no  reason  of  man  can  ever  do  more  than  form  conjec- 
tures, which,  however  plausible,  can  give  no  satisfaction  to  the 
mind  in  pursuit  of  truth.  "  The  fountains  of  the  great  deep" 
are  said  to  have  "  been  broken  up  ;  and  the  windows,  or  cata- 
racts of  heaven  were  opened,  and  the  rain  was  upon  the  earth 
forty  days  and  forty  nights."  After  this  continual  rain  of 
forty  days,  the  water  was  so  increased  that  the  ark  began  to 
float;  and  soon  the  increase  of  the  water  was  so  exceedingly 
great,  "  that  all  the  high  hills  that  were  under  the  whole  heaven 
were  covered;"  consequently,  all  the  animals  that  breathed 
upon  the  earth  and  air,  except  such  as  could  live  in  the  water, 
died.  And  there  was  a  general  and  total  destruction,  not  only 
of  life,  but  of  all  the  buildings  which  man  had  erected.  Their 
cities,  however  populous,  were  swept  away.  The  wealth  of  the 
world  was  buried  beneath  the  deep.  The  cattle  of  a  thousand 
hills  were  seen  no  more.  "Noah  alone  remained  alive,  and 
they  that  were  with  him  in  the  ark."  "And  the  waters  pre- 
vailed upon  the  earth  a  hundred  and  fifty  days."  If  we  reckon 
these  days  from  the  commencement  of  the  rain,  their  end  would 
be  about  the  20th  of  February :  but  if,  which  is  the  most  pro- 
bable, they  begin  with  the  time  when  the  waters  completely 
covered  the  earth,  and  began  to  raise  up  the  ark,  they  will 
bring  us  to  the  close  of  April.  The  latter  reckoning  is  most 
probable,  because  they  mark  the  period  in  which  the  waters 


16  HISTORY   OF  THE    ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

"prevailed  upon  the  earth,"  by  which  I  understand,  the  entire 
covering  or  overwhelming  of  the  earth. 

"  The  fountains  of  the  deep,  and  the  windows  of  heaven 
were  now  stopped,  and  the  rain  from  heaven  was  restrained, 
and  the  waters  returned  from  off  the  earth,  continually ;  and 
after  the  end  of  the  hundred  and  fifty  days,  the  waters  were 
ahated.  And  the  ark  rested  in  the  seventh  month,  on  the  sev- 
enteenth day  of  the  month,  upon  the  mountains  of  Ararat. 
And  the  waters  decreased  until  the  tenth  month :  in  the  tenth 
month,  on  the  first  day  of  the  month,  were  the  tops  of  the 
mountains  seen."  From  this  account  it  appears,  that  for  ten 
weeks  after  the  ark  rested  on  Mount  Ararat,  nothing  hut 
water  was  visible ;  but  at  the  end  of  this  time,  the  lonely  inhab- 
itants of  the  ark  began  to  spy  land.  If  the  first  sight  of  land 
excites  an  indescribable  emotion  of  pleasure  in  the  common 
sailor,  after  a  long  and  perilous  voyage,  what 'shall  we  say  of 
the  feelings  of  Noah  and  his  family,  when,  after  being  tossed 
upon  the  bosom  of  the  mighty  deep  for  many  months,  they  at 
length  saw  the  summits  of  some  lofty  mountain  left  bare  by 
the  retiring  waters?  Some  have  conjectured  that  the  ark 
remained  near  the  place  where  it  was  built  all  the  time,  and 
was  merely  raised  up  by  the  rising  flood;  and  wherr-thls 
retired,  rested  on  the  mountain  where  it  was  built;  but  this  is 
very  improbable.  During  such  a  convulsion  of  nature,  the  air 
as  well  as  the  water  must  have  been  agitated  by  one  perpetual 
storm,  and  the  ark,  consequently,  must  have  been  exceedingly 
tossed  upon  the  water ;  and  there  is  no  intimation  in  the  sacred 
history,  that  Mount  Ararat  was  situated  any  where  near  the 
place  of  the  erection  of  this  vessel.  The  mountains  of  Ararat 
are  in  Armenia,  and  tradition  still  points  out  one  of  the  highest 
peaks  as  the  spot  where  the  ark  rested. 

Forty  days  after  the  tops  of  the  mountains  first  began  to  be 
visible,  Noah  ventured  to  open  the  window  of  the  ark,  and 
sent  forth  a  raven  to  ascertain  whether  the  waters  had  with- 
drawn from  the  earth.  This  bird  found  means  to  subsist  by 
resting  on  the  summits  of  the  mountains,  or  on  articles  floating 
on  the  water,  so  that  it  did  not  return  again  to  Noah,  but 
"went  forth  to  and  fro  until  the  waters  were  dried  up  from  the 
earth." 

Noah  also  sent  out  a  dove  for  the  same  purpose;  but  the 
dove,  finding  no  rest  for  her  foot,  returned  unto  him,  into  the 
ark;  and  he  put  forth  his  hand,  and  received  her  into  the 
ark.  After  seven  days  he  again  sent  forth  the  dove,  which 
returned  in  the  evening,  bearing  in  her  mouth  an  olive  leaf, 
whicfr  she  had  plucked  from  this  evergreen.  By  this,  Noah 
ascertained  that  the  waters  were  abated  from  off  the  earth. 
And  after  the  interval  of  another  week,  he  sent  out  the  dove 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  17 

for  the  third  time,  which,  finding  the  earth  free  from  water, 
returned  no  more  to  the  ark. 

Noah  now  received  express  directions  to  disembark,  and 
bring  out  with  him  all  the  animals  which  had  been  preserved  in 
the  immense  fabric. 

This  remarkable  event  occurred  in  the  six  hundred  and  first 
year  of  Noah's  life,  and  on  the  first  day  of  the  first  month.  And 
as  he  entered  the  ark  in  the  six  hundredth  year  of  his  life,  it 
follows  that  he  remained  shut  up  in  the  ark  exactly  one  year. 


SECTION  VII. 

NOAH  AND   HIS    FAMILY   LEAVE   THE    ARK. 

THE  first  act  of  Noah,  after  leaving  the  ark,  was  worthy  of 
the  patriarch.  "  He  builded  an  altar  unto  the  Lord,  and  took 
of  every  clean  beast,  and  of  every  clean  fowl,  and  offered 
burnt-offerings  on  the  altar."  Hence  we  may  learn,  that  altars 
and  burnt-offerings  were  before  in  common  use,  by  Divine 
appointment ;  for  we  have  no  account  of  their  institution  on 
this  occasion;  but  the  history  speaks  of  them  as  things  well 
known  and  understood. 

We  have  also  in  the  narrative  of  this  transaction  information 
that  worship  of  the  right  kind  is  exceedingly  pleasing  to  God, 
and  powerfully  efficacious  to  obtain  rich  blessings  for  man.  The 
Divine  acceptance  of  Noah's  offering  is  figuratively  but  beauti- 
fully expressed  in  the  following  words :  "  And  the  Lord  smelled 
a  sweet  savour,  and  the  Lord  said  in  his  heart,  I  will  not  again 
curse  the  ground  any  more  for  man's  sake ;  for  the  imagination 
of  man's  heart  is  evil  from  his  youth ;  neither  will  I  any  more 
smite  every  living  thing,  as  I  have  done.  While  the  earth 
remaineth,  seedtime  and  harvest,  and  cold  and  heat,  and^sum- 
mer  and  winter,  and  day  and  night,  shall  not  cease." 

And  God  blessed  Noah  and  his  sons,  and  gave  them  tVo  pre- 
cepts, which  are  incorporated  in  the  history,  though  the  tradi- 
tion of  the  Jews  is,  that  he  now  repeated  the  six  which  he  had 
originally  given  to  Adam,  to  which  he  added  a  seventh.  The 
two  on  record  are — 1.  To  be  fruitful  and  multiply.  2.  To  eat 
no  flesh  "with  the  life  thereof;"  that  is,  the  blood.  Some 
suppose  that  this  is  simply  a  prohibition  of  eating  blood,  but 
others  think  that  it  respects  the  eating  of  the  flesh  of  living 
animals ; — a  cruel  custom  greatly  practised  in  Abyssinia. 

A  ^  solemn  admonition  is  also  given  respecting  taking  away 
the  life  of  man ;  and  a  terrible  threatening  of  the  murderer  : 
"Whoso   sheddeth  man's  blood,  by  man   shall   his  blood  be 
shed." 
2 


18  HISTORY   OF  THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

God  also  made  a  covenant  with  Noah  and  all  living  things ; 
that  is,  he  entered  into  a  solemn  engagement,  which  was  con- 
firmed by  establishing  the  beautiful  bow  in  the  clouds,  after 
rain.  The  thing  promised  was  suspended  on  no  condition 
whatever.  It  was  that  the  human  race  should  not  again  be  cut 
off,  with  all  living  creatures,  by  the  waters  of  a  flood.  It  seems 
probable,  that  it  had  never  rained  upon  the  antediluvian  world 
before  the  windows  of  heaven  were  miraculously  opened  at  the 
commencement  of  the  deluge ;  or,  that  partial  showers,  which 
left  one  part  of  the  heavens  clear,  did  not  occur  then ;  for  I 
cannot  persuade  myself  that  when  it  is  said,  "  I  do  set  my  bow 
in  the  cloud,  and  it  shall  be  for  a  token  of  a  covenant,"  &c.,  it 
had  before  existed,  and  was  already  set  in  the  clouds.  If  it  be 
inquired  how  the  earth  was  watered  when  there  was  no  rain, 
the  answer  is,  "  There  went  up  a  mist  from  the  earth,  and 
watered  the  whole  face  of  the  ground."  I  am  aware,  however, 
that  many  judicious  commentators  are  of  opinion,  that  the  bow 
in  the  clouds  was  no  new  thing,  but  was  now  applied  to  a  new 
purpose ;  that  is,  God  selected  the  rain-bow  as  an  appropriate 
sign  of  that  covenant  in  which  he  promised  that  the  world 
should  never  again  be  deluged  with  water. 

After  Noah  came  from  the  ark,  he  followed  agriculture,  the 
original  and  most  necessary  occupation  of  man.  For  this  work 
he  had  brought  with  him  a  vast  stock  of  knowledge  and  expe- 
rience ;  and  we  may  be  sure,  that  in  his  solicitude  to  preserve 
animal  life,  he  would  not  neglect  to  bring  with  him  into  the 
ark  a  large  supply  of  vegetables  ;  especially  of  the  species  most 
useful  to  man.  Among  other  things,  he  had  preserved  the 
roots  or  shoots  of  the  vine,  the  fruit  of  which  is  among  the 
richest  of  the  productions  of  the  earth,  and  from  which  wine  is 
expressed. 

When  we  consider  that  Noah  was  a  prophet,  a  righteous  man, 
and  perfect  in  his  generation ;  and  that  he  had  been,  for  more 
than  a  .century,  a  preacher  to  the  old  world,  and  a  reprover  of 
the  vices  of  the  people,  we  are  perplexed  and  astonished  to  find 
him  drinking  wine  to  such  excess  as  to  become  an  object  of 
derision  to  the  irreligious  part  of  his  family,  and  a  source  of 
grief  and  shame  to  the  pious.  The  crime  is  so  unexpected 
and  unaccountable,  that  it  may  even  lead  us  to  suspect  either  that 
wine  was  not  in  use  before  the  flood,  or  that  the  juice  of  the 
grape  did  not  then  possess  an  intoxicating  quality.  But 
there  is  no  need  of  these  suppositions.  The  fall  of  Noah  is 
sufficiently  accounted  for,  when  it  is  recollected  that  he  was 
but  a  man.  If  Adam,  who  was  made  in  the  image  of  God, 
could  fall,  there  is  no  difficulty  in  believing  that  Noah,  in 
whom  that  image  was  but  imperfectly  renewed,  might  also  be 
overcome  by  temptation,  when  left  to  himself. 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  19 

Another  thing  which  may  be  inferred  from  the  history  is, 
that  slavery,  or  the  subjection  of  one  to  the  will  of  another, 
probably  existed  and  was  common  before  the  flood ;  because  it 
is  threatened  here  as  an  evil  well  understood ;  but  if  the  prac- 
tice had  never  existed,  the  meaning  of  the  prediction  would 
scarcely  have  been  understood. 

Why  the  curse  fell  so  heavily  on  Canaan  has  led  to  many 
critical  conjectures.  It  has  been  observed  that  parents  are 
never  more  severely  punished  than  in  the  disasters  of  their 
favourite  children.  To  others,  it  has  seemed  probable  that 
Canaan  participated  in  his  father's  crime ;  or,  that  he  was  the 
principal  actor  in  the  irreverent  scene. 

Noah  reached  the  great  age  of  nine  hundred  and  fifty  years, 
which  did  not  fall  short  of  the  average  age  of  the  patriarchs 
who  lived  before  the  flood.  Indeed,  six  hundred  years  of  his 
life  were  spent  before  the  flood.  The  cause  of  the  great  age 
of  men  before  the  flood  has  never  been  satisfactorily  ascer- 
tained. If  my  conjecture  is  right,  that  some  of  the  laws  and 
conditions  of  the  atmosphere,  and  of  the  surface  of  the  earth, 
underwent  an  alteration,  it  will  serve  for  a  general  reason :  but 
the  special  reason  why  man's  life  was  then  so  much  longer  than 
at  present  can  never  be  discovered. 

The  moral  reasons  for  shortening  human  life  are  obvious 
enough.  Such  length  of  years  furnished  both  temptation  and 
opportunity  to  enormous  iniquity.  It  was  needful  to  cut  off 
the  perpetrators  of  violence,  that  wickedness  might  cease. 
There  may  be  some  reason  to  doubt  whether  they  were  solar  or 
lunar  years ;  but  the  probability  is,  that  they  were  years  of 
twelve  months  each,  and  each  month  of  thirty  days. 


SECTION  Till. 

THE    EARTH   PEOPLED    AGAIN    FROM    THE    THREE   SONS  OF    NOAH. 

FROM  the  three  sons  of  Noah  the  whole  earth  was  peopled. 
The  children  of  Japheth,  the  elder,  spread  themselves  through 
Asia  Minor,  along  the  eastern  borders  of  the  Mediterranean 
sea,  and  the  islands  thereof,  and  towards  the  Black,  and  the 
Caspian  sea ;  and  thus  became  the  founders  of  all  the  nations 
of  Greece,  and  of  the  nations  in  Europe  and  Asia  north  of  the 
40th  degree  of  latitude.  The  most  powerful  and  polished  na- 
tions now  on  earth  are  the  descendants  of  Japheth.  The  Rus- 
sians, Prussians,  Poles,  Finns,  Danes,  Swedes,  Germans,  Swiss, 
Belgians,  Dutch,  Greeks,  Italians,  French,  Scotch,  English, 
Irish,  are,  for  the  most  part,  the  posterity  of  Noah's  oldest  son. 


20  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

The  descendants  of  Shem  were  very  numerous,  and  migrated 
eastward ;  and  to  this  day  have  retained  their  original  habita- 
tions. Among  them  we  must  reckon  the  Hebrews,  Arabians, 
Syrians,  Persians,  Hindoos,  Burmese,  Chinese,  and  Japanese, 
and  most  of  the  islanders  in  the  Southern  and  Western  Ocean. 

The  descendants  of  Ham  seemed  to  have  settled  at  first  in 
various  places,  as  in  Philistia,  or  Canaan ;  in  Mesopotamia,  and 
southern  Arabia.  But  Egypt  seems  to  have  attracted  most  of 
the  children  of  Ham.  It  is  therefore  called  "the  land  of  Ham." 
And  one  of  his  sons  had  the  honour  of  giving  name  to  the 
country ;  for  it  was  called  in  the  Hebrew,  MIZRAIM,  which  it 
appears  was  the  name  of  one  of  the  sons  of  Ham.  The  other 
Africans  were  probably  descended  from  his  other  sons. 

During  this  period  of  history,  no  mention  is  made  of  any 
very  distinguished  person  except  Nimrod.  "  He  began  to  be  a 
mighty  one  in  the  earth.  He  was  a  mighty  hunter  before  the 
Lord:  wherefore  it  is  said,  Even  as  Nimrod,  the  mighty  hunter." 
The  commencement  of  his  kingdom  was  Babel,  and  Erech.  and 
Arad,  and  Calneh,  in  the  land  of  Shinar.  In  the  English  ver- 
sion, it  is  said,  "  Out  of  that  land  went  forth  Ashur,  and  builded 
Nineveh,  Rehoboth,  and  Calah."  But  most  interpreters,  by 
Ashur,  understand  a  country,  and  they  render  the  passage — 
"  He  (that  is,  Nimrod,)  went  into  Ashur,  or  Assyria,  and  built 
Nineveh."  And  according  to  the  tradition  and  testimony  of  all 
antiquity,  Nimrod  had  Nineveh  as  the  seat  of  his  empire.  There 
is  no  one  fact  in  which  ancient  historians  are  more  agreed;  we 
conclude,  therefore,  that  this  is  the  true  rendering  of  the  pas- 
sage. By  his  being  a  mighty  hunter,  it  is  commonly  under- 
stood that  he  was  a  great  warrior  and  tyrant.  By  a  careful  at- 
tention to  the  names  in  the  tenth  of  Genesis,  some  learned  men 
have  proceeded  far  in  tracing  the  nations  of  the  earth  to  their 
respective  stocks.  This  is  a  curious  subject ;  and  certainly  there 
is  not  upon  earth  a  document  comparable  to  that  contained  in 
the  tenth  chapter  of  Genesis,  both  as  it  respects  its  antiquity 
and  authority.  The  learned  Bochart  has  found  matter  enough 
here  to  fill  a  large  folio  volume,  and  yet  the  mine  is  far  from 
being  exhausted. 


SECTION  IX. 

BABEL — THE    CONFUSION    OF   TONGUES. 

THE  only  remarkable  event  in  the  history  of  the  human  race 
for  many  hundreds  of  years  after  the  flood,  was  the  confound- 
ing the  language  of  the  people,  and  thus  putting  an  end  to  an 
impious  attempt  to  build  a  tower  whose  top  should  reach  to 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  21 

heaven.  The  professed  end  of  this  tower  was  "to  make  to 
themselves  a  name,  lest  they  should  be  scattered  abroad  on  the 
face  of  the  whole  earth."  Some  have  supposed  that  the  people 
were  stupid  enough  to  think  that  they  could  build  a  tower  so 
high,  that  running  up  to  its  top,  they  would  be  able  to  escape  a 
second  deluge,  if  it  should  come.  Others  have,  with  more  pro- 
bability, supposed  that  the  people  being  of  one  language,  and 
all  united  in  one  body,  they  wished  to  erect  a  building  so  high 
that  it  might  be  the  wonder  of  all  posterity.  A  third  opinion, 
entitled  to  fully  as  much  regard  as  either  of  the  former,  was, 
that  it  was  intended  to  be  a  temple  for  the  worship  of  the  hea- 
vens ;  and  this  accords  with  the  undoubted  historic  fact,  that,  in 
aftertimes,  there  was  at  Babylon  the  temple  of  Belus,  an  im- 
mense structure,  said  to  have  been  a  mile  in  perpendicular 
height.  From  the  description  of  this  temple  by  Herodotus  and 
others,  it  could  be  no  other  than  the  tower  of  Babel.  A  fourth 
opinion  is,  that  this  high  tower  was  erected  as  a  sort  of  land- 
mark, which  was  raised  so  high  as  to  be  visible  through  the  ex- 
tensive plain  of  Shinar,  that  the  people  might  not  be  scattered 
abroad,  nor  separated  too  far  from  each  other. 

Whatever  might  have  been  the  real  design  of  this  structure, 
it  was  viewed  as  a  rebellious  act  by  the  King  of  Heaven ;  there- 
fore a  stop  was  put  to  the  work  by  a  miracle.  The  account  of 
Moses  is  the  following.  "And  the  Lord  came  down  to  see  the 
city  and  the  tower  which  the  children  of  men  builded.  And 
the  Lord  said,  Behold  the  people  is  one,  and  they  have  all  one 
language,  [lip ;]  and  this  they  begin  to  do :  and  now  nothing  will 
be  restrained  from  them,  which  they  have  imagined  to  do.  Go 
to,  let  us  go  down,  and  there  confound  their  language,  [lip,]  that 
they  may  not  understand  one  another's  speech.  So  the  Lord 
scattered  them  abroad  from  thence  upon  the  face  of  all  the 
earth ;  and  they  left  off  to  build  the  city.  Therefore  is  the 
name  of  it  called  Babel,  [Confusion,]  because  the  Lord  did 
there  confound  the  language  of  all  the  earth." 

This  event  must  have  occurred  long  after  the  flood,  because 
the  population  of  the  earth  was  now  great.  No  date,  or  era,  is 
connected  with  this  history;  but  it  has  been  supposed  that  its 
time  could  be  fixed  by  the  birth  of  Peleg,  the  sixth  in  descent 
from  Noah,  concerning  whom  it  is  said,  "  For  in  his  days  was 
the  earth  divided."  Now,  if  it  was  certain  that  the  division 
here  referred  to  was  the  scattering  of  the  people  from  Babel, 
the  date  of  the  event  can  be  exactly  ascertained ;  but  this  word 
[peleg]  is  never  used  in  the  history  of  the  confusion  of  tongues, 
and  in  the  whole  Bible  it  always  means  a  physical  rupture  or 
division.  It  has  to  some  appeared  probable,  therefore,  that 
the  event  here  referred  to  was  the  rupture  of  the  solid  part  of 
the  globe,  by  which  a  vast  chasm  was  made  between  lands 


22  HISTORY   OP   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

before  united.  The  effects  of  the  flood  upon  the  shell  of  the 
earth  were  not  all  terminated  in  a  few  years,  but  large  conti- 
nents, which  had  by  that  convulsion  been  undermined  and  sha- 
ken, might  about  this  time  have  fallen  in,  by  which  the  different 
branches  of  the  human  family  would  be  separated.  For 
example,  suppose  that  America  was  at  first  united  to  Africa, 
but  was  now  divided  by  the  water  covering  the  land  which  once 
spread  across  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  That  such  an  event  has 
once  happened  is  rendered  probable  by  many  appearances. 
And  this  would  remove  all  difficulty  as  to  the  manner  in  which 
human  beings  and  animals  found  their  way  to  the  western 
continent,  concerning  which  there  has  been  so  much  conjec- 
ture. 

But  however  plausible  this  interpretation  may  appear,  it 
ought  not  to  be  received  without  the  most  urgent  necessity,  for 
it  utterly  confounds  the  chronology  of  the  Bible,  by  taking 
away  one  of  the  essential  links  from  the  chain,  and  renders  it 
impossible  to  ascertain  the  age  of  the  world.  And  of  such  a 
convulsion  of  nature,  by  which  continents  once  joined  were 
severed,  history  is  totally  silent.  It  seems  best,  therefore,  to 
adhere  to  the  common  understanding  of  this  passage. 

There  has  also  been  much  diversity  of  opinion  respecting  the 
precise  nature  of  the  effect  wrought  in  the  confusion  of  tongues, 
at  Babel.  Many  eminent  critics  are  of  opinion,  that  the  con- 
fusion had  no  relation  to  words,  but  only  to  counsels.  That, 
for  a  while,  the  people  proceeded  harmoniously  in  their  work, 
but  at  length,  providentially  a  dissension  arose  either  as  to  the 
object  of  the  work,  or  the  proper  mode  of  carrying  it  on.  And 
so  the  simple  interpretation  is,  they  quarrelled  and  separated 
from  one  another.  And  in  confirmation  of  this  opinion  they 
remark,  that  the  word  translated  language,  in  this  chapter,  is 
not  the  one  usually  employed,  but  literally  signifies  lip,  the 
meaning  of  which,  in  the  Hebrew  language,  is  more  properly, 
counsel,  or  confession;  often,  worship.  This  opinion  may  be 
said  to  be  the  most  prevalent  among  critics  in  the  Hebrew 
tongue.  And  they  plausibly  allege,  that  for  many  hundreds  of 
years  after  this  event,  we  never  read  of  any  diversity  of 
language;  but,  wherever  the  patriarchs  travelled,  they  seemed 
to  have  experienced  no  difficulty  on  this  score.  We  do,  indeed, 
read  of  an  interpreter  between  Joseph  and  his  brethren ;  but 
they  allege  that  he  was  merely  a  mediator,  who  conveyed  the 
words  of  princes  and  other  exalted  personages  to  their  inferiors ; 
an  office  which  is  known  to  have  had  an  existence  in  ancient 
times.  The  affinity  of  many  ancient  languages  to  the  Hebrew 
is  also  considered  as  hostile  to  the  common  interpretation. 

Others  are  of  opinion,  that  while  the  words  remained,  by  a 
miraculous  influence  upon  the  minds  of  the  builders,  they  fell 


THE   PATKIARCHS.  23 

into  a  great  diversity  in  their  mode  of  pronunciation ;  and  this, 
they  observe,  would  answer  the  end  designed,  just  as  effectually 
as  a  real  diversity  of  tongues. 

A  third  and  more  plausible  opinion  is,  that  the  original 
language  of  man  was  at  this  time  divided  into  a  number  of 
dialects ;  that  one  company  used  one  of  these,  and  a  second, 
another ;  so  that  they  were  unable  to  hold  intercourse  in  carry- 
ing on  the  work  any  longer,  were  obliged  to  abandon  it,  and 
were  scattered  abroad. 

But  the  common  opinion,  and  that  which  is  favoured  by  our 
translators,  and  also  by  the  Greek  translators  of  the  Bible  is, 
that  God  produced  miraculously,  on  this  occasion,  a  number  of 
languages  radically  different;  from  which  have  proceeded  the 
various  tongues  spoken  by  the  different  nations  of  the  earth. 
And  this  opinion  is  favoured  by  the  fact,  that  several  of  the 
languages  of  men  seem  not  to  have  the  smallest  resemblance  to 
each  other;  but  to  be  so  different,  that  it  is  not  conceivable 
that  they  all  proceeded  from  one  root.  And  it  must  be  con- 
fessed, if  the  object  was  to  scatter  men  over  the  face  of  the 
earth,  by  interrupting  their  intercourse  with  one  another,  this 
would  be  the  most  effectual  of  all.  It  is  also  in  accordance 
with  the  tradition  of  the  Jews,  who  have  an  opinion  among 
them,  that  the  number  of  languages  produced  on  this  occasion 
was  just  seventy-two;  and  that  this  precise  number  still  re- 
mains unaltered.  It  would  seem,  therefore,  that  the  common 
opinion  is  not  only  safest,  but  best  supported  by  probable  argu- 
ments. 

It  would  seem,  at  first  view,  that  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth  were  engaged  in  the  enterprise  at  Babel.  Noah  was  pro- 
bably still  alive,  and  certainly  Shem;  but  it  does  not  seem  pro- 
bable that  these  patriarchs  had  any  hand  in  the  work.  It  is 
more  likely,  that  the  daring  scheme  was  confined  to  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  neighbouring  region.  Noah  and  Shem,  probably, 
never  removed  from  the  country  where  the  ark  rested.  It  is, 
however,  useless  to  inquire  what  branch  of  the  family  of  Noah 
was  concerned  in  this  transaction,  as  there  is  no  history  to  cast 
any  light  on  the  subject. 


SECTION  X. 


POSTERITY   OF    SHEM. 


MOSES  gives  us  no  more  than  a  table  of  the  posterity  of  Shem, 
in  that  particular  line  from  which  the  Hebrew  nation  sprang, 
and  from  which  the  Messiah  was  to  descend.  According  to  this 
table,  Arphaxad,  the  son  of  Shem,  was  born  two  years  after  the 


24  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

flood.  The  period  of  Shem's  life  after  the  birth  of  this  son, 
was  no  less  than  five  hundred  years ;  so  that,  if  he  was  a  hun- 
dred years  old  when  the  flood  began,  continued  one  whole  year 
in  the  ark,  and  lived  five  hundred  and  two  years  after  the  flood, 
he  must  have  been  at  the  time  of  his  death  just  six  hundred  and 
three  years  old;  and  hence,  it  may  be  ascertained,  that  he 
lived  after  his  father  one  hundred  and  fifty-two  years ;  and  was 
living  during  .the  greater  part  of  the  life  of  Abraham.  It  seems, 
that  the  length  of  human  life  was  not  shortened  at  once,  but 
by  degrees ;  for  Arphaxad,  though  his  son  Salah  was  born  in 
the  thirty-fifth  year  of  his  age,  arrived  at  the  age  of  four  hun- 
dred and  thirty  eight  years.  Salah,  though  Eber  was  born  in 
the  thirtieth  year  of  his  age,  lived  to  the  age  of  four  hundred 
and  thirty-three  years.  Eber  did  not  attain  a  less  age,  for  his 
son  Peleg  being  born  in  the  thirty-fourth  year  of  his  age,  he 
lived  afterwards  four  hundred  and  thirty  years,  which  makes  his 
age  four  hundred  and  sixty-four.  Peleg,  the  next  in  succession, 
did  not  reach  the  age  of  his  progenitors ;  for  after  the  birth  of 
Reu,  which  occurred  in  the  thirtieth  year  of  his  age,  he  lived 
no  more  than  two  hundred  and  nine  years,  so  that  the  length  of 
his  life  was  only  two  hundred  and  thirty-nine  years.  And  his 
son,  just  mentioned,  reached  precisely  to  the  same  age  as 
his  father.  For,  at  the  age  of  two-and-thirty  his  son  Serug 
was  born,  and  lived  afterwards  two  hundred  and  seven  years, 
which  makes  his  whole  age  two  hundred  and  thirty-nine  years. 
Serug  did  not  fall  much  short  of  the  age  of  his  immediate  an- 
cestors ;  for  at  the  age  of  thirty  his  son  Nahor  was  born,  after 
which  he  lived  two  hundred  years,  so  that  his  age,  when  he 
died,  was  two  hundred  and  thirty.  Nahor,  in  his  nine-and- 
thirtieth  year  was  the  father  of  Terah,  and  lived  afterwards  a 
hundred  and  nineteen  years,  making  his  whole  age  no  more  than 
one  hundred  and  forty-eight  years. 

Terah,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years,  is  said  to  have  been  the 
father  of  Abram,  Nahor,  and  Haran ;  not  iiv  the  same  year ; 
but  the  oldest  of  them  was  born  this  year.  As  Abram  is  first 
named,  it  might  seem  that  he  was  the  oldest  of  the  three,  but 
from  facts  afterwards  related,  it  appears  highly  probable  that 
he  was  the  youngest ;  and  that  he  was  first  named,  not  on  ac- 
count of  age,  but  of  dignity ;  and  because  the  whole  subsequent 
history  is  connected  with  his  family. 

This  branch  of  the  family  of  Shem  had  settled  on  the  eastern 
side  of  the  Euphrates ;  and  from  the  testimony  of  Joshua  we 
learn,  that  the  immediate  progenitors  of  Abraham  were  all 
idolaters.  In  giving  his  last  solemn  charge  to  the  tribes  of 
Israel,  he  called  upon  them,  "  Choose  ye  this  day  whom  you  will 
serve ;  whether  the  gods  which  your  fathers  served,  that  were 
on  the  other  side  of  the  flood."  And  it  is  remarkable  that 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  25 

this  is  the  earliest  instance  of  idolatry  which  we  find  recorded 
in  the  history  by  Moses. 

The  oldest  son  of  Terah  seems  to  have  been  Haran,  who  died 
early,  in  the  land  of  his  birth,  in  Ur  of  the  Chaldees ;  but  left 
a  son  by  the  name  of  Lot,  who  was  taken  by  his  grandfather, 
and  brought  up  with  his  own  family.  Sarai,  the  wife  of  Abram, 
was  probably  the  sister  of  Lot ;  though  she  is  here  called  the 
daughter-in-law  of  Terah. 

Terah,  with  Abram,  Sarai,  and  Lot,  removed  from  Ur  of  the 
Chaldees,  and  dwelt  at  Haran.  This  movement  seems  to  have 
been  in  consequence  of  some  direction  from  God  to  Abram ;  for 
we  find  that  when  they  left  home  they  meant  to  go  to  Canaan ; 
but  for  some  reason  or  other,  they  stopped  on  the  borders  of 
their  native  country,  and  dwelt  here  as  long  as  Terah  lived. 
His  whole  age  was,  two  hundred  and  five  years. 


SECTION  XI. 

HISTORY   OF   ABRAHAM. 

Now  commences  the  history  of  Abram,  who,  at  the  call  of 
God,  left  Haran,  after  he  had  remained  with  his  father  for 
some  time ;  and  accompanied  by  Lot  his  nephew,  and  Sarai  his 
wife,  went  to  the  land  of  Canaan,  which  God  had  told  him  was 
to  be  his  future  residence  and  possession.  At  the  time  of  this 
removal  Abram  was  seventy-five  years  of  age.  When  he  arrived 
at  Canaan,  he  removed  from  place  to  place,  according  to  the 
unsettled  kind  of  life  which  he  and  his  sons  pursued.  The  Ca- 
naanites  were,  however,  still  in  the  land  ;  and  though  God  again 
promised  this  land  to  Abram  and  his  posterity,  the  full  posses- 
sion was  reserved  for  a  future  day.  Several  times  during  his 
stay  in  Canaan^  Jie  was  forced  to  leave  the  country  on  account 
of  famine. 

Lot,  the  nephew  of  Abram,  increased  rapidly  in  wealth,  as 
well  as  his  uncle,  and  as  they  lived  together,  their  herdsmen, 
with  their  respective  flocks,  were  mingled  together,  which  gave 
rise  to  frequent  quarrels  between  them.  Whereupon,  Abram 
saw  that  to  preserve  peace,  it  was  necessary  for  them  to  sepa- 
rate from  each  other.  Therefore,  with  a  noble  generosity, 
although  he  was  the  oldest  man,  and  Lot  owed  all  his  wealth  to 
his  kindness,  yet  he  ofiered  his  nephew  his  choice  of  the 
country.  Lot  accordingly  selected  the  plains  of  Jordan,  near 
its  entrance  into  the  sea ;  that  is,  the  country  in  which  stood 
the  cities  of  Sodom,  Gomorrah,  Admah,  and  Zeboim.  This 
was  not  only  a  fertile  country,  but  well  watered.  Lot  con- 


26  HISTORY   OP    THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

tinned  to  pitch  his  tent  from  place  to  place,  until  he  was 
induced,  notwithstanding  the  wickedness  of  the  place,  to  take 
up  his  residence  in  Sodom,  and  his  family  became  associated  in 
marriage  with  the  inhabitants  of  that  corrupt  city.  Abram. 
continued  his  residence  in  the  more  elevated  country  of  Canaan, 
where  he  had  before  pitched  his  tent.  His  usual  residence, 
however,  was  in  the  plain  of  Mamre,  near  the  ancient  city  of 
Hebron. 

In  these  early  ages,  almost  all  people  were  governed  by 
kings,  but  their  jurisdiction  seldom  reached  farther  than  a  single 
city,  with  its  suburbs  and  neighbouring  villages :  yet  sometimes 
ambitious  men,  as  Nimrod,  extended  their  dominions  by  war 
to  a  considerable  distance.  Battles,  of  course,  were  frequent, 
and  every  man  was  required  to  be  a  soldier,  when  his  king 
demanded  his  servics. 

While  Lot  resided  in  Sodom,  a  war  occurred,  in  which  the 
five  kings  who  ruled  over  the  cities  of  the  plain,  were  joined, 
against  four  kings  whose  dominions  lay  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Euphrates.  The  principal  of  these  was  Chedorlaomer,  king  of 
Elam,  to  whom  these  cities  of  the  plain  had  been  subject  for 
twelve  years ;  but  in  the  thirteenth,  they  rebelled ;  whereupon, 
the  king  of  Elam,  calling  to  his  assistance  several  other  kings, 
marched  against  these  rebellious  kings.  The  two  armies  met 
and  fought  in  the  vale  of  Siddim,  in  which  battle  the  king  of 
Elam  was  victorious.  Marching  to  Sodom,  they  took  the  spoil, 
and,  among  the  rest,  took  Lot  and  his  family  prisoners,  and 
carried  away  all  his  goods.  Upon  hearing  this,  Abram,  calling 
to  his  aid  his  servants,  and  some  of  his  neighbours,  pursued  the 
enemy,  and  overtook  and  defeated  them  near  Damascus,  and 
rescued  Lot,  and  recovered  all  the  property  which  had  been 
taken  away,  which  he  restored  to  the  owners,  refusing  to  take 
any  part  for  himself. 

While  God  repeated  to  Abram  the  promise  that  he  would 
give  to  him  and  his  posterity  the  whole  extent  of  the  land  of 
Palestine,  from  the  river  of  Egypt — a  small  stream  at  the 
entrance  into  the  wilderness — to  the  great  river,  the  river 
Euphrates,  and  confirmed  the  same  by  a  solemn  covenant  or 
oath  ;  he  distinctly  foretold  to  him,  that  his  descendants  should 
be  strangers  in  a  strange  land,  where  they  should  be  reduced  to 
slavery,  and  be  afflicted  four  hundred  years.  As  to  the  begin- 
ning of  this  period,  there  is  still  much  difference  of  opinion ; 
but  that  it  should  be  calculated  from  the  time  of  Abraham 
seems  to  be  the  most  probable,  and  certainly  was  the  opinion  of 
the  ancients,  as  in  the  Greek  version  of  the  book  of  Genesis, 
and  in  the  Samaritan  copy,  there  is  an  addition  to  the  text,  in 
which  this  idea  is  distinctly  expressed.  At  the  same  time, 
Jehovah  predicted,  that  the  nation  by  whom  they  should  be 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  27 

oppressed  should  be  punished,  and  that  the  people  should  come 
out  with  "great  substance."  And  to  Abram  it  was  promised, 
that  he  should  be  buried  in  a  good  old  age :  and  that  in  the 
fourth  generation,  his  posterity  should  gain  possession  of  the 
promised  land.  The  reason  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  promise 
being  deferred  is  very  remarkable:  "For  the  iniquity  of  the 
Amorites  is  not  yet  full."  This  short  sentence  contains  much 
weighty  meaning,  deserving  the  solemn  attention  of  every 
nation.  It  teaches  them,  that  though  God's  justice  is  slow 
in  visiting,  with  deserved  punishment,  guilty  nations,  yet  his 
judgments  are  sure;  and  that  there  is  a  certain  fulness  of 
iniquity,  which,  when  it  is  reached  by  any  people,  will  certainly 
be  followed  by  punishment.  Then  the  iniquities  of  many 
generations  are  visited  upon  the  last  and  most  guilty  gene- 
ration. Thus  does  God  visit  the  iniquities  of  the  fathers  upon 
the  children  after  the  lapse  of  many  centuries.  And  this 
he  does,  without  interfering  with  justice  in  regard  to  indi- 
viduals. 

The  wicked  nations  who  now  dwelt  in  this  land,  and  who  are 
sometimes  called  Amorites,  or  Canaanites,  were  the  following, 
namely,  the  Kenites,  the  Kenizzites,  the  Kadmonites,  the 
Hittites,  the  Perizzites,  the  Rephaims,  the  Amorites,  the 
Canaanites,  the  Girgashites,  and  the  Jebusites.  Ten  nations; 
three  of  which  were  destroyed  or  mixed  with  the  others,  before 
the  Israelites  under  Joshua  took  possession  of  the  land;  for  at 
that  time,  no  more  than  seven  nations  are  mentioned. 

Notwithstanding  the  repeated  promises  to  Abram  of  a 
numerous  posterity,  he  had  as  yet  no  child.  And  the  mother 
of  his  first  child  was  not  Sarai,  but  her  maid  Hagar,  who, 
according  to  an  ancient  usage,  was  given  to  him  by  Sarai,  as  a 
secondary  wife.  The  examples  recorded  in  Scripture,  of  men 
who  had  more  than  one  wife,  are  not  intended  as  examples  for 
our  imitation,  but  may  be  used  for  our  warning.  They  all  serve 
to  teach  us,  that  every  departure  from  the  original  institution 
of  marriage  is  attended  with  vexation,  and  evils  innumerable. 
And  as  to  the  practice  of  the  pious  patriarchs,  that  apology 
may  be  made  for  them,  which  the  pious  in  every  age  need, 
namely,  that  through  the  imperfection  of  human  knowledge 
and  virtue,  particular  errors  and  vices  obtained  the  sanction 
of  public  opinion,  and  their  evil  was  not  perceived.  Thus  it 
was  with  the  Reformers,  respecting  persecution ;  and  thus  it 
now  is,  probably,  in  regard  to  offensive  war,  and  the  military 
spirit,  which  is  directly  hostile  to  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  the  practice  of  the  primitive  Christians. 

The  expedient  of  Sarai,  with  which  Abram  complied,  was 
successful.  When  Hagar  the  Egyptian  maid,  knew  that  she 
was  to  have  a  son  instead  of  Sarai,  she  could  not  conceal  her 


28  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

contempt  for  her  mistress,  who  made  a  heavy  complaint  against 
her  to  her  husband.  Abram  would  not  interfere,  but  left  it  to 
Sarai  to  proceed  against  her  according  to  her  will ;  upon  which 
she  began  to  treat  Hagar  with  severity,  until  she  was  induced 
to  flee  from  the  face  of  her  mistress.  But  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
directed  her  to  return  and  submit  herself  to  her  mistress,  pro- 
mising that  she  should  have  a  son,  and  that  his  name  should  be 
called  Ishmael,  because  the  Lord  had  heard  her  affliction.  The 
angel,  moreover,  predicted  what  sort  of  man  he  should  be,  and 
what  should  be  the  character  of  the  people  who  should  descend 
from  him.  "And  he  will  be  a  wild  man;  his  hand  will  be 
against  every  man,  and  every  man's  hand  against  him  :  and  he 
shall  dwell  in  the  presence  of  all  his  brethren."  Accordingly, 
Hagar  returned,  and  when  her  son  was  born,  she  called  his 
name  Ishmael.  It  is  truly  remarkable,  how  exactly  the  charac- 
ter of  the  Bedouin  Arabs,  to  this  very  day,  answers  to  the  des- 
cription of  Ishmael,  given  by  the  angel ;  and  their  character 
and  mode  of  life,  and  place  of  residence,  have  never  been 
changed,  from  the  time  of  Ishmael  unto  this  day. 

At  the  birth  of  Ishmael,  Abram  was  eighty-six  years  old. 
And  he  seems  to  have  thought  that  God's  promise  of  a  numer- 
ous offspring  would  be  fulfilled  in  this  son,  for  whom  he  felt  a 
strong  affection. 


SECTION  XII. 

COVENANT    OF    CIRCUMCISION GOD    VISITS     ABRAM,    AND    PROMISES     HIM   A   SON    BT 

SARAH — DESTRUCTION   OF    SODOM — ESCAPE    OF    LOT. 

BUT  when  Abram  had  reached  his  ninety-ninth  year,  God  ap- 
peared to  him  in  a  more  remarkable  manner  than  before,  under 
the  name  of  GOD  ALMIGHTY,  or  GOD  THE  MUNIFICENT,  com- 
manding him  "to  walk  before  him  and  be  perfect."  On  this 
occasion,  God  entered  anew  into  covenant  with  Abram,  and 
as  a  sign  of  the  certainty  of  his  promise,  changed  his  name 
to  Abraham,  the  meaning  of  which  is,  "the  father  of  many 
nations." 

At  this  time,  also,  he  instituted  the  rite  of  circumcision,  as  a 
sign  and  seal  of  the  covenant,  and  to  be  a  distinctive  mark  of 
all  who  were  received  into  covenant  with  God.  There  is  no 
good  reason  for  supposing  that  this  rite  was  borrowed  from  the 
Egyptians  or  Ethiopians,  as  some  learned  men  have  thought, 
but  every  reason  for  believing  that  it  was  original  with  Abra- 
ham ;  and  that  other  nations  derived  it  from  the  Hebrews  and 
Ishmaelites.  Lest  this  ceremony  should  be  neglected,  the  com- 
mand enjoining  it  was  very  strict,  and  the  punishment  for  omis- 


THE  PATRIARCHS.  29 

sion  nothing  less  than  expulsion  from  the  congregation  of  the 
Lord.  The  blessings  promised  at  this  time  were  the  same  as 
before,  with  some  enlargement.  "  And  I  will  give  unto  thee, 
and  to  thy  seed  after  thee,  the  land  wherein  thou  art  a  stranger, 
all  the  land  of  Canaan,  for  an  everlasting  possession,  and  I  will 
be  their  God." 

The  name  of  Sarai  was  also  changed  to  Sarah,  and  a  peculiar 
blessing  was  pronounced  upon  her  also : — "  And  I  will  bless 
her,  and  give  thee  a  son  of  her;  yea,  I  will  bless  her,  and 
she  shall  be  a  mother  of  nations ;  kings  of  people  shall  be  of 
her." 

This  promise  of  a  son  by  Sarah  almost  overwhelmed  Abra- 
ham ;  he  fell  on  his  face  and  laughed  for  joy,  and  said,  "  Shall 
a  child  be  born  unto  him  that  is  an  hundred  years  old  ?  and 
shall  Sarah,  that  is  ninety  years  old,  bear  ?"  But  the  good  old 
patriarch  seems  to  have  been  apprehensive,  that  Ishmael,  on 
whom  his  affections  were  strongly  fixed,  should  be  cast  off; 
therefore  he  exclaimed,  "0  that  Ishmael  might  live  before 
thee!"  Upon  which,  God,  in  the  kindest  and  most  condescend- 
ing manner,  assured  him,  that  his  covenant  would  be  established 
with  the  son  whom  Sarah  should  have,  and  whose  name  should 
be  called  Isaac,  (Laughter.)  "And  as  for  Ishmael,  I  have 
heard  thee :  Behold,  I  have  blessed  him,  and  will  make  him 
fruitful,  and  will  multiply  him  exceedingly :  twelve  princes  shall 
he  beget,  and  I  will  make  him  a  great  nation.  But  my  cove- 
nant will  I  establish  with  Isaac,  whom  Sarah  shall  bear  unto 
thee,  at  this  set  time,  in  the  next  year." 

The  descendants  of  Ishmael,  now  upon  earth,  who  are  gener- 
ally Mohammedans,  have  retained  the  rite  of  circumcision  unto 
this  day,  and  administer  it  about  the  same  age  as  that  of 
Ishmael,  when  he  was  circumcised,  which  was  thirteen  years. 

The  next  appearance  of  God  to  Abraham  was  very  remarka- 
ble, as  he  exhibited  himself  in  visible  form,  in  the  shape  and 
appearance  of  a  man ;  accompanied  by  two  angels,  who,  in  like 
manner,  had  the  appearance  of  men. 

Abraham  was  sitting  in  his  tent-door  at  Mamre,  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  day,  when  they  presented  themselves ;  upon  which 
he  bowed  himself  toward  the  ground,  and  addressed  one  of  them 
by  the  name,  JEHOVAH  ;  whence  it  may  be  inferred,  that  this  per- 
son, though  appearing  in  the  form  of  a  man,  was  in  some  man- 
ner known  by  Abraham  to  be  truly  God.  It  is  also  remarka- 
ble, that  they  partook  of  the  hospitality  of  the  patriarch. 
Whether  their  eating  of  the  prepared  calf  was  real  or  only  in 
appearance,  it  is  of  no  importance  to  inquire. 

The  object  of  this  visit  was,  to  confirm  the  promises  already 
made  to  Abraham ;  and,  especially,  that  one  which  related  to 
the  speedy  birth  of  a  son  to  Sarah.  But  the  purpose  of  God 


30  HISTORY  OP  THE    ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

to  destroy  Sodom  and  the  other  cities  of  the  plain,  for  their 
enormous  wickedness,  was  now  communicated  to  Abraham. 
The  kindness  and  confidence  with  which  he  was  treated  by 
Jehovah,  on  this  occasion,  are  extraordinary.  His  words  were, 
"  Shall  I  hide  from  Abraham  that  thing  which  I  do :  seeing 
that  Abraham  shall  become  a  great  and  mighty  nation  ;  and  all 
the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be  blessed  in  him  ?  For  I  know 
him  that  he  will  command  his  children,  and  his  household  after 
him ;  and  they  shall  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord,  to  do  justice 
and  judgment;  that  the  Lord  may  bring  upon  Abraham  that 
which  he  hath  spoken  of  him." 

Abraham  interceded  earnestly  for  Sodom,  and  did  not  cease 
until  he  obtained  a  promise,  that  if  only  ten  righteous  persona 
should  be  found  in  that  city,  it  should  not  be  destroyed :  but  this 
number,  it  appears  by  the  event,  were  not  found,  and  so  a  fiery 
ruin  overwhelmed  the  cities  of  the  plain.  But  God  was  not 
unmindful  of  his  servant  Lot ;  for  the  two  angels  who  had  accom- 
panied him  to  Abraham's  tent,  were  now  sent  to  warn  and  secure 
him  and  his  family ;  and,  on  this  occasion,  we  have  an  example 
of  the  extreme  wickedness  of  the  whole  population  of  that  aban- 
doned city.  Lot  and  two  of  his  daughters  escaped,  while  his 
sons  and  sons-in-law  perished  in  the  dreadful  overthrow  of  the 
place ;  and  his  wife  was  suddenly  transformed  into  a  pillar  of 
salt,  for  looking  back  to  the  town,  in  direct  violation  of  the 
injunction  of  the  angels. 

The  evil  consequences  of  living  among  a  corrupt  and  licen- 
tious people  are  manifest,  in  regard  to  Lot  and  his  family.  He 
himself  seems  to  have  continued  faithful,  for  an  apostle  tells  us, 
that  "from  day  to  day  he  vexed  his  righteous  soul"  on  account 
of  the  wickedness  of  the  people ;  but  the  whole  of  his  family 
appear  to  have  been  infected  with  the  prevailing  corruption  of 
manners.  Of  this  his  daughters,  who  escaped,  gave  a  humil- 
iating example,  when  they  caused  their  father  to  be  intoxicated, 
and  became  the  mothers  of  two  children  to  him.  From  this 
sinful  connexion  sprang  the  nations  of  the  Moabites  and  Am- 
monites, who  had  their  residence  on  the  east  of  the  Dead 
Sea;  and  were  perpetual  sources  of  trouble  and  injury  to  the 
Israelites. 

The  account  of  Abraham's  sojourning  in  Gerar,  on  account 
of  famine,  is  so  much  the  same  as  what  is  related  of  Isaac,  that 
some  have  supposed  that  some  confusion  has  occurred  in  this 
part  of  the  sacred  book;  so  that  what  properly  belongs  to 
Isaac,  is  here  referred,  by  the  mistake  of  copies,  to  Abraham ; 
especially,  as  Sarah  being  now  above  ninety  years  of  age,  can- 
not be  supposed  to  have  been  as  handsome  as  is  here  supposed. 
But  as  the  kind  of  life  pursued  by  these  patriarchs  was  similar, 
there  is  no  improbability  in  supposing  that  the  disaster  of 


THE  PATRIARCHS.  31 

famine  might  happen  during  the  residence  of  each  of  them,  and 
that  they  might  retreat  to  the  same  region  for  relief,  which  was 
fertile  and  near  at  hand.  And  as  to  the  names  of  the  kings  of 
Gerar  being  the  same  in  both  cases,  it  may  be  observed,  that 
Abimelech  seems  to  have  been  the  common  name  of  their  kings, 
as  Pharaoh  was  of  the  Egyptian  kings.  The  difficulty  about 
Sarah's  age  is  easily  removed;  for  she  seems,  by  miracle,  to 
have  recovered  her  youth.  That  in  both  cases  the  women 
should  have  been  seized,  and  taken  to  the  harem  of  the  king, 
shows  us  the  licentious  and  arbitrary  customs  of  that  country 
and  age. 


SECTION  XIII. 

BIRTH    OF   ISAAC — COMMAND   TO   ABRAHAM   TO   SACRIFICE   HIS   SON. 

THE  time  had  now  arrived  when  Sarah,  according  to  the  divine 
prediction,  was  to  become  the  mother  of  a  son.  His  name,  as 
had  been  directed,  was  called  Isaac;  and  on  the  eighth  day  he 
was  circumcised,  according  to  the  commandment.  Of  course 
there  was  great  joy  and  exultation  with  his  parents.  On  the 
'day  on  which  Isaac  was  weaned,  Abraham  made  a  great  feast. 
This  event  among  the  ancient  Jews  is  said  to  have  occurred, 
not  before  the  third  year,  and  frequently  was  deferred  until  the 
fifth. 

It  seems  to  have  been  on  this  joyous  occasion,  that  Sarah 
saw  Ishmael  engaged  in  mocking;  probably  Isaac  was  the 
object  of  his  mockery,  although  this  is  not  said.  Wherefore 
Sarah  begged  her  husband  to  cast  out  both  Hagar  and  her  son, 
as  it  was  not  intended  that  the  son  of  the  bondwoman,  that  is, 
their  slave,  should  be  heir  with,  or  thought  equal  to,  her  son 
Isaac.  As  Abraham  entertained  a  tender  affection  for  Ishmael, 
he  was  very  unwilling  to  comply  with  Sarah's  demand ;  but  the 
Lord  told  him  that  he  ought  to  do  as  his  wife  wished ;  and  to 
comfort  him  respecting  Ishmael,  the  promise  that  he  should  be 
the  father  of  a  nation  of  people,  was  repeated.  Abraham 
therefore  sent  Hagar  and  Ishmael  from  his  dwelling,  furnished 
with  bread  and  water  for  their  journey.  They  travelled  on 
into  the  wilderness,  and  continued  their  journey  until  their 
provisions  were  spent;  on  which,  Hagar,  expecting  the  lad  to 
die  with  thirst,  laid  him  down  under  a  bush,  and  went  off  to 
some  distance,  that  she  might  not  see  her  child  die ;  and  here, 
feeling  her  desolate  and  almost  hopeless  condition,  "she  lifted 
up  her  voice  and  wept."  But  God,  who  heareth  the  cry  of  his 
distressed  creatures,  had  compassion  on  her,  and  spoke  to  her 


32  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

from  heaven,  and  promised  not  only  that  the  child  should  live, 
but  that  he  should  become  a  great  nation.  At  this  juncture, 
the  eyes  of  Hagar  were  directed  to  a  well  of  water,  and  she 
filled  her  bottle,  and  gave  drink  to  the  lad. 

Ishmael,  from  this  time,  seems  to  have  dwelt  in  the  wilder- 
ness of  Paran,  where  he  became  eminent  for  the  use  of  the  bow. 
His  mother  appears  to  have  remained  with  him;  for  we  read, 
"  that  she  took  him  a  wife  of  the  land  of  Egypt." 

The  permanent  property  of  most  value  to  those  who  led  the 
wandering  life  pursued  by  Abraham  and  his  sons,  was  the  pos- 
session of  wells  of  water  for  the  refreshment  of  their  numerous 
flocks.  We  find,  therefore,  that  wells  were  the  subject  of 
solemn  treaties  or  covenants  between  the  heads  of  tribes  in  that 
country;  their  most  serious  disputes  were  on  account  of  these ; 
and  the  most  bitter  enmity  was  manifested  by  their  filling  up 
the  wells  of  their  enemies. 

When  Isaac  was  grown  up  to  the  size  of  a  man,  Ishmael 
being  gone,  the  affections  of  the  patriarch  were  fixed  on  his 
only  and  well  beloved  son.  When  all  causes  of  trouble  seemed 
to  be  removed,  Abraham  received  the  most  extraordinary  and 
heart-rending  command  from  God  which  was  ever  given  to  any 
parent.  "Take  now,"  said  God,  "thy  son,  thine  only  son 
Isaac,  whom  thou  lovest,  and  get  thee  into  the  land  of  Moriah, 
and  offer  him  there  for  a  burnt-offering,  upon  one  of  the  moun- 
tains which  I  will  tell  thee  of."  Never  was  a  more  painful  duty 
required,  and  yet  Abraham  did  not  complain  or  hesitate.  He 
went  straight  forward  in  the  way  of  obedience,  until  his  hand 
was  raised  to  strike  the  fatal  stroke,  aimed  at  the  life  of  his 
child,  who  lay  meekly  bound  before  him.  At  this  critical  and 
awful  moment,  his  hand  was  arrested  by  the  call  of  an  angel 
from  heaven.  This,  perhaps,  was  the  most  extraordinary  act 
of  faith  and  obedience  ever  exhibited  by  a  mere  man;  but  it 
was  no  more  than  a  shadow  of  God's  giving  up  his  only  begot- 
ten and  well  beloved  Son,  actually  to  die  a  painful  and  dis- 
graceful death  for  our  sins. 


SECTION  XIV. 

DEATH    OF   SARAH — PURCHASE    OF   A    BURYING   PLACE. 

AT  the  age  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  years,  Sarah,  the 
wife  of  Abraham,  died.  On  this  mournful  occasion,  the 
patriarch  felt  that  he  needed  for  his  family  some  better  title 
to  the  land  he  possessed  than  he  had  yet  obtained.  In  his 
mode  of  life  he  did  not  need  to  buy  the  land  on  which  he 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  38 

pitched  his  tent  from  time  to  time,  and  over  which  his  flocks 
wandered.  But  when  he  saw  the  wife  of  his  youth,  and  the 
constant  companion  of  his  pilgrimage,  lying  dead  in  the  tent, 
the  want  of  a  place  of  burial,  such  as  could  not  be  disturbed, 
pressed  itself  upon  him  so  strongly,  that  he  entered  into  a  nego- 
tiation with  the  sons  of  Heth  for  a  piece  of  ground  for  that 
purpose.  They,  indeed,  generously  offered  him  the  privilege  of 
burying  his  dead  in  the  best  of  their  sepulchres :  but  he  would 
not  agree  to  this  proposal,  and  asked  them  to  sell  the  cave  of 
Machpelah,  with  the  field  in  which  it  was  situated.  Ephron, 
who  seems  to  have  been  a  chief  among  the  sons  of  Heth,  gen- 
erously offered  to  give  Abraham  the  field  which  he  desired ; 
but  the  patriarch  did  not  wish  to  bring  himself  under  any 
special  obligation  to  the  people  of  the  land,  and  therefore 
insisted  on  paying  a  fair  price  for  the  property.  Accordingly, 
the  sale  took  place  by  mutual  agreement,  and  he  weighed  to 
Ephron  four  hundred  shekels  of  silver,  current  money  with  the 
merchant.  And  thus  "the  field  of  Machpelah,  which  is 
before  Mamre ;  the  field  and  the  cave  which  was  therein ;  the 
trees  that  were  in  the  field,  that  were  in  all  the  borders  round 
about,  were  made  sure  unto  Abraham  for  a  possession,  in  the 
presence  of  the  children  of  Heth,  before  all  that  went  in  at 
the  gate  of  the  city." 

This  being  the  most  ancient  example  of  the  transfer  of  real 
estate,  which  is  on  record,  it  is  curious  to  remark  the  particu- 
larity with  which  the  property  is  described,  and  the  several 
things  contained  in  the  purchase;  not  only  the  field,  but  the 
cave,  and  also  the  trees  in  the  field,  and  on  the  border.  We 
may  observe,  also,  the  publicity  of  the  transaction.  It  was  a 
bargain  made,  and  an  actual  conveyance  of  land,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  city.  Thus  every  thing  was 
made  sure.  The  price  was  carefully  weighed,  and  consisted  of 
such  money  as  was  current  with  the  merchant ;  that  is,  it  pro- 
bably had  some  stamp  or  mark  impressed  on  the  pieces,  indica- 
ting that  it  was  not  spurious  but  genuine  silver.  From  the  whole 
transaction,  it  seems  evident,  that  written  deeds,  or  documents 
signed  and  sealed  by  the  parties,  were  not  then  in  use.  If 
writing  had  been  known  in  Abraham's  time,  we  should  most 
certainly  have  had  some  mention  of  it  here,  or  when  he  sent 
Eliezer  to  his  kindred  in  Mesopotamia ;  but  in  the  Bible  there 
is  not  a  vestige  of  any  thing  like  writing  before  Moses,  unless 
you  choose  to  place  Job  at  an  earlier  period.  But  what  sort 
of  writing  was  used  in  the  time  of  Job,  we  know  not.  It 
might  have  been  nothing  else  than  writing  by  pictures,  or  what 
are  called  hieroglyphics. 

Abraham,  having  secured  the  cave  of  Machpelah,  buried 
3 


34  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

Sarah  his  wife  there ;  and  this  became  the  place  of  burial  for 
the  descendants  of  Abraham  for  many  generations. 


SECTION  XV. 

ABRAHAM   SENDS  TO    HIS   KINDRED    FOR   A  WIFE   FOR   ISAAC — REBEKAH   IS    SENT 

DEATH    OF    ABRAHAM. 

ABRAHAM,  being  now  advanced  in  years,  was  desirous  of  seeing 
Isaac,  his  son  and  heir,  well  married  and  settled,  before  he  died. 
And  as  he  was  on  principle  opposed  to  a  connexion  with  the 
inhabitants  of  the  country,  he  thought  it  best  to  send  Eliezer, 
a  trusty  servant,  and  steward  of  his  household,  to  select  a  wife 
for  Isaac  from  among  his  own  kindred.  Eliezer,  accordingly, 
set  out  on  his  journey,  with  a  caravan  of  ten  camels,  not  only 
to  give  a  proof  to  the  people  to  whom  he  was  sent,  of  Abraham's 
wealth — for  God  had  greatly  blessed  him — but  to  carry  pre- 
sents for  the  friends  of  the  person  that  might  agree  to  accom- 
pany him  home.  This  aged  and  faithful  servant  had  not  resided 
so  long  in  Abraham's  family  without  religious  benefit.  He 
appears  to  have  possessed  the  very  spirit  of  his  master,  as 
regarded  faith  and  devotion.  For,  having  arrived  in  the  coun- 
try of  his  destination,  instead  of  depending  on  his  own  wisdom, 
he  commits  the  whole  matter,  by  prayer,  to  the  providence  of 
God.  The  substance  of  the  prayer  which  he  offered  up  at  the 
well  of  water  to  which  he  had  come,  was,  that  it  might  be  so 
ordered  that  the  woman  who  should  first  come  down  to  the  well 
to  draw  water,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  East,  and  who, 
upon  being  requested,  should  give  drink  to  himself  and  his 
camels,  might  be  the  one  that  God  had  appointed  for  the  wife 
of  Isaac.  And  before  he  had  finished  his  prayer,  behold, 
Rebekah,  the  daughter  of  Bethuel,  the  son  of  Milcah,  who  was 
the  wife  of  Nahor,  Abraham's  brother,  came  out  with  her 
pitcher  on  her  shoulder.  Rebekah  was  beautiful,  and  doubtless, 
Eliezer,  as  soon  as  he  saw  her,  believed  that  his  prayer  was 
answered;  but  his  confidence  must  have  been  greatly  increased 
when,  in  compliance  with  his  request,  she  cheerfully  let  down 
her  pitcher,  and  said,  "Drink,  my  lord;"  and  when,  before  she 
was  requested,  of  her  own  accord,  she  offered  to  draw  water  for 
the  camels.  Indeed,  the  occurrences  were  so  sudden  and 
remarkable,  that  the  man  stood  astonished,  waiting  to  observe 
"whether  the  Lord  had  made  his  journey  prosperous  or  not." 
This  satisfaction,  however,  must  have  been  full,  when,  upon 
inquiry,  he  found  that  the  beautiful  and  obliging  girl  was  the 
daughter  of  Bethuel,  and  consequently  the  grand-niece  of 
Abraham,  his  master. 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  85 

Eliezer  having  given  some  costly  jewels  to  Rebekah,  she, 
after  inviting  him  to  her  father's  house,  ran  home  to  tell  what 
had  passed,  to  her  friends.  Laban,  the  brother  of  Rebekah, 
instantly  went  out  to  the  well,  where  Eliezer  remained  standing, 
and  again  most  pressingly  invited  him  to  the  house,  saying, 
"  Come  in,  thou  blessed  of  the  Lord,  wherefore  standest  thou 
without?  for  I  have  prepared  the  house,  and  room  for  the 
camels."  The  man  having  complied  with  this  invitation,  and 
having  ungirded  his  camels,  and  received  some  refreshment,  be- 
gan to  mention  fully  his  business ;  and  telling  whose  servant  he 
was,  and  giving  an  account  of  the  abundant  riches  with  which 
God  had  blessed  Abraham,  he  proceeded  to  explain  at  once  the 
errand  on  which  he  had  come ;  and  particularly  told  the  re- 
markable occurrences  at  the  well,  since  his  arrival.  "And 
now,"  said  he,  "if  ye  will  deal  kindly  and  truly  with  my  mas- 
ter, tell  me ;  and  if  not,  tell  me,  that  I  may  turn  to  the  right 
hand  or  the  left."  Then  both  Laban  and  Bethuel  said,  "  The 
thing  proceedeth  from  the  Lord,  we  cannot  speak  unto  thee  bad 
or  good.  Rebekah  is  before  thee,  take  her,  go,  and  let  her  be 
thy  master's  son's  wife,  as  the  Lord  hath  spoken."  Upon 
hearing  this  favourable  decision,  Eliezer  felt  constrained,  with- 
out delay,  and  in  the  presence  of  them  all,  to  prostrate  himself 
on  the  earth,  in  a  solemn  act  of  worship  and  praise,  to  Almighty 
God,  who  had  so  wonderfully  prospered  his  journey.  No  doubt 
Rebekah  consented  to  the  contract  thus  made  by  her  father  and 
brother ;  but  in  those  days  the  explicit  consent  of  young  females 
was  not  considered  essential ;  as  is  the  case  in  the  East,  at  this 
day. 

Things  being  thus  quickly  and  happily  arranged,  Eliezer  was 
anxious  to  return  home  immediately ;  but  the  friends  of  Re- 
bekah begged  for  a  little  delay ;  but  when  they  found  that  he 
was  determined  to  go,  and  saw  that  Rebekah  was  willing  to  ac- 
company him,  they  ceased  to  object.  Accordingly,  Eliezer  had 
the  pleasure  of  conveying  home  to  his  master,  a  lovely  and  vir- 
tuous bride  for  his  beloved  son.  She  appears  to  have  lived  with 
him  in  uninterrupted  peace;  for  Isaac  in  this  differed  from  all 
the  other  patriarchs  of  those  times,  that  he  never  married  more 
than  one  wife. 

Abraham,  after  the  death  of  Sarah,  took  another  wife,  Ketu- 
rah.  His  sons,  by  this  woman,  six  in  number,  were  not  per- 
mitted to  divide  the  inheritance  with  Isaac ;  to  whom  Abraham 
gave  all  that  he  had ;  but  these  young  men,  as  they  grew  up, 
received  presents  from  their  father,  and  were  sent  away  into 
the  east  country. 

Abraham  lived  to  the  age  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-five 
years,  and  then  was  gathered  to  his  fathers ;  and  was  buried 
by  his  sons  Ishmael  and  Isaac  in  the  cave  of  Machpelah,  which 


36  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

is  before  Mamre,  which  he  purchased  from  Ephron  the  Hittite, 
and  where  he  buried  Sarah.  This  is  the  only  meeting  of  the 
two  brothers,  Isaac  and  Ishmael,  of  which  we  have  any  account, 
after  the  former  was  sent  away  with  his  mother.  We  learn, 
however,  that  Ishmael's  family  greatly  increased,  for  he  was 
the  father  of  twelve  sons,  who  were  all  princes,  each  being  the 
head  of  a  distinct  tribe  or  nation.  Their  habitation  was  in 
Arabia,  where  their  descendants  are  found  leading  the  same 
kind  of  life  unto  this  day.  Ishmael  himself  lived  to  be  a  hun- 
dred and  thirty-seven  years  of  age,  and  then  "died  in  the  pre- 
sence of  all  his  brethren." 


SECTION  XVI. 

ESAU   AND   JACOB   BORN — ESAU    DEPRIVED   OF    THE    BLESSING   OF   THE    FIRST-BORN    BY 
THE    FRAUD   OF    R.EBEKAH    AND   JACOB. 

AT  the  time  when  Isaac  was  married  to  Rebekah  he  was  forty 
years  of  age.  For  a  considerable  time  he  had  no  children,  but 
in  answer  to  his  prayers,  twin  sons,  Esau  and  Jacob,  were  born. 
The  former  at  his  birth  was  in  a  remarkable  manner  covered  all 
over  with  hair,  but  Jacob,  his  twin  brother,  was  smooth.  Esau 
being  the  oldest  had  a  right  to  the  privileges  of  the  first-born, 
called  the  birth-right ;  but  on  a  certain  occasion,  when  the  boys 
were  grown,  Esau  having  returned  from  hunting,  to  which  he 
was  greatly  devoted,  was  so  hungry  and  fatiguOT,  that  he  be- 
lieved himself  to  be  dying;  and  meeting  with  his  brother,  who 
had  ready-made  a  certain  kind  of  red  porridge  or  soup,  Esau 
begged  Jacob  to  give  it  to  him.  Jacob  seeing  his  necessity,  told 
him  he  would  give  it  to  him  for  his  birth-right.  Esau,  believing 
himself  to  be  at  the  point  of  death,  said,  "What  profit  shall  this 
birth-right  do  to  me  ?"  Whereupon  he  sold  it  for  a  dish  of  pot- 
tage, and  confirmed  the  bargain  by  an  oath.  This  act  of  Esau 
is  described  in  Scripture  as  very  profane ;  as  it  was  understood 
that  spiritual  as  well  as  temporal  blessings  were  connected  with 
the  birth-right,  and  especially  a  superiority  over  all  his  breth- 
ren: and  some  suppose.it  had  some  relation  to  the  line  from 
which  the  Messiah  should  descend.  But  however  wicked  the 
act  of  Esau  in  despising  his  birth-right,  and  selling  it  for  a  mess 
of  pottage,  the  conduct  of  Jacob,  who  took  advantage  of  his 
brother's  necessity,  cannot  be  justified.  It  was  certainly  an 
act  in  which  there  was  a  total  absence  of  that  brotherly  love 
which  we  owe  to  every  fellow-creature ;  and  more  especially 
to  our  own  brothers,  who  are  bone  of  our  bone  and  flesh  of  our 
flesh. 

The  only  disaster  which  is  recorded  in  the  whole  life  of  Isaac 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  37 

•was  a  famine,  which  compelled  him  to  go  to  Gerar,  of  which 
Abimelech  was  king ;  whither  Abraham  his  father  had  taken 
refuge  from  a  calamity  of  a  similar  kind,  in  the  time  of  a  for- 
mer king — probably  the  father  of  the  present — of  the  same 
name.  And  a  similar  occurrence  to  that  recorded  in  the  life  of 
Abraham  now  took  place.  Rebekah,  as  soon  as  her  beauty  was 
beheld,  was  carried  off  to  be  reserved  for  the  use  of  the  king ; 
for  Isaac  had,  to  preserve  his  own  life,  which  he  supposed  Avould 
be  sacrificed  for  the  sake  of  his  wife,  pretended  that  she  was  his 
sister ;  for  which  falsehood  he  had  not  the  apology  which  Abra- 
ham employed ;  as  Abraham's  wife  was  in  a  certain  sense  his 
sister.  But  Abimelech,  being  a  well-disposed  man,  no  sooner 
discovered  that  Rebekah  was  the  wife  of  Isaac,  than  he  restored 
her  to  her  husband,  with  a  reproof  for  his  conduct.  As  this 
land  was  very  fertile,  Isaac  remained  and  cultivated  the  earth 
with  great  success,  receiving  an  increase  of  a  hundred-fold  of 
what  he  sowed ;  that  is,  a  hundred  grains  for  one ;  and  while  he 
was  resident  here,  his  riches  increased  exceedingly,  until  he  be- 
came an  object  of  envy  to  the  Philistines,  among  whom  he  dwelt. 
They  contended  with  him  about  wells  which  his  servants  had 
dug,  until,  at  length,  Abimelech  requested  him  to  depart  out 
of  the  country.  He  went  next  to  the  Valley  of  Gerar,  and 
pitched  there ;  but  still  the  contention  with  the  Philistines  for 
the  wells  which  he  digged  continued ;  until,  at  Rehoboth,  they 
ceased  to  be  troublesome.  But  he  continued  removing  his  tent 
from  place  to  place,  until  he  came  to  Beersheba,  or  the  well  of 
the  oath.  Here  God  appeared  unto  Isaac,  and  said,  "  I  am  the 
God  of  Abraham  thy  father ;  fear  not,  for  I  am  with  thee,  and 
will  bless  thee,  and  multiply  thy  seed,  for  my  servant  Abra- 
ham's sake."  And  Isaac,  possessing  the  same  devout  spirit  as 
his  father,  "builded  an  altar  there,  and  called  upon  the  name 
of  the  Lord."  While  he  resided  at  this  place,  Abimelech  and 
some  of  his  chief  men  came  to  him,  and  proposed  entering  into 
a  solemn  covenant  with  him.  For  on  account  of  his  increasing 
greatness  they  were  afraid  of  him;  and  thought,  as  he  had 
been  badly  treated  whilst  residing  among  them,  and  had  been 
sent  out  of  their  land,  that  he  might  feel  a  disposition  to  be  re- 
venged. Abimelech,  however,  used  it  as  an  argument  to  enter 
into  this  covenant,  that  they  had  done  nothing  but  good  unto 
him,  and  had  sent  him  away  in  peace.  Isaac,  who  seems  to 
have  been  a  lover  of  peace,  received  his  old  friends  kindly, 
made  a  feast  for  their  entertainment,  and  willingly  entered  into 
covenant  with  them,  agreeably  to  their  proposal. 

Men  who  are  prosperous  in  the  world  often  suffer  affliction 
and  mortification  from  their  children.  Esau  was  a  favourite 
child  with  his  father,  who  therefore  would  be  the  more  grieved 
at  the  imprudent  conduct  of  his  first-born,  who  married  one  of 


00  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

the  daughters  of  Canaan,  Judith  the  daughter  of  Beeri.  And, 
not  content  with  one,  he  took  another  wife  from  the  same  tribe, 
Basheraath  the  daughter  of  Elon.  "Which  were  a  grief  of 
mind  unto  Isaac  and  Rebekah."  Esau  was  forty  years  of  age 
when  he  contracted  these  marriages. 

It  was  customary  for  the  patriarchs,  when  about  to  die,  to  call 
their  children,  and  give  them  their  blessing,  which,  in  the  case 
of  the  inspired  patriarchs,  was  prophetic  of  their  future  destiny ; 
and,  of  course,  the  richest  blessing  was  pronounced  upon  the 
oldest  son,  or  on  him  who  had  received  the  privilege  of  the 
birth-right,  which  was  sometimes  transferred  from  the  first-born 
to  a  younger  brother. 

Isaac,  being  now  advanced  in  years,  and  being  so  blind  that 
he  could  not  distinguish  one  person  from  another,  thought  that 
his  days  were  probably  drawing  to  a  close.  He,  therefore, 
called  Esau,  and  sent  him  out  to  hunt  some  venison,  and  to 
dress  it  in  that  peculiar  manner,  which  he  knew  to  be  agreeable 
to  him  ;  that  being  gratified  and  excited  to  paternal  affection, 
he  might  be  prepared  to  give  him  the  benediction  of  the  first- 
born, before  he  died.  Rebekah,  overhearing  these  directions 
of  her  husband,  immediately  devised  a  plan  for  securing  the 
chief  blessing  to  her  favourite  son  Jacob.  To  accomplish  her 
end,  she  made  him  bring  her  a  kid,  which  she  dressed  in  a  man- 
ner which  she  knew  would  be  agreeable  to  Isaac's  taste ;  and 
having  persuaded  Jacob  to  put  on  a  suit  of  his  brother's  clothes, 
and  to  cover  his  hands  and  neck  with  the  hairy  skin  of  the  kid, 
she  sent  him  into  his  father,  pretending  to  be  Esau,  who  had 
not  yet  returned  from  the  field.  The  stratagem  succeeded.  Ja- 
cob answered  to  his  father's  question,  that  he  was  Esau,  and 
accounted  for  his  quick  return  from  the  hunt  by  referring  it  all 
to  the  favour  of  Providence.  Isaac  suspected  that  the  voice  was 
that  of  Jacob,  and  therefore  called  him  near  to  satisfy  himself 
by  feeling  his  hands;  but  finding  that  he  was  hairy,  his  suspi- 
cions, in  a  great  measure,  vanished.  However,  he  called  upon 
him  again  to  say  whether  he  was  his  "very  son  Esau,"  and 
upon  receiving  an  answer  that  he  was,  he  proceeded  to  bless 
him  with  his  best  and  richest  blessing ;  even  that  of  the  first- 
born :  "God  give  thee  of  the  dew  of  heaven,  and  the  fatness  of 
the  earth,  and  plenty  of  corn  and  wine.  Let  people  serve  thee, 
and  nations  bow  down  to  thee.  Be  lord  over  thy  brethren,  and 
let  thy  mother's  sons  bow  down  to  thee.  Cursed  be  every  one 
that  curseth  thee ;  and  blessed  be  he  that  blesseth  thee." 

This  scene  was  scarcely  finished,  before  Esau  returned  from 
hunting,  and  quickly  presented  himself  before  his  father  with 
savoury  meat  which  he  had  taken.  Isaac  was  greatly  surprised, 
and  said,  "Who  art  thou?"  "And  he  said,  I  am  thy  son,  thy 
first-born,  Esau."  Upon  hearing  this,  Isaac  knew  at  once  the 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  39 

deception  which  had  been  practised  upon  him,  and  "he  trembled 
very  exceedingly" — but  would  not  recall  what  he  had  done. 
Having  blessed  Jacob  with  his  richest  and  best  blessing,  he  now 
confirmed  it,  and  said,  "And  he  shall  be  blessed."  Esau,  upon 
this,  was  seized  with  grief.  "  He  cried  with  a  great  and  exceed- 
ing bitter  cry;  and  said  unto  his  father,  Bless  me,  even  me  also, 

0  my  father."     Isaac  said,   "  Thy  brother  came  with  subtilty, 
and  hath  taken  away  thy  blessing."     And  Esau  said,  "Is  he 
not  rightly  named  Jacob,  (the  supplanter,)  for  he  hath  sup- 
planted me  these  two  times ;  he  took  away  my  birth-right,  and, 
behold,  now  he  hath  taken  away  my  blessing.     And  he  said, 
hast  thou  not  reserved  a  blessing  for  me?"     "Isaac  answered, 

1  have  made  him  thy  lord,  and  all  his  brethren  have  I  given 
him  for  servants  ;  and  with  corn  and  wine  I  have  sustained  him. 
And  Esau  said  unto  his  father,  Hast  thou  but  one  blessing,  my 
father;  and  Esau  lifted  up  his  voice,  and  wept."     Isaac  then 
pronounced  a  benediction,  giving  him  the  fatness  of  the  earth, 
and  the  dew  of  heaven  from  above.     Telling  him  that  by  his 
sword  he  should  live ;  but  still  repeating  the  prediction,  that 
his  brother  should  be  superior  to  him ;  and  that  he  should  serve 
him ;  only,  it  was  declared,  that  at  those  times  when  he  should 
obtain  power,  he  would  break  his  brother's  yoke  from  off  his 
neck. 

The  conduct  of  Rebekah  and  Jacob  on  this  occasion  can  never 
be  reconciled  with  moral  rectitude,  as  long  as  truth  and  sin- 
cerity shall  be  reckoned  among  the  virtues ;  but  it  is  not  for  us 
to  fix  the  degree  of  guilt  which  attaches  to  their  conduct.  In 
this  case  it  is  probable,  that  Rebekah  made  the  purpose  of  God 
the  rule  of  her  conduct,  instead  of  his  commandments ;  for  it 
had  been  revealed  to  her,  before  the  children  were  born,  "that 
the  elder  should  serve  the  younger;"  and  Jacob  might  have 
thought  that  as  he  had  purchased  his  brother's  birth-right,  he 
had  a  claim  to  the  chief  blessing.  In  this  transaction,  as  in 
many  others  recorded  in  Scripture,  we  have  a  clear  illustration 
of  the  fact,  that  God  accomplishes  his  own  purposes  by  the  free, 
and  even  by  the  sinful  actions  of  his  creatures,  without  being 
the  cause  of  their  sinfulness.  But  bad  conduct  and  deceitful 
dealing  towards  brethren  or  others  is  pretty  sure,  in  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  to  be  followed  by  some  degree  of  retribution, 
even  in  this  world.  Rebekah  and  her  favourite  son  were  com- 
pletely successful  in  their  plan  of  deception,  by  which  Esau  was 
deprived  of  the  blessing  of  the  first-born  ;  but  the  malice  of  the 
injured  brother  against  his  supplanter  was  so  hot,  that  it  became 
necessary  for  Jacob  to  flee  to  a  distant  country  for  safety;  and 
thus  a  long  separation  took  place  between  the  mother  and  her 
favourite  son,  who,  it  would  seem,  had  remained  constantly  at 
home  until  this  time.  Esau's  anger  was  not  a  transient  passion, 


40  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

but  he  formed  a  settled  purpose,  that  after  the  burial  of  his  father, 
whose  decease  he  concluded  could  not  be  far  off,  he  would  take 
the  life  of  his  brother ;  and  this  purpose  he  must  have  declared, 
for  information  of  it  reached  the  ears  of  Rebekah.  On  which, 
she  advised  Jacob  to  depart  immediately  from  the  country,  and 
to  go  into  Mesopotamia,  to  her  brother  Laban's,  until  the  heat 
of  Esau's  anger  should  abate,  when  she  promised  that  she  would 
send  and  fetch  him  back.  "For,"  said  she,  "why  should  I  be 
deprived  of  you  both  in  one  day?"  But  as  the  consent  of  Isaac 
must  also  be  obtained,  and  as  he  would  not  be  ready  to  believe 
a  report  whicb  attributed  so  much  malice  to  his  favourite  son, 
she  had  recourse  to  other  arguments  to  induce  the  old  patriarch 
to  consent  to  his  departure.  She  complained  bitterly  of  her 
afflictions,  on  account  of  the  daughters  of  Heth,  whom  Esau  had 
married ;  and  declared  that  her  life  would  become  a  burden  to 
her,  if  Jacob  should  follow  the  example  of  his  brother,  and  take 
a  wife  from  among  the  daughters  of  the  land.  This  considera- 
tion had  its  weight  with  Isaac,  to  persuade  him  to  send  Jacob 
away ;  wherefore,  he  called  him,  and  solemnly  charged  him  not 
to  take  a  wife  of  the  daughters  of  Canaan,  but  to  go  to  Padan- 
aram,  to  the  house  of  Bethuel,  and  to  take  a  wife  of  the  daugh- 
ters of  Laban,  his  mother's  brother.  And  then  he  pronounced 
a  blessing  on  him  in  the  following  emphatical  words :  "And 
God  Almighty  bless  thee  and  make  thee  fruitful,  and  multiply 
thee,  that  thou  mayest  be  a  multitude  of  people :  And  give  the 
blessing  of  Abraham  to  thee,  and  to  thy  seed  with  thee ;  that 
thou  mayest  inherit  the  land,  wherein  thou  art  a  stranger, 
which  God  gave  unto  Abraham.  And  so  Isaac  sent  away  Ja- 
cob to  go  to  Padan-aram." 

Esau,  observing  that  Isaac  had  blessed  Jacob,  and  sent  him 
away  that  he  might  form  an  alliance  with  the  kindred  of  his 
family;  and  finding  that  he  had  vexed  and  displeased  his 
parents  by  taking  the  daughters  of  Heth,  went  and  married,  in 
addition  to  the  wives  which  he  already  had,  Mahalath,  the 
daughter  of  Ishmael. 


SECTION  XVII. 

JACOB    GOES   TO    PADAN-ARAM,    AND    IS    ENTERTAINED  *BY   LABAN HE    IS    DECEIVED 

BY   LABAN,    AND    RECEIVES   LEAH,  INSTEAD    OF    RACHEL,  TO   WIFE — RACHEL  ALSO 
GIVEN   TO    HIM    FOR   SEVEN   YEARS'  SERVICE. 

JACOB,  having  left  his  father's  house,  proceeded  on  his  journey 
towards  Haran,  until  the  sun  having  gone  down,  he  resolved  to 
spend  the  night  at  the  place  where  he  had  arrived ;  and,  finding 
no  house  to  receive  him,  he  took  some  of  the  stones  of  the  place 
for  a  pillow,  and  lay  down  to  sleep.  "And  he  dreamed,  and 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  41 

behold  a  ladder  set  upon  the  earth,  and  the  top  of  it  reached  to 
heaven :  and  behold,  the  angels  of  God  ascending  and  descending 
on  it.  And  behold,  the  Lord  stood  above  it,  and  said,  I  am 
the  Lord  God  of  Abraham  thy  father,  and  the  God  of  Isaac; 
the  land  whereon  thou  liest,  to  thee  will  I  give  it,  and  to  thy 
seed:  and  thy  seed  shall  be  as  the  dust  of  the  earth,  and  thou 
shalt  spread  abroad  to  the  west,  and  to  the  east,  and  to  the 
north,  and  to  the  south;  and  in  thee  and  in  thy  seed  shall 
all  the  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed.  And,  behold,  I  am 
with  thee,  and  will  keep  thee  in  all  places  whither  thou  goest, 
and  will  bring  thee  again  into  this  land ;  for  I  will  not  leave 
thee  until  I  have  done  that  which  I  have  spoken  to  thee  of. 
And  Jacob  awaked  out  of  his  sleep,  and  he  said,  Surely  the 
Lord  is  in  this  place,  and  I  knew  it  not.  And  he  was  afraid,  and 
said,  How  dreadful  is  this  place!  this  is  none  other  but  the 
house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven.  And  Jacob 
rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  took  the  stone  he  had  put 
for  his  pillow,  and  set  it  up  for  a  pillar,  and  poured  oil  upon 
the  top  of  it.  And  he  called  the  name  of  that  place  Bethel, 
(house  of  God,)  but  the  name  before  was  Laish.  And  Jacob 
vowed  a  vow,  saying,  If  God  will  be  with  me,  and  will  keep  me 
in  this  way  that  I  go,  and  will  give  me  bread  to  eat,  and  raiment 
to  put  on,  so  that  I  can  come  again  to  my  father's  house  in 
peace,  then  shall  the  Lord  be  my  God.  And  this  stone 
which  I  have  set  for  a  pillar,  shall  be  God's  house ;  and  of 
all  that  thou  shalt  give  me,  I  will  surely  give  the  tenth  unto 
thee." 

In  this  transaction,  we  have  the  first  mention  of  three  differ- 
ent things,  which  seem,  however,  to  have  been  established 
usages.  The  first  is  a  religious  vow;  the  second  the  ceremony 
of  anointing  a  pillar  with  oil;  and  the  third  a  promise  of 
tithes,  or  a  tenth  of  all  his  property  to  the  Lord.  There  is, 
indeed,  a  mention  of  tithes  in  the  history  of  Abraham,  when  he 
"was  met  by  Melchizedek,  he  gave  unto  him  the  tenth  of  all  the 
spoils.  It  seems,  then,  to  have  been  an  early  custom  for  the 
pious  to  devote  one-tenth  of  their  gains  to  the  service  of  the 
Lord.  The  Mosaic  law  was  nothing  more  than  the  recognition 
of  a  custom  which  had  been  long  in  use;  probably  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world.  And  there  is  no  good  reason  why  all 
Christians  should  not  follow  this  example,  and  consecrate  at 
least  one-tenth  of  all  their  income  to  the  Lord.  Besides  the 
annual  tithe,  the  members  of  the  Hebrew  commonwealth  gave 
many  offerings  in  the  course  of  the  year,  in  the  form  of  first- 
fruits  and  gifts,  and  free-will  offerings. 

When  Jacob  had  arrived  in  the  country  of  his  mother's  rela- 
tions, he  met  with  Rachel,  the  daughter  of  Laban,  who  acted 
as  shepherdess  of  her  father's  sheep,  and  informed  her  that  he 


42  HISTORY   OF   THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

was  the  son  of  Rebekah,  her  father's  sister.  As  soon  as  Laban 
understood  that  his  nephew  was  come,  "  he  ran  to  meet  him, 
and  embraced  him,  and  kissed  him,  and  brought  him  to  his 
house."  After  Jacob  had  remained  one  month,  Laban  pro- 
posed to  allow  him  wages  for  his  services ;  but  Jacob,  who  had 
fixed  his  affections  strongly  on  Rachel  his  cousin,  offered  to 
serve  his  uncle  seven  years,  if  he  would  give  her  to  him  to  wife. 
To  this  Laban  readily  assented ;  for  he  said,  "  It  is  better  that 
I  should  give  her  unto  thee,  than  to  another."  When  the  time 
was  fulfilled,  Jacob  demanded  his  wife ;  for  he  had  served  seven 
years  for  Rachel,  "  and  they  appeared  unto  him  but  a  few  days, 
for  the  love  he  had  to  her."  Laban,  therefore,  made  a  feast, 
and  invited  the  men  of  the  place ;  but  instead  of  Rachel,  Leaji, 
the  elder  sister,  was  given  unto  Jacob.  Laban  excused  himself 
by  a  reference  to  the  customs  of  his  country,  according  to  which 
he  pretended  that  a  younger  sister  must  not  be  given  in  mar- 
riage before  the  elder ;  but  of  this  he  should  have  informed  his 
nephew  before,  and  not  have  deceived  him.  Laban,  however, 
offered  to  give  him  Rachel  also,  if  he  would  serve  seven  years 
more ;  to  which  Jacob  agreed.  It  must  not  be  understood  that 
he  served  seven  years  more  before  Rachel  was  given,  but  that 
he  engaged  with  his  uncle  for  the  service  of  seven  other  years. 
To  Leah,  Laban  gave  Zilpah  for  a  maid ;  and  to  Rachel  he  gave 
Bilhah.  Although  Rachel  was  most  tenderly  beloved  by  Jacob, 
yet  Leah  was  honoured  to  be  the  mother  of  children,  while 
Rachel  had  none.  This  she  bore  with  much  impatience ;  and  in 
imitation  of  Sarah,  she  gave  Bilhah,  her  maid,  to  Jacob  as  a 
kind  of  secondary  wife.  Leah  had  already  borne  four  sons, 
Reuben,  Simeon,  Levi,  and  Judah ;  and  now  Bilhah  bore  two 
sons  to  Jacob,  whom  she  named  Dan  andNaphtali.  Zilpah  also 
had  two  sons,  Gad  and  Asher.  And  after  Reuben  was  grown 
to  be  of  a  good  size,  Leah  had  a  fifth  son,  and  called  his  name 
Issachar ;  and  afterwards  a  sixth,  whom  she  called  Zebulun, 
and  a  daughter  named  Dinah.  At  length  God  heard  the 
prayers  of  Rachel,  and  she  bore  a  son  whom  she  called  Joseph. 


SECTION  XVIII. 

JACOB'S   RETURN — PURSUED    BY   LABAN — ESAU     COMES    WITH   A   HOST   TO    MEET   HIM, 
BUT    GOD    TURNS   AWAY   HIS   DISPLEASURE. 

AFTER  the  birth  of  Joseph,  Jacob  began  to  think  of  returning 
to  his  own  country,  and  mentioned  it  to  Laban.  But  he,  having 
greatly  increased  in  wealth  since  Jacob  had  the  care  of  his 
flocks,  was  unwilling  to  part  with  his  nephew,  and  offered  to 
give  him  any  wages  he  should  ask.  Accordingly  an  agreement 
was  made  that  Jacob  should  have  for  his  share  the  cattle  which 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  43 

were  marked  and  spotted  in  a  particular  manner ;  but  it  was  so 
ordered  in  Providence,  that  this  agreement  turned  out  greatly 
to  the  profit  of  Jacob.  This  increase  of  Jacob's  property  ex- 
cited the  envy  of  Laban's  sons,  and  they  said,  "  Jacob  hath 
taken  away  all  that  was  our  father's,  and  of  that  which  was  our 
father's  hath  he  gotten  all  his  glory."  And  their  words  were 
reported  to  Jacob.  Besides,  Laban  himself  became  dissatisfied, 
and  his  countenance  was  not  towards  Jacob  as  before.  Where- 
fore "  the  Lord  said  unto  Jacob,  Return  unto  the  land  of  thy 
fathers,  and  to  thy  kindred,  and  I  will  be  with  thee."  He  said 
also,  "  I  am  the  God  of  Bethel,  where  thou  anointedst  the  pillar, 
and  where  thou  vowedst  a  vow  unto  me ;  get  thee  from  this 
land,  and  return  unto  the  land  of  thy  kindred."  Jacob,  having 
received  this  divine  command,  called  his  wives,  and  informed 
them  of  the  directions  which  he  had  received  from  heaven; 
upon  which  they  readily  consented  to  go.  Jacob  took  the  op- 
portunity to  prepare  for  his  journey  and  to  leave  the  country, 
while  Laban  was  busily  engaged  in  shearing  his  sheep,  lest  he 
should  attempt  to  prevent  him  from  going,  or  keep  back  his 
daughters.  And  it  was  not  until  the  third  day  after  Jacob's  de- 
parture, that  the  report  of  the  fact  reached  Laban's  ears.  And 
his  conduct  showed  that  Jacob's  suspicions  of  his  temper  were 
not  ill-founded,  for  immediately  "  he  took  his  brethren  with  him, 
and  pursued  after  Jacob,"  but  on  account  of  the  three  clays' 
start  which  the  latter  had,  he  did  not  overtake  him  until  the 
seventh  day,  when  he  had  reached  Mount  Gilead.  Laban  re- 
proved Jacob  for  taking  away  his  daughters  by  stealth,  and  pre- 
tended that  he  would  have  "  sent  them  away  with  mirth  and 
songs,  with  tabret  and  with  harp ;"  and  complained  that  he  had 
not  been  permitted  to  kiss  his  sons  and  daughters  before  they 
departed.  He  also  observed  that  it  was  fully  in  his  power  to  do 
him  hurt,  but  said  he,  "  The  God  of  your  father  spake  unto  me 
yesterday,  saying,  Take  heed  that  thou  speak  not  to  Jacob  good 
or  bad."  One  thing,  however,  he  urged  in  the  last  place,  as 
the  ground  of  the  most  grievous  of  all  his  complaints,  that 
they  had  stolen  his  gods.  This  shows  that  idolatry  still  pre- 
vailed in  Mesopotamia ;  and,  although  Jacob  knew  it  not,  had 
entered  his  own  family ;  for  Rachel  had  stolen  her  father's 
gods  when  she  left  his  house,  but  she  managed  the  matter  so 
cunningly,  that  the  theft  was  not  discovered,  nor  the  possession 
of  these  idols  by  his  chiefly  beloved  wife  made  known  to  Jacob. 
When  nothing  was  discovered,  after  a  very  particular  search,  to 
justify  this  this  last  accusation  of  Laban,  Jacob  began  to  grow 
angry  at  being  thus  pursued,  harassed,  and  accused,  and  said 
to  Laban,  "What  is  my  trespass?  what  is  my  sin,  that  thou  hast 
so  hotly  pursued  after  me  ?  Whereas  thou  has  searched  all  my 
stuff,  what  hast  thou  found  of  all  thy  household  stuff  ?  Set  it  here 


44  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

before  thy  brethren  and  my  brethren,  that  they  may  judge  be- 
tween us  both.  This  twenty  years  have  I  been  with  thee,  thy 
ewes  and  thy  she-goats  have  not  cast  their  young,  and  the  rams 
of  thy  flock  have  I  not  eaten.  That  which  was  torn  of  beasts 
I  brought  not  unto  thee ;  I  bare  the  loss  of  it :  of  my  hand 
didst  thou  require  it,  whether  stolen  by  day  or  stolen  by  night. 
Thus  I  was :  in  the  day  the  drought  consumed  me,  and  the  frost 
by  night;  and  my  sleep  departed  from  mine  eyes.  Thus  have 
I  been  twenty  years  in  thy  house  ;  I  served  thee  fourteen  years 
for  thy  two  daughters,  and  six  for  thy  cattle ;  and  thou  hast 
changed  my  wages  ten  times.  Except  the  God  of  my  father, 
the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the  fear  of  Isaac,  had  been  with  me, 
surely  thou  hadst  sent  me  away  now  empty.  God  hath  seen 
mine  affliction,  and  the  labour  of  my  hands,  and  rebuked  thee 
yesternight."  After  hearing  this  indignant  speech  of  Jacob, 
Laban  felt  disposed  to  put  an  end  to  the  dispute ;  he  therefore 
said,  "These  daughters  are  my  daughters,  and  these  children 
are  my  children,  and  these  cattle  are  my  cattle,  and  all  that 
thou  seest  is  mine ;  and  what  can  I  do  this  day  unto  these  my 
daughters,  or  unto  their  children  which  they  have  borne  ?  Now, 
therefore,  come  thou,  and  let  us  make  a  covenant,  I  and  thou, 
and  let  it  be  for  a  witness  between  me  and  thee."  To  this  pro- 
posal Jacob  very  cordially  consented,  and  immediately  took  a 
stone  and  set  it  up  for  a  pillar,  and  called  upon  his  brethren  to 
gather  stones :  and  they  took  stones  and  made  an  heap,  and 
they  did  eat  there  upon  the  heap.  And  Laban  called  it  "  Jegar- 
Sahadutha,"  but  Jacob  called  it  "Galeed."  And  Laban  said, 
"  This  heap  is  a  witness  between  me  and  thee  this  day;"  there- 
fore was  the  name  of  it  called  Galeed,  (the  heap  of  testimony ;) 
and  also  Mizpah ;  for  he  said,  "the  Lord  watch  between  thee 
and  me,  when  we  are  absent  one  from  another:  If  thou  shalt 
afflict  my  daughters,  or  if  thou  shalt  take  other  wives  besides 
my  daughters,  no  man  is  with  us,  see  God  is  witness  between 
me  and  thee."  "And  Laban  said  to  Jacob,  Behold  this  heap, 
and  behold  this  pillar,  which  I  have  cast  between  me  and  thee. 
This  heap  be  witness  and  this  pillar  be  witness,  that  I  will  not 
pass  over  this  heap  to  thee ;  and  that  thou  shalt  not  pass  over 
this  heap  and  this  pillar  unto  me  for  harm.  The  God  of  Abra- 
ham, the  God  of  Nahor,  the  God  of  their  father,  judge  betwixt 
us  ;  and  Jacob  sware  by  the  fear  of  his  father  Isaac.  Then  Ja- 
cob offered  sacrifice  upon  the  mount,  and  called  his  brethren  to 
eat  bread ;  and  they  did  eat  bread,  and  tarried  all  night  in  the 
mount.  And  early  in  the  morning  Laban  rose  up,  and  kissed 
his  sons  and  daughters,  and  blessed  them.  And  Laban  de- 
parted, and  returned  unto  his  place." 

The  country  through  which  Jacob  was  now  passing  after- 
wards became  the  inheritance  of  some  of  the  tribes,  the  des- 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  45 

cendants  of  his  sons ;  and  the  names  of  places  now  given  were 
retained.  After  his  deliverance  from  the  pursuit  of  Laban  his 
father-in-law,  he  proceeded  on  his  journey  towards  Canaan; 
and  as  God  had  protected  him  and  his  family,  by  sending  an 
angel  to  meet  Laban,  and  to  warn  him  to  do  Jacob  no  harm, 
so  now  the  care  of  Providence  was  signally  manifested  to  him, 
by  a  vision  of  angels  who  met  him  on  the  way.  This  was 
intended  to  prepare  him  for  new  dangers  and  difficulties  which 
he  must  encounter.  Upon  seeing  these  angels  of  God,  he  said, 
"This  is  God's  host;  and  he  called  the  name  of  the  place 
Mahanaim."  It  seems  from  this  language,  that  there  was  a 
multitude  of  the  heavenly  host,  who  now  appeared  as  an  army 
to  the  eyes  of  Jacob.  The  dangers  alluded  to  were  those  to  be 
apprehended  from  the  displeasure  of  his  brother  Esau;  for, 
although  twenty  years  had  passed,  he  was  not  certain  that  the 
anger  of  his  brother,  which  had  once  induced  him  to  resolve  on 
his  death,  had  entirely  subsided.  As  he  drew  near  to  Canaan, 
therefore,  he  became  anxious  to  ascertain  the  temper  of  Esau's 
mind  towards  him.  Accordingly,  he  sent  messengers  to  his 
brother,  respectfully  to  inform  him  of  his  circumstances,  and  of 
his  approach;  but  they  returned  more  speedily  than  was 
expected,  and  brought  the  unwelcome  intelligence,  that  Esau, 
accompanied  by  four  hundred  men,  was  on  his  way  to  meet 
him.  Jacob  was  exceedingly  alarmed  and  distressed  by  this 
information,  and  immediately  began  to  make  the  best  arrange- 
ments he  could,  to  avoid  the  wrath  of  his  brother;  for  as  to 
his  hostile  intentions  he  could  entertain  no  doubt,  from  his 
being  attended  with  such  an  army  of  men.  He  divided  his 
company  and  flocks  into  two  bands,  so  that  if  the  foremost 
should  be  smitten,  the  hindmost  might  have  some  chance  of 
making  their  escape.  But  his  chief  hope  was  wisely  placed  in 
God,  to  whom  he  addressed  himself  in  the  following  pathetic 
prayer.  "  0  God  of  my  father  Abraham,  and  God  of  my  father 
Isaac,  the  Lord  which  saidst  unto  me,  Return  unto  thy  country, 
and  unto  thy  kindred,  and  I  will  deal  well  with  thee.  I  am 
not  worthy  of  the  least  of  the  mercies  and  the  truth  which  thou 
hast  shown  unto  thy  servant;  for  with  my  staff  I  passed  over 
this  Jordan,  and  now  I  am  become  two  bands.  Deliver  me,  I 
pray  thee,  from  the  hand  of  my  brother,  from  the  hand  of 
Esau;  for  I  fear  him,  lest  he  will  come  and  smite  me,  and  the 
mother  with  the  children.  And  thou  saidst,  I  will  surely  do 
thee  good,  and  make  thy  seed  as  the  sand  of  the  sea,  which 
cannot  be  numbered  for  multitude." 

To  be  able  to  plead  God's  own  word  of  promise  in  our  suppli- 
cations, is  a  sure  ground  of  confidence ;  for  the  Lord  will 
remember  the  word  in  which  he  hath  caused  our  souls  to  trust. 
But  Jacob,  while  he  had  recourse  to  God  by  earnest  prayer, 


46  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

did  not  think  that  this  rendered  the  use  of  every  lawful  means 
unnecessary;  and  as  he  had  already  made  arrangements  for 
escaping,  at  least  with  part  of  his  company,  so  now  he  deter- 
mined to  try  what  effect  kindness  might  have  on  the  mind  of 
his  brother.  Men  are  softened  by  a  present,  accompanied  by 
the  words  of  kindness.  Jacob,  therefore,  sent  forward  a  selec- 
tion from  the  several  kinds  of  his  cattle,  in  different  droves, 
directing  those  who  conducted  the  first,  when  asked  whose 
property  they  were,  to  say,  "  They  are  thy  servant  Jacob's;  it 
is  a  present  sent  unto  my  Lord  Esau;"  and  the  second  and 
third  to  say  the  same  words.  Jacob,  having  sent  forward  this 
valuable  present,  began  to  consult  in  the  best  manner  he  could 
for  the  safety  of  his  wives  and  children,  and  in  the  night 
crossed  over  the  brook  Jabbok,  with  all  his  wives  and  his 
children. 

When  he  had  conveyed  his  family  across  the  brook,  he 
returned  to  the  camp,  where  he  was  alone,  "  and  there  wrestled 
a  man  with  him,  until  the  breaking  of  the  day.  And  when  he 
saw  that  he  prevailed  not  against  him,  he  touched  the  hollow  of 
his  thigh,  and  the  hollow  of  Jacob's  thigh  was  out  of  joint,  as  he 
wrestled  with  him.  And  he  said,  Let  me  go,  for  the  day 
breaketh.  And  he  said,  I  will  not  let  thee  go  except  thou 
bless  me.  And  he  said,  What  is  thy  name?  and  he  said, 
Jacob ;  and  he  said,  Thy  name  shall  no  more  be  called  Jacob, 
but  Israel ;  for  as  a  prince  hast  thou  power  with  God,  and  with 
men,  and  hast  prevailed.  And  Jacob  asked  him,  and  said, 
Tell  me,  I  pray  thee,  thy  name.  And  he  said,  Wherefore  is  it 
that  thou  dost  ask  after  my  name.  And  he  blessed  him  there. 
And  Jacob  called  the  name  of  the  place  PENUEL  ;  for  I  have 
seen  God  face  to  face,  and  my  life  is  preserved.  And  as  he 
passed  over  Penuel,  the  sun  rose  upon  him,  and  he  halted  upon 
his  thigh.  Therefore  the  children  of  Israel  eat  not  of  the 
sinew  which  shrank,  which  is  upon  the  hollow  of  the  thigh, 
unto  this  day." 

Undoubtedly  the  person  with  whom  Jacob  wrestled  was  God 
in  human  form,  and  therefore  called  a  man.  This  event  was  so 
remarkable,  that  it  occasioned  a  significant  name  to  be  given  to 
the  place,  and  also  a  new  name  to  Jacob,  which  became  also  the 
principal  name  of  the  people  whom  God  claimed  as  his  own 
peculiar  nation. 

Jacob  was  now  prepared  to  meet  with  his  brother  Esau.  He 
could  say,  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us !  Having 
arranged  his  property  and  his  family,  "he  went  forward  and 
bowed  himself  seven  times  to  the  earth  before  Esau  his  brother; 
and  Esau  ran  to  meet  him,  and  embraced  him,  and  fell  on  his 
neck  and  kissed  him,  and  they  wept."  God,  it  seems,  had  been 
with  Esau,  as  he  was  with  Laban,  to  change  his  evil  purpose, 


THE  PATRIARCHS.  47 

and  to  revive  in  his  bosom  a  lively  feeling  of  brotherly  affection. 
God  has  many  ways  of  preserving  his  people  from  their  enemies ; 
but  the  most  effectual,  and  to  them  the  most  pleasing,  is  when 
he  changes  their  enmity  into  kindness.  Esau  inquired  affec- 
tionately concerning  the  women  and  children  whom  he  saw; 
and  did  not  wish  to  receive  Jacob's  present,  which  had  gone 
before  him ;  but  on  being  pressed  by  his  brother,  he  consented 
to  accept  it.  He  seemed  also  disposed  to  join  himself  to  Jacob's 
company,  but  the  latter  wisely  declined  the  offer,  on  account  of 
the  necessity  which  he  was  under  of  journeying  very  slowly. 
Esau,  therefore,  took  a  friendly  leave  of  his  brother,  and  returned 
home ;  leaving  him  to  go  on  his  journey  at  his  leisure. 

Thus  a  second  time  was  Jacob  delivered  by  the  interposition 
of  Divine  Providence,  from  a  near  relation  who  sought  his 
hurt. 


SECTION  XIX. 

JACOB'S  RESIDENCE   IN    CANAAN DINAH'S    MISFORTUNE THE   DESTRUCTION    OF   THE 

SHECHEMITES — JACOB    GOES   TO   BETHEL DEBORAH     DIES — GOD    APPEARS     TO     HIM 

AT  BETHEL,  WHEN   HE   BUILDS   AN   ALTAB   TO   JEHOVAH. 

THE  first  place  where  Jacob  rested  after  his  wearisome  journey, 
was  Succoth;  so  called  from  the  circumstance  of  his  erecting 
booths  there  for  his  flocks  and  herds.  But  he  soon  removed  to 
Shalem,  a  city  of  Shechem,  which  is  in  the  land  of  Canaan. 
Here  it  seems  he  intended  to  take  up  his  abode  permanently,  as 
he  bought  a  tract  of  land  from  the  children  of  Hamor,  for  a 
hundred  pieces  of  silver;  and  here  also  he  erected  an  altar, 
and  called  it  Elohe-Israel ;  that  is,  Grod,  the  Grod  of  Israel. 
But  how  little  do  the  wisest  of  mortals  see  of  the  future. 
An  event  soon  occurred  which  rendered  the  patriarch's  longer 
continuance  here  altogether  inexpedient.  Dinah,  the  only 
daughter  of  Jacob,  as  was  very  natural,  went  to  visit  the 
daughters  of  the  land ;  but  she  was  an  inexperienced  girl,  and 
she  ought  not  to  have  ventured  among  these  strangers,  whose 
manners  were  corrupt,  without  the  protection  of  her  parents,  or 
her  brothers,  several  of  whom  were  now  grown  up.  The  event 
was  unhappy.  The  heedless  damsel  was  seduced  by  Shechem 
the  son  of  Hamor,  the  prince  of  the  country;  but  this  man 
immediately  proposed  to  marry  her.  Schechem  was  much  in 
earnest  to  have  this  matter  brought  to  a  friendly  settlement, 
and  urged  his  father  Hamor  to  use  his  influence  for  him  with 
Jacob  and  his  sons.  This  was  a  new  kind  of  trouble  to  the 
pious  patriarch.  But  he  remained  silent  after  he  heard  of  the 
unhappy  affair,  until  his  sons,  who  were  absent  with  the 
flocks,  returned.  When  the  young  men,  the  brothers  of  Dinah, 


48  HISTORY   OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

heard  how  she  had  been  treated,  they  were  exceedingly  grieved, 
and  not  only  grieved,  but  enraged ;  for  being  their  only  sister, 
she  was  no  doubt  very  dear  to  them.  They  were,  therefore, 
resolved  on  a  bloody  revenge ;  but  they  suffered  the  proposal 
for  the  marriage  to  go  on,  which  now  was  pressed  most  earnestly, 
not  only  by  Hamor,  but  by  the  young  man  Schechem  himself, 
who  offered  to  give  any  dowry  which  might  be  asked  of  him,  if 
he  might  only  obtain  Dinah  for  a  wife.  Jacob  seems  to  have 
been  an  easy  tempered  man ;  and  in  this  case  he  gave  up  the 
management  of  the  business  to  his  sons,  who  pretended  to  be 
pleased  with  the  proposed  match ;  but  they  alleged  that  there 
was  a  difficulty  in  the  way  which  they  could  not  overcome.  It 
was  unlawful  for  them  to  give  their  sister  in  marriage  to  a  per- 
son who  was  not  a  Hebrew;  but  if  the  Schechemites  would 
consent  to  have  every  male  among  them  introduced  into  the 
Hebrew  nation,  all  obstacles  would  be  removed  out  of  the  way. 
Hamor  and  his  son  did  not  refuse  to  comply  with  these  terms, 
for  the  attachment  of  Schechera  to  Dinah  was  exceedingly 
strong.  They,  therefore,  undertook  to  persuade  all  the  men  of 
their  city  to  agree  to  this  proposal.  And  they  argued  with 
them  thus :  "  These  men  are  peaceable  with  us ;  therefore,  let 
them  dwell  in  the  land,  and  trade  therein ;  for  the  land,  behold, 
it  is  large  enough  for  them;  let  us  take  their  daughters  to  us  for 
wives,  and  let  us  give  them  our  daughters.  Only,  herein 
will  the  men  consent  to  dwell  with  us,  if  every  male  among  us 
be  circumcised.  Shall  not  their  cattle  and  their  substance,  and 
every  beast  of  theirs  be  ours?  Only  let  us  consent  unto  them, 
and  they  will  dwell  with  us."  The  people  hearing  this  fair 
representation,  were  persuaded  to  consent,  and  the  males  of  the 
whole  town  were  admitted  by  the  rite  of  circumcision  to  the 
Jewish  nation.  On  the  third  day,  Simeon  and  Levi,  two  of  the 
brothers  of  Dinah,  boldly  attacked  the  men  with  the  sword, 
and  slew  all  the  males.  They  also  took  the  spoil  of  the  city, 
and  seized  their  sheep,  oxen,  and  asses,  and  took  their  wives 
captives.  As  soon  as  Jacob  heard  of  this  unlawful  and  cruel 
violence  of  his  two  sons,  he  reproved  them  for  their  wicked  con- 
duct, and  told  them  that  by  such  doings  they  would  render  him 
hateful  to  the  inhabitants  of  Canaan ;  and  that  as  his  force  was 
small,  they  would  combine  against  him,  and  destroy  him  and  his 
house.  But  the  young  men  justified  their  conduct  by  referring 
to  the  dishonour  done  to  their  sister. 

Jacob's  longer  continuance  at  Shechem  being  inexpedient, 
God,  who  condescended  to  guide  him  in  all  his  ways,  directed 
him  to  go  to  Bethel,  and  to  dwell  there,  and  to  erect  an  altar 
to  God,  who  had  there  appeared  unto  him,  when  he  fled  from 
the  face  of  Esau.  This  was  the  very  place  where  God  first 
appeared  unto  Jacob,  and  where  was  seen  by  him,  in  a  dream 


THE  PATRIARCHS.  49 

of  the  night,  a  ladder  reaching  from  earth  to  heaven,  on  \vhich 
the  angels  were  ascending  and  descending.  Here  Jacob 
vowed  a  vow,  and  set  up  a  sacred  memorial ;  but  he  seems  to 
have  forgotten  his  solemn  engagements  entered  into  in  this 
place,  until  God  now  put  him  in  mind  of  his  duty. 

Jacob  having  fallen  into  trouble,  and  having  found  much 
iniquity  in  his  own  children,  thought  it  necessary  to  attempt  a 
family  reformation;  for  however  pious  the  head  of  a  family 
may  be,  yet  wickedness  will  often  creep  into  his  house,  and 
great  corruption  may  exist  among  the  members  of  his  house- 
hold, of  which  he  is  kept  in  ignorance.  Too  often,  fond 
mothers  connive  at  the  faults  of  their  sons,  and  conceal 
their  evil  deeds  from  their  father,  than  which  there  is  no  more 
certain  means  of  leading  them  to  perdition.  In  ancient  times, 
the  propensity  to  idolatry  was  unaccountably  strong;  Jacob, 
therefore,  exhorted  his  household,  and  all  that  were  with  him, 
to  put  away  the  strange  gods,  that  is,  the  idols,  that  were 
among  them.  He  also  called  upon  them,  before  his  going  to 
Bethel,  which  was  holy  ground  to  him,  to  change  their  gar- 
ments and  be  clean.  This,  I  believe,  is  the  first  instance 
which  we  have  on  record,  of  an  outward  religious  purification ; 
which  was  doubtless  performed  by  the  use  of  water,  the 
element  used  all  over  the  world  for  cleansing.  We  are  taught 
by  this  example,  that  when  we  are  about  to  draw  near  to  God, 
in  his  house  and  in  his  ordinances,  we  should  be  careful  to  put 
away  every  thing  sinful,  and  approach  the  service  with 
reverence. 

Jacob  said,  "Let  us  arise  and  go  up  to  Bethel,  and  I  will 
make  there  an  altar  unto  God,  who  answered  me  in  the  day  of 
my  distress,  and  was  with  me  in  the  way  which  I  went."  The 
exhortation  of  Jacob  was  not  in  vain,  for  his  family  gave  up 
all  the  strange  gods  which  were  in  their  hand ;  and  their  ear- 
rings— which  probably  had  some  superstitious  use — and  Jacob 
hid  them  under  the  oak  which  was  in  Shechem. 

It  is  somewhat  surprising  that  the  Canaanites  were  not 
roused  to  vengeance  by  the  treacherous  and  cruel  slaughter  of 
the  Shechemites.  Nothing  would  have  been  easier  than  to 
overwhelm  Jacob  and  his  family,  by  joining  the  forces  of  only 
a  few  neighbouring  cities.  The  reason  why  this  was  not  done, 
is  given  by  the  sacred  historian :  "  The  terror  of  God  was  upon 
the  cities  that  were  round  about  them,  and  they  did  not  pursue 
after  the  sons  of  Jacob." 

Having  arrived  at  Bethel,  Jacob  proceeded  to  erect  an  altar, 
which  he  called  "EL-BETHEL,  because  there  God  appeared 
unto  him,  when  he  fled  from  the  face  of  his  brother." 

Here  Deborah,  Rebekah's  nurse,  died,  and  was  buried 
beneath  an  oak,  at  Bethel.  She  must  have  been  very  far 
4 


I  if 


50  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

advanced  in  years,  as  Rebekah  herself,  if  now  alive,  was  a 
very  aged  woman.  On  what  occasion  Deborah  came  into 
Jacob's  family,  we  know  not.  Perhaps  she  was  on  a  visit,  as  the 
residence  of  Isaac,  who  was  still  living,  was  at  no  great  distance. 
We  are  not  informed  that  Jacob  visited  his  father  immediately 
after  his  return;  but  we  may  take  it  for  granted,  that  so  pious 
a  man  would  not  be  inattentive  to  the  duty  which  he  owed 
such  an  excellent  parent. 

After  Jacob  had  fixed  his  residence  at  Bethel,  God  appeared 
to  him  again,  and  confirmed  the  change  of  his  name  from 
Jacob  to  Israel,  and  renewed  his  promises  to  him,  saying,  "I 
am  God  Almighty ;  be  fruitful  and  multiply :  a  nation,  and  a 
company  of  nations  shall  be  of  thee,  and  kings  shall  come  out 
of  thy  loins.  And  the  land  which  I  gave  Abraham  and  Isaac, 
to  thee  will  I  give  it,  and  to  thy  seed  after  thee  will  I  give  the 
land."  As  a  memorial  of  this  renewed  proof  of  God's  faith- 
fulness and  mercy,  the  patriarch  set  up  a  pillar  and  anointed 
it  with  oil,  and  poured  it  upon  a  drink-offering.  These  sacred 
ceremonies  were  mentioned  in  a  former  part  of  the  history, 
except  the  dr 'ink-offering,  which  was  probably  wine,  as,  under 
the  law,  this  liquid  was  constantly  used  for  this  purpose.  No 
doubt,  all  these  various  methods  of  honouring  and  worshipping 
God,  had  been  divinely  appointed.  The  old  name  of  Bethel, 
which  Jacob  had  given  to  this  place,  instead  of  Luz,  the  origi- 
nal name,  he  now  renewed.  But  after  remaining  for  some 
time  at  this  place,  Jacob  journeyed  still  further  to  the  south, 
and  came  to  Ephrath.  And  here  occurred  one  of  the  most 
distressing  events  of  the  patriarch's  life.  Rachel,  his  first  and 
best  beloved  wife,  died  while  they  stopped  here.  When  her 
soul  was  about  departing,  Rachel  named  her  child,  which  had 
just  been  born,  BEN-ONI,  the  son  of  my  sorrow ;  but  his  father 
called  him  BENJAMIN,  the  son  of  my  right  hand.  And  thus 
Rachel  died  in  the  road  to  Ephrath,  that  is,  Bethlehem ;  there 
she  was  buried,  and  Jacob  placed  a  pillar  over  her  grave, 
which  was  remaining,  and  known  as  the  pillar  of  Rachel's  grave, 
in  the  time  of  Moses. 


SECTION  XX. 

REUBEN'S  INCEST — DEATH  or  ISAAC — JOSEPH'S  DREAMS — JACOB'S  FONDNESS  AND  PAR- 
TIALITY FOR  JOSEPH — THE  ENVY  OF  HIS  BRETHREN — HE  IS  SOLD  INTO  EGYPT. 

THE  wandering  life  led  by  Jacob  and  his  ancestors  often 
required  a  change  of  residence,  on  account  of  the  failure  of 
pasture  and  water  in  particular  districts.  We  find  Jacob, 
therefore,  continually  removing  his  tent  from  place  to  place. 
From  Ephrath  or  Bethlehem,  he  journeyed  and  spread  his  tent 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  51 

beyond  the  tower  of  Edar,  the  exact  situation  of  which  place  is 
unknown. 

About  this  time,  another  grievous  domestic  trouble  arose.  In 
consequence  of  a  great  and  unnatural  crime  committed  by  Reu- 
ben, he  was  cut  off  from  all  the  privileges  of  the  birth-right, 
which  naturally  belonged  to  him,  as  he  was  the  oldest  son. 

Jacob  now  visited  Isaac  his  father,  who  seems  to  have  con- 
tinued his  residence  all  the  time  of  his  son's  absence,  at  Mamre, 
the  old  dwelling-place  of  his  father  Abraham.  The  life  of 
Isaac  was  protracted  far  beyond  his  own  expectations,  and  that 
of  his  friends;  for  before  Jacob  left  him,  he  thought  that  his  end 
was  near;  and  Esau,  when  supplanted  by  Jacob,  seemed  to 
think  that  his  father's  decease  would  occur  very  soon ;  for  he 
deferred  the  execution  of  his  malicious  purpose  against  the 
life  of  his  brother,  until  the  funeral  of  his  father  should  occur; 
but,  after  more  than  twenty  years,  Isaac  is  still  alive.  During 
this  long  period  the  patriarch  was  blind,  and  could  have  but 
little  enjoyment  of  this  life.  Soon  after  Jacob's  visit  he  died, 
having  lived  a  hundred  and  eighty  years.  "And  he  was 
gathered  to  his  people,  being  old  and  full  of  days ;  and  his  sons 
Esau  and  Jacob  buried  him;"  doubtless  in  the  cave  of  Mach- 
pelah,  which  was  near  at  hand,  and  where  his  father  and  mother 
were  buried. 

Jacob  had  become  the  husband  of  four  women,  only  one  of 
whom,  it  is  probable,  was  really  beloved  by  him  ;  and  she  was 
now  dead,  but  had  left  two  infant  children,  who  became  the 
darlings  of  the  aged  patriarch.  Especially  Joseph,  the  elder  of 
the  two,  was  beloved  above  all  the  sons  of  Jacob.  Two  of  Ja- 
cob's wives  were  of  an  inferior  order,  having  been  the  maids  of 
Leah  and  Rachel,  and  were  by  way  of  distinction  called  concu- 
bines. Concerning  one  of  these  a  fact  is  stated,  which  places 
her  character  in  a  very  unfavourable  light :  of  the  other  we 
have  no  particular  information.  To  each  of  these  were  born 
two  sons,  those  of  Bilhah,  Rachel's  maid,  w'ere  named  Dan  and 
Naphtali ;  the  son's  of  Zilpah,  Leah's  maid,  were  called  Gad 
and  Asher.  It  is  more  than  probable,  that  these  boys  would 
be  lightly  esteemed,  in  comparison  of  the  sons  of  Leah  and 
Rachel;  and  they  would  be  likely  to  feel  their  degradation, 
and  resent  it.  These  suppositions,  to  say  the  least,  are  not  im- 
probable ;  but  we  are  distinctly  informed  respecting  them,  that 
their  conduct  was  such  as  to  give  ground  for  an  evil  report, 
which  Joseph  was  careful  to  convey  to  the  ears  of  his  father. 
This  would  naturally  provoke  the  displeasure  of  these  youth,  for 
among  offenders,  no  cause  produces  more  fierce  indignation  than 
to  have  their  misdeeds  reported  to  a  superior :  and  with  such 
young  men  as  are  guilty  of  secret  crimes,  an  informer  is  the 


52  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

most  odious  character  in  the  world.  But  Jacob  appears  to  have 
acted  imprudently,  in  showing  so  plainly  his  partiality  for  Jo- 
seph. Perhaps  he  could  not  help  feeling  a  peculiar  affection 
for  this  child,  both  on  account  of  his  deceased  mother,  and  the 
amiable  character  of  the  youth ;  but  it  is  always  improper  for  a 
parent  to  show  an  evident  partiality  for  one  child  above  the 
rest,  since  the  certain  effect  will  be  to  excite  envy.  Jacob 
distinguished  Joseph,  by  making  him  a  coat  of  great  splendour 
and  beauty,  in  which  many  colours  were  curiously  interwoven. 
The  envy  of  his  brothers  began  to  be  manifested,  and  Joseph 
was  not  careful  to  lessen  it,  but  pursued  a  course  calculated  to 
raise  it  to  the  highest  pitch ;  for  he  related  to  them  dreams, 
the  plain  interpretation  of  which  was,  that  he  was  not  only  des- 
tined to  be  superior  to  them  all,  but  that  they  were  to  bow  down 
before  him,  and  serve  him.  The  dreams,  however,  were  from 
above,  as  the  event  proved.  These  things,  coming  one  after 
another,  produced  great  dislike  and  hatred  in  the  feelings  of 
the  other  sons  of  Jacob  towards  Joseph.  Some  of  them  only 
wanted  opportunity  to  proceed  to  the  most  fatal  acts  of  vio- 
lence :  and  it  was  not  long  before  the  desired  opportunity  was 
afforded.  For,  having  driven  their  flocks  to  Shechem,  where 
Jacob  had  property,  and  where  he  had  lived  on  his  return  from 
the  east,  they  had  the  opportunity  of  talking  with  one  another 
freely,  in  regard  to  the  partiality  shown  to  Joseph  by  their 
father ;  and  concerning  the  insolence — as  it  seemed  to  them — 
of  this  petted  youth.  Griefs  of  this  kind  are  always  increased 
by  mutual  communication.  The  sons  of  Jacob  having  been  ab- 
sent for  some  time,  and  no  tidings  having  been  received  from 
them,  the  old  patriarch  began  to  be  uneasy  respecting  their  wel- 
fare. He  determined,  therefore,  to  despatch  Joseph,  who  was 
now  seventeen  years  of  age,  to  see  how  his  brothers  were  doing, 
and  to  bring  him  word.  Joseph,  suspecting  no  evil,  left  the  vale 
of  Hebron,  where  Jacob  now  dwelt,  to  go  to  Shechem,  to  see  his 
brothers.  The  lad*  being  alone,  lost  his  way,  and  was  found 
wandering  in  the  wilderness  by  a  stranger,  who  also  informed 
him  that  his  brothers  had  left  Shechem,  and  had  driven  their 
flocks  to  Dothan.  Joseph,  therefore,  receiving  from  the  friendly 
stranger  the  proper  directions,  proceeded  to  Dothan ;  no  doubt 
expecting  to  be  received  kindly  by  his  brothers,  who  had  been 
absent  from  their  father's  house  for  some  time.  But  as  soon  as 
the  youth  appeared  in  sight,  wearing  the  hated  garment  of 
many  colours,  these  men  began  to  plot  against  his  life.  "  And 
they  said  one  to  another,  Behold  this  dreamer  cometh,  come 
now,  therefore,  and  let  us  slay  him,  and  cast  him  into  some  pit ; 
and  we  will  say  some  evil  beast  hath  devoured  him,  and  we  shall 
see  what  will  become  of  his  dreams."  But  Reuben,  the  oldest 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  53 

of  Jacob's  sons,  though  under  his  father's  displeasure  for  his 
crime,  before  hinted  at,  yet  was  not  of  so  revengeful  a  temper 
as  the  rest ;  and  not  only  refused  to  join  in  their  design  of  mur- 
dering their  brother,  but  had  influence  to  prevent  them  from 
killing  him  at  once.  He  said  to  them,  "Let  us  not  kill  him — 
shed  no  blood ;  but  cast  him  into  this  pit  in  the  wilderness,  and 
lay  no  hand  on  him ;  that  he  might  rid  him  out  of  their  hands, 
to  deliver  him  to  his  father  again."  The  first  thing  which  they 
did  when  Joseph  came  up  was  to  strip  off  his  coat,  which  had 
been  the  occasion  of  so  much  envy  in  them,  and  perhaps  of 
some  degree  of  vanity  in  him.  Next,  they  cast  him  into  a  pit 
in  which  there  was  no  water  ;  intending,  doubtless,  to  leave  him 
to  perish  with  hunger  in  this  dark  and  dreary  abode.  Having 
satisfied  their  vengeance,  they  sat  down  to  eat,  as  though  no- 
thing uncommon  had  happened.  But  Providence  so  ordered  it, 
that  at  this  moment,  a  trading  caravan,  partly  of  Midianites 
and  partly  of  Ishmaelites,  was  seen  approaching.  They  had 
come  from  Mount  Gilead,  and  their  camels  were  loaded  with, 
spices  and  myrrh,  which  they  were  carrying  down  to  Egypt. 
The  thought  now  occurred  to  Judah,  who  seems  to  have  expe- 
rienced some  relentings  about  the  course  which  they  were  pur- 
suing, that  it  would  be  better  to  sell  the  lad  to  these  merchants 
than  to  destroy  his  life.  And  he  said,  "What  profit  is  there  if 
we  slay  our  brother,  and  conceal  his  blood?  Come,  let  us  sell 
him  to  the  Ishmaelites,  and  let  not  our  hand  be  upon  him,  for 
he  is  our  brother,  and  our  flesh."  To  this  proposal  all  assented 
who  were  present,  for  Reuben  had  withdrawn  from  the  com- 
pany, probably  thinking  on  the  most  safe  and  effectual  plan  of 
rescuing  the  lad  from  the  hands  of  his  brothers.  The  bargain 
was  soon  made.  Money  was  not  the  object,  and  therefore  they 
were  satisfied  with  a  small  price.  Twenty  pieces  of  silver  was 
all  that  was  demanded ;  and  immediately  the  helpless  boy  was 
a  slave  in  the  hands  of  merchants  who  did  not  regard  his  cries 
and  tears :  and  this  we  need  not  be  surprised  at,  when  his  own 
brothers  had  no  pity,  when  they  beheld  the  anguish  of  his  soul. 
But  the  scene  left  an  impression  on  their  conscience,  which  was 
felt  long  afterwards,  when  they  were  in  painful  circumstances. 
Reuben,  returning  after  Joseph  had  been  sold,  and  on  going  to 
the  pit  not  finding  him  there,  was  filled  with  grief.  He  went  to 
his  brothers,  saying,  "The  child  is  not;  and  I,  whither  shall  I 
go?" 


54  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 


SECTION   XXI. 

METHOD  TAKEN  TO  CONCEAT,  THE  CRIME  FROM  THEIR  FATHER — HIS  GRIEF — THE 
MIDIANITES  SELL  HIM  TO  POTIPHAR — HIS  TEMPTATION  AND  CONTINENCE — IS  CAST 
INTO  PRISON. 

THE  only  difficulty  which  now  remained  was  to  conceal  the 
crime  from  their  father.  This,  however  was  not  impossible, 
provided  they  could  all  keep  the  secret.  The  greatest  danger 
was  from  Reuben,  who  had  taken  no  part  in  the  cruel  act ;  but 
they  might  prevent  his  betraying  tnem  by  threats,  or  by  the 
knowledge  which  they  might  possess  of  crimes  with  which  he 
was  chargeable.  The  guilty  are  often  faithful  in  concealing 
each  other's  crimes,  through  fear  of  having  their  own  evil 
deeds  brought  to  light.  The  device  adopted  to  deceive  old 
Jacob,  which  seems  to  have  been  completely  successful,  was,  to 
dip  the  coat  of  Joseph  in  the  blood  of  a  kid,  and  to  send  it  to 
their  father  to  know  "whether  it  was  his  son's  coat  or  no." 
The  old  patriarch  instantly  recognised  the  garment,  and 
exclaimed,  "  an  evil  beast  hath  devoured  him.  Joseph  is  with- 
out doubt  rent  in  pieces."  And  Jacob  clothed  himself  in  sack- 
cloth, and  mourned  for  his  son  many  days.  And  all  his  sons,  and 
all  his  daughters  (son's  wives)  rose  up  to  comfort  him ;  but  he 
refused  to  be  comforted ;  and  he  said,  For  I  will  go  down  into 
the  grave  unto  my  son,  mourning."  The  mourning  of  Jacob  for 
his  darling  son  was,  no  doubt,  of  the  most  bitter  kind ;  and  his 
anguish  would  be  increased  by  the  reflection  that  he  was 
devoured  by  wild  beasts,  and  that  he  probably  was  the  occasion 
of  his  death,  by  sending  the  child  without  a  guide  or  protector 
on  so  long  a  journey.  He  also  had  not  the  comfort  of  deposit- 
ing the  body  decently  in  the  grave,  with  his  deceased  rela- 
tives ;  a  privilege  highly  valued  by  the  members  of  this  family. 
When  the  Midianites  arrived  in  Egypt,  Joseph  was  bought 
by  Potiphar,  an  officer  of  Pharaoh,  king  of  Egypt.  And  the 
Lord  was  with  Joseph ;  and  all  that  was  under  his  hand,  in  the 
house  of  his  master,  was  made  to  prosper ;  so  that  Potiphar 
could  not  but  observe  that  his  young  servant  was  favoured  of 
the  Lord.  This  induced  him  to  intrust  all  his  property,  in  the 
house  and  in  the  field,  to  the  care  and  management  of  Joseph ; 
and  the  blessing  of  the  Lord  was  upon  all  that  he  had.  But 
the  time  of  prosperity  is  commonly  the  season  of  temptation. 
Joseph  had  the  favour  and  confidence  of  his  master  in  an  un- 
limited degree,  so  that  he  took  no  account  of  any  of  his  affairs, 
"  save  the  bread  which  he  did  eat."  The  wife  of  Potiphar, 
however,  wished  to  tempt  Joseph  to  the  commission  of  a  great 
sin.  But  his  resolution  was  firm ;  and  he  said,  "  How  can  I  do 
this  great  wickedness  and  sin  against  God?  And  when  she 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  55 

lay  hold  of  him,  he  fled  from  the  house,  leaving  his  garment  in 
her  hand."  Vice  is  seldom  solitary  in  the  human  hreast.  The 
person  who  is  capable  of  perpetrating  one  great  crime,  will  sel- 
dom hesitate  to  commit  another,  if  the  temptation  is  sufficiently 
strong.  This  bad  woman,  finding  herself  disappointed,  and  her 
pride  mortified,  began  immediately  to  meditate  vengeance 
against  the  innocent  youth.  She  called  to  the  men  of  the 
house,  and  held  up  Joseph's  garment,  and  accused  him  of  hav- 
ing attempted  to  degrade  and  dishonour  her,  of  which  daring 
impudence,  his  garment  left  in  her  hand  was  witness.  The 
wife  of  Potiphar  having  already  committed  herself,  by  falsely 
accusing  Joseph  to  the  other  domestics,  could  not  draw  back 
without  confessing  her  own  crime,  but  must  go  on  with  her 
slanderous  charges  against  the  innocent  and  unprotected  youth. 
She,  therefore,  laid  up  Joseph's  garment,  which  had  been  left 
in  her  hand  when  he  escaped  from  her,  that  she  might  show  it 
to  her  lord,  as  proof  positive  of  the  crime  which  she  charged 
against  him.  Joseph,  though  perfectly  innocent,  was  not  in  a 
situation  to  contend  with  a  slander  coming  from  the  wife  of  his 
lord.  It  seemed  to  be  of  little  consequence  whether  he  pro- 
tested that  he  was  innocent,  or  remained  entirely  silent.  There 
are  circumstances  in  which  a  man's  declaration  of  his  innocence 
will  avail  him  nothing,  and  will  gain  no  belief  from  others. 
The  purest  virtue  may,  for  a  season,  be  covered  with  a  dark 
cloud.  The  only  resource  of  the  righteous,  in  such  cases,  is  the 
providence  of  God.  Let  them  take-refuge  under  his  omniscience, 
and  trust  in  his  protection.  Let  them  also  look  forward  to  that 
day,  when  the  secrets  of  all  hearts  shall  be  laid  open,  and  when 
injured  innocence  shall  be  vindicated  from  every  charge.  The 
result  of  the  accusation  was,  that  Joseph's  master  caused  him 
to  be  cast  into  the  public  prison.  It  is  rather  surprising  that 
he  had  not  put  him  to  death.  Perhaps  his  high  confidence  in 
his  integrity  and  virtue,  in  time  past,  and  his  knowledge  of  his 
wife's  disposition,  might  have  left  a  suspicion  on  his  mind,  that 
the  whole  truth  had  not  been  told  to  him ;  and  this  especially, 
if  Joseph  was  permitted  to  relate  the  circumstances,  as  they 
really  occurred.  But  whatever  he  might  suspect,  he  could  do 
no  less  than  expel  him  from  his  house,  and  cast  him  into  prison. 
It  does  not  appear  that  he  ever  troubled  himself  any  farther 
about  the  young  man.  In  tyrannical  governments,  it  is  no  un- 
common thing  for  persons  to  be  thrown  into  prison,  and  to  be 
entirely  forgotten.  Thus  it  might  have  been  with  Joseph ;  for 
he  had  no  friend  in  Egypt  to  inquire  after  him,  or  to  care  for 
him.  But  God,  by  his  providence,  takes  care  of  the  stranger 
and  the  orphan.  The  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  did 
not  forget  this  sorely  injured  and  grossly  slandered  youth ;  for 
he  gave  him  favour  in  the  eyes  of  the  keeper  of  the  prison. 


56  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH    NATION. 

"  And  the  keeper  of  the  prison  committed  to  Joseph's  hand  all 
the  prisoners  that  were  in  the  prison ;  and  whatsoever  they  did 
there,  he  was  the  doer  of  it.  The  keeper  of  the  prison  looked 
not  to  any  thing  that  was  under  his  hand ;  because  the  Lord 
was  with  him;  that  which  he  did,  the  Lord  made  it  to  prosper." 


SECTION  XXII. 

DREAM  OF  THE  BAKER  AND  BUTLER  OF  PHARAOH  IN  THE  PRISON — JOSEPH'S  INTER- 
PRETATION— THE  FULFILMENT — DREAM  OF  PHARAOH — JOSEPH  SENT  FOR  TO  INTER- 
PRET IT — HIS  COUNSEL  TO  PHARAOH,  AND  EXALTATION. 

IT  so  happened  while  .Joseph  was  here  confined,  that  the  butler 
and  the  baker  of  the  king  of  Egypt  had  offended  their  master, 
and  were  put  into  the  same  prison.  And  the  captain  of  the 
guard,  or  keeper  of  the  prison,  gave  these  persons  in  charge  to 
Joseph,  and  he  attended  on  them.  And  they  both  dreamed  a 
dream,  in  the  same  night ;  and  when  Joseph  came  in  to  them  in 
the  morning,  he  observed  that  they  were  sad;  and  he  said, 
"Wherefore  look  ye  so  sad  to-day?  And  they  said,  We  have 
dreamed  a  dream,  and  there  is  no  interpreter  of  it.  And 
Joseph  said,  Do  not  interpretations  belong  unto  God?  Tell 
them  to  me,  I  pray  you."  And  the  chief  butler  told  his  dream  : 
"  Behold,  a  vine  was  before  me,  and  in  the  vine  three  branches, 
which  budded,  and  her  blossoms  shot  forth ;  and  the  clusters 
thereof  brought  forth  ripe  grapes.  And  Pharaoh's  cup  was  in 
my  hand ;  and  I  took  the  grapes  and  pressed  them  in  Pharaoh's 
cup,  and  I  gave  the  cup  into  Pharaoh's  hand."  And  Joseph 
said,  "  This  is  the  interpretation  of  it.  The  three  branches 
are  three  days:  yet  within  three  days  shall  Pharaoh  lift  up 
thine  head,  and  restore  thee  unto  thy  place,  and  then  thou  shalt 
deliver  his  cup  into  his  hand."  But  said  Joseph,  "Think  on 
me  when  it  shall  be  well  with  thee,  and  show  kindness,  I  pray 
thee,  unto  me ;  and  make  mention  of  me  unto  Pharaoh,  and 
bring  me  out  of  this  house ;  for  indeed  I  was  stolen  away  out 
of  the  land  of  the  Hebrews;  and  here  also  have  I  done  nothing 
that  they  should  put  me,  into  the  dungeon."  The  chief  baker, 
hearing  that  the  interpretation  of  the  butler's  dream  was  favour- 
able, was  encouraged  to  tell  his  own,  which,  in  some  respects, 
resembled  it.  He  said,  "Behold,  in  my  dream,  I  had  three 
white  baskets  on  my  head,  and  in  the  uppermost  basket  was  all 
manner  of  bake-meats  for  Pharaoh,  and  the  birds  did  eat  them 
out  of  the  basket  upon  my  head."  And  Joseph  said,  "The 
three  baskets  are  three  days.  Yet  within  three  days  shall 
Pharaoh  lift  up  thine  head  from  thee,  and  shall  hang  thee  on  a 
tree,  and  the  birds  shall  eat  thy  flesh  from  off  thee."  And 
accordingly,  on  the  third  day,  which  was  Pharaoh's  birth-day, 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  57 

he  restored  the  chief  butler  to  his  place,  and  hanged  the  chief 
baker,  as  Joseph  had  interpreted  unto  them.  But  in  his  joy 
and  prosperity  the  butler  did  not  "  remember  Joseph,  but  forgot 
him." 

It  is  well  for  God's  children  that  he  does  not  forget  them ; 
but  whether  they  are  in  prison,  in  poverty,  or  in  sickness,  his 
compassionate  eye  is  ever  upon  them,  and  his  faithful  care  will 
never  leave  them.  Joseph's  prospect  of  release  seemed  to  have 
entirely  passed  away.  He  no  doubt  waited  anxiously  for  some 
time,  to  see  whether  his  friend  the  butler  would  use  his  good 
offices  with  the  king,  in  his  behalf;  but  two  whole  years  having 
elapsed,  and  no  relief  having  been  obtained,  nor  any  intima- 
tion that  any  effort  had  been  made  for  his  discharge,  he  must 
have  felt  something  of  that  sickness  of  heart  which  is  produced 
by  "hope  deferred."  But  God,  who  can  control  the  hearts  of 
kings  as  well  as  others,  sent  a  dream  to  Pharaoh,  which  answered 
the  purpose  of  bringing  to  the  recollection  of  the  butler  his 
own  dream,  and  the  interpretation  of  Joseph,  and  his  sin  in 
forgetting  his  benefactor.  Pharaoh's  dream  was  double,  but 
both  parts  had  the  same  signification.  The  magicians  and  wise 
men  of  Egypt  were  utterly  unable  to  give  any  satisfactory  inter- 
pretation ;  upon  which  the  chief  butler  related  the  circumstances 
of  his  own  dream,  and  the  interpretation  of  Joseph.  Pharaoh 
immediately  sent  to  the  prison,  and  ordered  the  young  Hebrew 
to  be  brought  before  him.  Joseph  therefore  shaved  himself, 
and  changed  his  clothes,  and  then  presented  himself  before  the 
king.  Pharaoh  said,  "I  have  dreamed  a  dream,  and  there  is 
none  that  can  interpret  it ;  and  I  have  heard  say  of  thee,  that 
thou  canst  understand  a  dream  to  interpret  it."  Joseph's  reply 
was  pious  and  modest.  He  said,  "  It  is  not  in  me :  God  shall 
give  Pharaoh  an  answer  of  peace."  Then  Pharaoh  related  his 
dreams,  as  follow:  "In  my  dream  I  stood  upon  the  bank  of  the 
river,  and  behold  there  came  up  out  of  the  river,  seven  kine, 
fat-fleshed,  and  well-favoured,  and  they  fed  in  a  meadow.  And 
behold  seven  other  kine  came  up  after  them,  poor  and  very  ill- 
favoured,  and  lean-fleshed,  such  as  I  never  saw  in  all  the  land 
of  Egypt  for  badness.  And  the  lean  and  ill-favoured  kine  did 
eat  up  the  first  seven  fat  kine ;  and  when  they  had  eaten  them, 
it  could  not  be  known  that  they  had  eaten  them  ;  but  they  were 
still  ill-favoured,  as  at  the  beginning.  So  I  awoke.  And  I 
saw  in  my  dream,  and  behold  seven  ears  came  up  on  one  stalk, 
full  and  good.  And  behold  seven  ears,  withered  and  thin,  and 
blasted  with  the  east  wind,  sprang  up  after  them ;  and  the  thin 
ears  devoured  the  seven  good  ears.  And  I  told  this  unto  the 
magicians,  and  there  was  none  that  could  declare  it  unto  me." 
Joseph,  upon  hearing  these  dreams,  did  not  hesitate,  nor  ask 


58  HISTOEY   OF   THE    ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

time  for  consideration,  but  immediately  interpreted  them  as 
follows:  "The  dream  of  Pharaoh  is  one:  God  hath  showed 
Pharaoh  what  he  is  about  to  do.  The  seven  good  kine  and  the 
seven  good  ears  are  seven  years,  and  the  dream  is  one.  And 
the  seven  ill-favoured  kine  and  the  seven  blasted  ears  shall  be 
seven  years  of  famine." — "Behold  there  come  seven  years  of 
great  plenty,  throughout  all  the  land  of  Egypt ;  and  there  shall 
arise  after  them  seven  years  of  famine,  and  all  the  plenty  shall 
be  forgotten  in  the  land  of  Egypt ;  and  the  famine  shall  con- 
sume the  land.  And  the  plenty  shall  not  be  known  in  the  land, 
by  reason  of  the  famine  following ;  for  it  shall  be  very  grievous." 
And  as  to  the  repetition  of  the  dream,  Joseph,  informed  the 
king,  that  this  was  intended  to  give  the  greater  assurance  of  the 
thing,  that  God  had  established  it,  and  would  shortly  bring  it 
to  pass.  Joseph  then  proceeded  to  advise  what  ought  to  be 
done.  "Let  Pharaoh,"  said  he,  "look  out  for  a  man,  discreet 
and  wise,  and  set  him  over  the  land  of  Egypt ;  and  let  him  ap- 
point officers  over  the  land,  and  take  up  the  fifth  part  [of  the 
produce]  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  in  the  seven  plenteous  years. 
And  let  them  gather  all  the  fruits  of  these  good  years  that 
come,  and  lay  up  corn  under  the  hand  of  Pharaoh,  and  let  them 
keep  food  in  the  cities.  And  that  food  shall  be  for  store  to  the 
land,  against  the  seven  years  of  famine,  which  shall  be  in  all 
the  land  of  Egypt;  that  the  land  perish  not  through  famine." 
This  advice  of  Joseph  seemed  to  Pharaoh  and  all  his  servants 
•wise  and  seasonable.  And  the  king  was  persuaded,  that  no 
better  man  could  possibly  be  found  to  set  over  this  business, 
than  the  one  who  had  given  the  advice.  He,  therefore,  said  to 
his  servants,  "  Can  we  find  such  a  man  as  this,  in  whom  the 
spirit  of  God  is."  And  to  Joseph  he  said,  "Forasmuch  as  God 
hath  shown  thee  all  this,  there  is  none  so  discreet  and  wise  as 
thou  art.  Thou  shalt  be  over  my  house,  and  according  to  thy 
word  shall  all  my  people  be  ruled ;  only  in  the  throne  will  I  be 
greater  than  thou."  And  Pharaoh  said,  "See,  I  have  set  thee 
over  all  the  land  of  Egypt.  And  Pharaoh  took  off  his  ring  from 
his  hand,  and  put  it  upon  Joseph's  hand,  and  arrayed  him  in 
vestures  of  fine  linen,  and  put  a  gold  chain  about  his  neck ;  and 
he  made  him  to  ride  in  the  second  chariot  which  he  had ;  and 
they  cried  before  him,  Bow  the  knee ;  and  he  made  him  ruler 
over  all  the  land  of  Egypt."  And  he  said  unto  Joseph,  "I  am 
Pharaoh,  and  without  thee  shall  no  man  lift  up  his  hand  or  his 
foot  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt."  And  Pharaoh  gave  Joseph  a 
new  name,  ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH,  which  means,  the  revealer  of 
secrets.  And  he  gave  him  for  a  wife  ASENATH,  the  daughter 
of  Poti-pherah,  priest,  or  prince  of  On. 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  59 

SECTION  XXIII. 

JOSEPH'S    ADMINISTRATION. 

THE    ARRIVAL    OF   HIS   BROTHERS — HIS   TREATMENT    OF   THEM — HE   RETAINS   SIMEOW 
AND   SENDS    FOR   BENJAMIN. 

WHEN  Joseph  stood  before  Pharaoh,  he  was  thirty  years  old. 
Being  now  placed  in  the  highest  authority  by  the  king,  he  went 
forth  to  the  execution  of  his  important  office.  That  he  might 
better  understand  the  condition  of  the  country,  he  passed 
through  the  whole  land  of  Egypt.  And  as  the  years  of  plenty 
immediately  commenced,  he  began  to  lay  up  food  in  storehouses, 
throughout  the  cities ;  and  the  quantity  was  so  great  that  it 
could  not  be  numbered.  And  this  he  did,  until  the  seven  years 
of  plenty  were  ended. 

During  this  period  his  wife  Asenath  had  two  sons :  the  elder 
he  named  Manasseh,  forgetting ;  because,  said  he,  "God  hath 
made  me  forget  all  my  toil,  and  all  my  father's  house."  The 
second  he  named  Ephraim,  fruitful ;  because,  said  he,  "God 
hath  caused  me  to  be  fruitful  in  the  land  of  my  affliction." 

As  soon  as  the  seven  years  of  plenty  were  ended,  the  years 
of  famine  commenced.  This  dearth  was  not  confined  to  Egypt, 
but  extended  to  all  the  surrounding  countries.  And  when  under 
the  pressure  of  the  famine,  the  people  of  Egypt  cried  unto  Pha- 
raoh, he  referred  them  to  Joseph.  Now  was  seen  the  wisdom 
of  erecting  public  storehouses,  and  filling  them  with  provision ; 
for  the  people  took  no  care  to  lay  up  corn  for  the  approaching 
scarcety.  The  famine  there  was  very  grievous  ;  and  the  people 
must  have  perished  through  want,  had  it  not  been  for  the  pub- 
lic granaries,  which  Joseph  now  caused  to  be  opened,  and  from 
which  corn  was  sold  to  the  Egyptians.  This  distressing  famine 
reached  the  land  of  Canaan,  where  Jacob  and  his  sons  dwelt ; 
and  he  having  learned  that  corn  could  be  had  in  Egypt,  directed 
his  sons,  instead  of  standing  and  looking  on  one  another,  to  go 
down  thither  and  buy,  that  their  lives  might  be  preserved.  It 
is  not  improbable,  that  it  was  unpleasant  for  these  men  to  think 
of  going  to  Egypt,  when  they  recollected  that  they  had  sold 
their  brother  to  be  a  slave  there ;  but  in  necessity  there  is  no 
choice.  Therefore,  all  Joseph's  brothers,  except  Benjamin,  set 
off  to  Egypt,  to  buy  corn.  Jacob's  affections,  since  the  loss  of 
Joseph,  seem  to  have  been  fixed  chiefly  on  Benjamin,  the  only 
other  child  of  his  beloved  Rachel.  He  refused,  therefore,  to 
permit  him  to  accompany  his  brethren,  lest  some  accident  should 
befall  him.  When  Joseph's  brethren  arrived,  it  was  necessary 
to  present  themselves  before  him ;  for  as  he  was  governor  of  all 


60  HISTOEY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

the  land,  no  corn  could  be  sold  without  his  permission.  When 
these  foreigners,  in  the  garb  of  shepherds  of  Canaan,  were  in- 
troduced, they  bowed  themselves  before  him,  with  their  faces  to 
the  earth — thus  fulfilling  the  dreams  which  had  so  provoked 
their  envy.  Joseph  instantly  knew  his  brothers,  although  he 
had  been  absent  from  them  for  twenty-three  or  twenty-four 
years;  but  they  had  not  the  least  idea  that  the  great  man,  in 
whose  presence  they  were,  was  their  injured  brother  Joseph. 
Although  his  heart  was  full  of  kindness,  yet  he  determined  to 
make  them  reflect  on  the  guilt  of  the  enormous  crime  which 
they  had  committed.  He,  therefore,  spoke  roughly  to  them, 
and  said,  "Whence  come  ye?"  And  he  said,  "Ye  are  spies; 
to  see  the  nakedness  of  the  land  are  ye  come."  They  protested 
that  it  was  not  so,  but  that  they  had  come  to  buy  food.  "We 
are,"  said  they,  "all  one  man's  sons:  we  are  true  men,  thy 
servants  are  no  spies."  But  Joseph  affected  not  to  believe 
them,  and  still  insisted  that  they  were  spies.  On  which,  they, 
conscious  that  they  were  speaking  truth,  began  to  be  more 
particular  in  their  narrative.  They  said,  "Thy  servants  are 
twelve  brethren,  the  sons  of  one  man  in  the  land  of  Canaan ; 
and  behold  the  youngest  is  this  day  with  our  father,  and  one  is 
not."  The  feelings  of  both  parties  must  have  been  very  strong 
at  the  mention  of  this  last  circumstance,  but  of  a  very  different 
kind.  They  were  now  in  distress  in  the  country  to  which  they 
had  sold  their  brother,  and  the  remorse  of  conscience,  which  at 
other  times  they  might  find  means  to  quiet,  now  filled  them 
with  anguish.  Joseph  could  not  help  recollecting  all  their 
hatred;  and  especially  their  cruelty,  when,  turning  a  deaf  ear 
to  his  piteous  cries  and  earnest  supplications,  they  sold  him  for 
a  paltry  sum  of  money  to  travelling  merchants,  who,  it  was 
known,  would  carry  him  to  a  distant  country  to  be  a  slave  for 
life.  In  such  a  transaction,  though  all  may  consent,  there  are 
various  degrees  of  guilt.  Reuben,  we  know,  did  not  join  in  the 
crime  of  his  brothers.  But  there  is  no  evidence  that  Joseph 
knew  any  thing  of  his  favourable  disposition  and  designs. 
Judah  had  prevented  them  from  imbruing  their  hands  in  his 
blood,  and  prevailed  upon  them  rather  to  sell  him  than  put  him 
to  death.  Probably,  Simeon  was  foremost  in  proposing  and 
seeking  the  death  of  Joseph,  as  he  is  known  to  have  been  both 
cruel  and  treacherous  in  his  disposition;  and  Joseph,  in  select- 
ing one  to  be  bound  in  prison  while  the  others  went  home, 
would  naturally  fix  on  the  one  who  appeared  to  him  to  be  the 
most  guilty.  However  this  may  be,  he  continued  to  accuse 
them  as  spies ;  and  at  first  proposed  that  all  of  them  should 
remain  except  one,  who  should  be  despatched  to  bring  their 
younger  brother;  and  accordingly,  he  shut  them  all  up  in 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  61 

prison  for  three  days.  How  wretched  must  have  been  the 
feelings  of  these  men,  when  thus  overtaken  with  misfortune  in  a 
strange  land.  At  the  expiration  of  three  days,  Joseph  changed 
his  plan;  reflecting,  no  doubt,  that  their  families  must  suffer 
greatly,  or  perhaps  perish  with  want,  if  they  did  not  return 
with  provisions.  He  now,  therefore,  told  them,  that  one  of 
them  must  be  left  bound  in  the  prison,  while  the  rest  returned 
with  corn  for  their  houses.  And  one  thing  which  he  said 
would  have  been  consoling  to  them,  if  they  had  been  pious; 
that  is,  that  he  was  a  worshipper  of  the  true  God.  He  charged 
them  to  bring  their  youngest  brother;  that  by  this  proof  it 
might  be  known  that  they  were  true  men.  Their  words  would 
thus  be  verified,  and  they  should  not  die.  In  thus  demanding 
Benjamin  to  be  brought  to  Egypt,  Joseph  seems  rather  to  have 
consulted  his  own  feelings,  than  the  peace  of  his  father's  mind, 
of  which  he  should  have  been  more  tender :  but  it  does  not  be- 
hoove us  to  judge  with  severity  the  conduct  of  a  man  placed  in 
circumstances  so  peculiar.  He  had  no  evidence  yet,  that  these 
men  had  ever  repented  of  the  crime  of  which  they  had  been 
guilty ;  or  that  their  feelings  towards  him  were  at  all  changed ; 
and  he  deemed  it  necessary  to  subject  all  concerned  to  some 
uneasiness,  well  knowing  that  it  would  be  fully  compensated  by 
the  kindness  which  he  meant  to  show  them. 

They  now  began  not  only  to  reflect  on  the  wickedness  of  their 
conduct  in  their  cruel  treatment  of  their  brother,  but  also  to 
speak  to  one  another  on  the  subject;  and  their  conversation  was 
in  the  hearing  of  Joseph,  but  they  supposed  he  did  not  under- 
stand them,  as  he  had  uniformly  spoken  to  them  by  an  inter- 
preter. "And  they  said  one  to  another,  We  are  verily  guilty 
concerning  our  brother,  in  that  we  saw  the  anguish  of  his  soul, 
when  he  besought  us  and  we  would  not  hear ;  therefore  is  this 
distress  come  upon  us."  And  Reuben  said,  "Spoke  I  not  unto 
you,  saying,  Do  not  sin  against  the  child,  and  ye  would  not 
hear;  therefore,  behold,  also  his  blood  is  required."  Upon 
hearing  these  confessions  and  upbraidings  of  his  brethren,  the 
heart  of  Joseph  was  affected,  and  he  withdrew  from  them,  that 
they  might  not  see  him  weep,  and  then  returned,  and  conversed 
with  them.  And  he  took  Simeon,  and  bound  him  before  their 
eyes ;  and  commanded  to  fill  their  sacks  with  corn,  and  to  restore 
every  man's  money  into  his  sack,  and  to  give  them  provision 
for  the  way. 


62  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 


SECTION  XXIV. 

THEIR    MONET   RETURNED — JACOB   REFUSES  TO  LET  BENJAMIN  GO BUT  THE    FAMINE 

PRESSES,  AND   HE  AT  LENGTH  CONSENTS — JOSEPH,  AFTER  BRINGING  HIS   BROTHERS 
INTO  TROUBLE,  MAKES  HIMSELF  KNOWN,  AND  SENDS  TO  HIS  FATHER. 

WHEN  they  had  proceeded  some  distance  on  their  journey  home- 
ward, and  had  stopped  at  an  inn,  one  of  them,  whose  sack  was 
opened  on  the  occasion,  found  his  money  in  the  mouth  of  the 
sack ;  of  which,  when  he  gave  information  to  his  brethren,  they 
were  alarmed,  and  their  hearts  failed  them ;  and  they  said  one 
to  another,  "What  is  this  that  God  hath  done  unto  us?"  And 
when  they  arrived  at  home,  they  told  Jacob  all  that  had  hap- 
pened to  them ;  and  when  they  had  emptied  their  sacks,  every 
man's  bundle  of  money  was  in  his  sack,  at  the  sight  of  which 
both  they  and  their  father  were  afraid.  But  when  Jacob  heard 
of  their  engagement  to  take  Benjamin  with  them  when  they 
returned  again  for  corn,  and  to  redeem  their  brother  who  was 
left  bound  in  prison,  he  was  greatly  disturbed,  and  said,  in  the 
language  of  bitter  complaint,  "Me  have  ye  bereaved  of  my  chil- 
dren ;  Joseph  is  not,  and  Simeon  is  not,  and  ye  will  take  Ben- 
jamin away.  All  these  things  are  against  me."  From  these 
words  of  Jacob,  it  would  seem  that  he  had  received  some  infor- 
mation, or  entertained  some  suspicion,  respecting  the  true  fate 
of  Joseph,  and  that  the  first  account  was  not  true;  for  he 
charges  his  bereavement  of  him  in  particular,  on  his  sons.  And 
it  is  scarcely  possible,  that  a  secret  lodged  with  so  many  persons 
would  not  in  time  leak  out;  especially  as  one  of  them  had  not 
consented  to  the  wicked  deed  of  the  others,  and  had  fully 
resolved  to  rescue  him  out  of  their  hands.  Reuben  was  now 
the  only  one  who  seems  to  have  had  confidence  to  reply  to  the 
cutting  reproaches  of  his  father.  And  he  said,  "  Slay  my  two 
sons,  if  I  bring  him  not  to  thee :  deliver  him  into  my  hand,  and 
I  will  bring  him  to  thee  again."  But  it  would  not  do.  Jacob 
absolutely  refused  to  let  Benjamin  go,  saying,  "My  son  shall 
not  go  down  with  you ;  for  his  brother  is  dead,  and  he  is  left 
alone :  if  mischief  befall  him  by  the  way  in  which  ye  go,  then 
shall  ye  bring  down  my  gray  hairs  with  sorrow  to  the  grave." 
But  the  famine  continuing  to  rage  without  mitigation,  as  soon 
as  the  provision  was  spent,  which  they  had  brought  from  Egypt, 
Jacob  said  to  his  sons,  "Go  again,  buy  us  a  little  food."  Judah 
replied,  "The  man  did  solemnly  protest  unto  us,  saying,  Ye 
shall  not  see  my  face,  except  your  brother  be  with  you.  If  thou 
wilt  send  our  brother  with  us,  we  will  go  down  and  buy  thee 
food.  But  if  thou  wilt  not  send  him,  we  will  not  go  down :  for 
the  man  said  unto  us,  Ye  shall  not  see  my  face,  except  your 
brother  be  with  you.  And  Israel  said,  Wherefore  dealt  ye  so 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  63 

ill  with  me,  as  to  tell  the  man  whether  ye  had  yet  a  brother  ? 
And  they  said,  The  man  asked  us  straitly  of  our  state,  and  of 
our  kindred,  saying,  Is  your  father  yet  alive?  have  ye  another 
brother?  And  we  told  him  according  to  the  tenor  of  these 
words.  Could  we  know  that  he  would  say,  Bring  your  brother 
down?  And  Judah  said  unto  Israel,  his  father,  Send  the  lad 
with  me,  and  we  will  arise  and  go,  that  we  may  live  and  not  die, 
both  we  and  thou,  and  also  our  little  ones.  I  will  be  surety  for 
him ;  of  my  hand  shalt  thou  require  him :  if  I  bring  him  not 
unto  thee,  and  set  him  before  thee,  then  let  me  bear  the  blame 
for  ever.  For  except  we  had  lingered,  surely  now  we  had 
returned  this  second  time."  Judah,  who  was  truly  eloquent, 
prevailed  at  length ;  though  probably  want  had  more  influence 
in  gaining  the  old  man's  consent,  than  the  persuasive  speech  of 
his  son.  And  Israel  said,  "If  it  must  be  so  now,  do  this:  take 
of  the  best  fruits  in  the  land  in  your  vessels,  and  carry  down 
the  man  a  present,  a  little  balm,  and  a  little  honey,  spices  and 
myrrh,  nuts  and  almonds.  And  take  double  money  in  your 
hand:  the  money  that  was  found  in  your  sacks,  carry  back; 
peradventure  it  was  an  oversight.  Take  also  your  brother,  and 
arise,  go  again  to  the  man.  And  God  Almighty  give  you  mer- 
cy before  the  man,  that  he  may  send  away  your  other  brother 
and  Benjamin.  If  I  be  bereaved  of  my  children,  I  am  bereaved." 
Accordingly,  they  went,  and  came  and  stood  before  Joseph. 
When  he  saw  that  Benjamin  was  with  them,  he  invited  them  all 
to  dine  with  him  that  day.  But  these  plain  shepherds  were 
abashed  when  they  were  introduced  into  the  house  of  the  gover- 
nor, and  thought  that  some  accusation  would  be  brought  against 
them,  for  the  money  that  they  had  found  in  their  sacks.  They 
therefore  addressed  themselves  to  the  steward  of  the  house,  and 
informed  him  of  the  discovery  made  of  the  money  in  their  sacks ; 
and  told  him  that  they  had  brought  it  back,  and  other  money  to 
buy  corn.  But  he  quieted  them,  assuring  them  that  he  had 
received  their  money;  and  told  them  that  the  God  of  their 
fathers  had  given  them  the  money  which  they  found  in  their 
sacks.  And  he  brought  out  their  brother  Simeon,  and  gave 
them  water  for  their  feet,  and  feed  for  their  asses.  On  their 
part,  they  got  ready  the  present,  which  they  had  brought  for 
the  governor,  against  his  coming  at  noon.  When  he  arrived, 
they  all  bowed  themselves  before  him  to  the  earth.  He  inquired 
of  their  welfare,  and  said,  "Is  your  father  well?  the  old  man  of 
whom  you  spake,  is  he  yet  alive?  And  they  answered,  Thy 
servant  our  father  is  in  good  health,  he  is  yet  alive :  and  they 
bowed  down  their  heads,  and  made  obeisance."  And  when  he 
saw  his  brother  Benjamin,  he  said,  "Is  this  your  younger  bro- 
ther, of  whom  ye  spake  unto  me  ?  And  he  said,  God  be  gracious 
unto  thee,  my  son."  But  Joseph  was  unable  to  command  his 


64  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

feelings  any  longer ;  "  and  he  went  out,  and  sought  a  place  to 
weep;  and  he  entered  into  his  chamber,  and  wept  there."  And 
when  he  had  composed  himself  he  returned,  and  gave  orders  to 
place  the  dinner  before  them.  But  he  and  the  Egyptians  did 
not  eat  with  them,  because  the  Egyptians  thought  it  wrong  to 
eat  bread  with  the  Hebrews.  The  brethren  of  Joseph  must  have 
been  surprised  at  the  order  in  Avhich  he  placed  them  at  table ; 
for  the  first-born  was  placed  first,  according  to  his  birth-right, 
and  the  youngest  according  to  his  youth.  From  his  own  table 
he  sent  them  messes ;  but  five  times  as  much  to  Benjamin  as  to 
any  of  the  rest.  By  degrees  their  fears  subsided,  and  they  ate 
and  drank,  and  were  merry  with  him.  It  seemed  to  these  men, 
that  their  difficulties  were  now  ended.  But  Providence  had  new 
trials  for  them  before  they  left  Egypt.  Joseph,  who  began  to 
be  impatient  of  the  concealment  and  constraint  under  which  he 
acted,  was  determined  to  bring  the  business  to  a  speedy  end. 
He  commanded  his  steward,  in  filling  the  sacks  with  corn,  to 
put  again  every  man's  money  in  the  mouth  of  his  sack,  and  to 
put  his  own  silver  cup  into  the  sack  of  the  youngest.  Next  day, 
as  soon  as  it  was  light,  they  were  sent  away ;  and  when  they 
had  got  out  of  the  city,  Joseph  ordered  his  steward  to  pursue 
them,  and  to  charge  them  with  dishonesty  and  ingratitude.  The 
steward  did  as  he  was  commanded;  and  they  said  unto  him, 
"Wherefore  saith  my  lord  these  words?  God  forbid  that  thy 
servants  should  do  according  to  this  thing.  Behold  the  money 
which  we  found  in  our  sacks'  mouths,  we  brought  again  to  thee, 
out  of  the  land  of  Canaan:  how  then  should  we  steal  out  of  our 
lord's  house,  silver  or  gold?  With  whomsoever  of  thy  servants  it 
be  found,  both  let  him  die,  and  we  also  will  be  my  lord's  bondmen." 
The  steward  was  more  moderate  in  his  demands.  He  only 
required  that  the  person  in  whose  possession  the  cup  might  be 
found,  should  be  made  a  slave,  while  the  rest  should  be  con- 
sidered blameless.  Honesty  was  the  strong  point  of  character 
in  which  these  men  felt  themselves  to  be  upright.  They  were 
afraid  of  no  accusation  on  this  ground ;  and  felt  so  much  mutual 
confidence,  that  they  had  no  fears  for  one  another.  They, 
therefore,  promptly  unloaded  their  asses,  and  submitted  to  a 
search,  which,  beginning  at  the  eldest,  went  on  to  the  youngest. 
But,  what  was  their  grief  and  astonishment,  when  the  cup  was 
actually  found  in  Benjamin's  sack.  They  rent  their  clothes, 
laded  their  asses,  and  went  back  to  the  city.  As  soon  as  they 
came  into  the  presence  of  the  governor,  they  fell  before  him  on 
the  ground ;  and  he  said,  What  deed  is  this  that  ye  have  done  ? 
did  ye  not  know  that  such  a  man  as  I  can  certainly  divine? 
Then  Judah,  whose  simple  eloquence  has  already  been  noticed, 
came  forward,  and  addressed  to  him  one  of  the  most  pathetic 
speeches  which  is  on  record  in  any  language.  Judah  seemed  to 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  65 

consider  that  the  liberty  of  all  of  them  was  forfeited ;  but  Joseph, 
like  his  steward,  did  not  view  any  one  as  implicated,  except  the 
person  with  whom  the  cup  had  been  found.  But  how  could  they 
bear  the  thought  of  returning  to  their  father  without  Benjamin ; 
and,  especially,  to  Judah,  who  had  urged  his  father  so  much  ta 
send  him,  and  had  become  security  for  him,  it  must  have  appearea 
worse  than  death.  He,  therefore,  drew  near,  and  made  the  fol- 
lowing touching  address. 

"  0  my  lord,  let  thy  servant,  I  pray  thee,  speak  a  word  in 
my  lord's  ears,  and  let  not  thine  anger  burn  against  thy  servant, 
for  thou  art  even  as  Pharaoh.  My  lord  asked  his  servants,  say- 
ing, Have  ye  a  father,  or  a  brother  ?  And  we  said  unto  my  lord, 
We  have  a  father,  an  old  man,  and  a  child  of  his  old  age,  a  little 
one ;  and  his  brother  is  dead,  and  he  alone  is  left  of  his  mother, 
and  his  father  loveth  him.  And  thou  saidst  unto  thy  servants, 
Bring  him  down  unto  me,  that  I  may  set  mine  eyes  upon  him. 
And  we  said  unto  my  lord,  The  lad  cannot  leave  his  father,  for  if 
he  should  leave  his  father,  his  father  would  die.  And  thou  saidst 
unto  thy  servants,  Except  your  youngest  brother  come  down 
with  you,  ye  shall  see  my  face  no  more.  And  it  came  to  pass, 
when  we  came  up  unto  thy  servant,  my  father,  we  told  him  the 
words  of  my  lord.  And  our  father  said,  Go  again,  and  buy  us 
a  little  food.  And  we  said,  We  cannot  go  down :  if  our  youngest 
brother  be  with  us,  then  will  we  go  down ;  for  we  may  not  see 
the  man's  face,  except  our  youngest  brother  be  with  us.  And 
thy  servant,  my  father,  said  unto  us,  Ye  know  that  my  wife 
[Rachel]  bare  me  two  sons ;  and  the  one  went  out  from  me,  and 
I  said,  Surely  he  is  torn  to  pieces;  and  I  saw  him  not  since. 
And  if  ye  take  this  also  from  me,  and  mischief  befall  him,  ye 
shall  bring  down  my  gray  hairs  with  sorrow  to  the  grave. 

"Now,  therefore,  when  I  come  to  thy  servant,  my  father, 
and  the  lad  be  not  with  us,  (seeing  that  his  life  is  bound  up  in 
the  lad's  life;)  it  shall  come  to  pass,  when  he  seeth  that  the  lad 
is  not  with  us,  that  he  will  die :  and  thy  servants  shall  bring 
down  the  gray  hairs  of  thy  servant  our  father  with  sorrow  to 
the  grave.  For  thy  servant  became  surety  for  the  lad  unto  my 
father,  saying,  If  I  bring  him  not  unto  thee,  then  I  shall  bear 
the  blame  to  my  father  for  ever.  Now,  therefore,  I  pray  thee, 
let  thy  servant  abide,  instead  of  the  lad,  a  bondman  to  my  lord ; 
and  let  the  lad  go  up  with  his  brethren.  For  how  shall  I  go  up 
to  my  father,  and  the  lad  be  not  with  me?  lest  peradventure  I 
see  the  evil  that  shall  come  on  my  father." 

There  is  truly  something  noble  in  the  conduct  of  Judah,  on 
this  occasion — in  offering  himself  as  a  substitute  for  his  brother. 
It  was  a  degree  of  generosity  not  often  to  be  witnessed ;  and  the 
offer  rises  in  our  estimation,  when  we  take  into  view,  that  his 
governing  motive  was  respect  and  affection  for  his  aged  father. 
5 


66  HISTORY   OP  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

Joseph's  feelings  were  so  affected  by  this  speech  of  Judah, 
which  referred  to  himself  in  a  way  that  must  have  touched  him 
greatly,  that  he  was  unable  any  longer  to  conceal  his  emotions : 
and  he  cried,  "Cause  every  man  to  go  out  from  me." — "And 

«wept  aloud ;  so  that  the  Egyptians  and  the  house  of  Pharaoh 
ard  him.  And  Joseph  said  unto  his  brethren,  I  am  Joseph: 
doth  my  father  yet  live  ?  And  his  brethren  could  not  answer 
him,  for  they  were  troubled  at  his  presence.  And  Joseph  said 
unto  his  brethren,  Come  near  to  me:  and  he  said,  I  am  Joseph 
your  brother,  whom  ye  sold  into  Egypt.  Now,~therefore,  be 
not  grieved,  nor  angry  with  yourselves,  that  ye  sold  me  hither : 
for  God  did  send  me  before  you  to  preserve  life.  For  these  two 
years  hath  the  famine  been  in  the  land ;  and  yet  there  are  five 
years  in  the  which  there  shall  be  neither  earing  nor  harvest. 
And  God  sent  me  before  you,  to  preserve  you  a  posterity  in  the 
earth,  and  to  save  your  lives  by  a  great  deliverance.  So  now 
it  was  not  you  that  sent  me  hither,  but  God ;  and  he  hath  made 
me  a  father  to  Pharaoh,  and  lord  of  all  his  house,  and  a  ruler 
throughout  all  the  land  of  Egypt.  Haste  ye,  and  go  up  to  my 
father,  and  say  unto  him,  Thus  saith  thy  son  Joseph,  God  hath 
made  me  lord  of  all  Egypt;  come  down  unto  me,  tarry  not. 
And  thou  shalt  dwell  in  the  land  of  Goshen ;  and  thou  shalt  be 
near  unto  me,  thou,  and  thy  children,  and  thy  children's  children, 
and  thy  flocks,  and  thy  herds,  and  all  that  thou  hast.  And 
there  will  I  nourish  thee,  (for  yet  there  are  five  years  of  famine,) 
lest  thou,  and  thy  household,  and  all  that  thou  hast,  come  to 
poverty.  And,  behold,  your  eyes  see,  and  the  eyes  of  my  bro- 
ther Benjamin,  that  it  is  my  mouth  that  speaketh  unto  you. 
And  ye  shall  tell  my  father  of  all  my  glory  in  Egypt,  and  of 
all  that  ye  have  seen ;  and  ye  shall  haste,  and  bring  down  my 
father  hither.  And  he  fell  upon  his  brother  Benjamin's  neck 
and  wept;  and  Benjamin  wept  upon  his  neck.  Moreover,  he 
kissed  all  his  brethren,  and  wept  upon  them,  and  after  that  his 
brethren  talked  with  him." 

A  more  interesting  scene  than  this  is  not  recorded  in  any 
history,  and  can  scarcely  be  conceived  of.  The  kindness,  ten- 
derness, and  generosity  of  Joseph  to  his  brothers,  who  had  so 
deeply  injured  him,  is  worthy  of  all  admiration.  When  Pharaoh 
heard  what  had  happened,  and  that  Joseph's  brethren  were 
come,  the  event  was  pleasing  to  him  and  to  his  servants ;  and 
he  authorized  Joseph  to  invite  his  father  and  brothers,  with  their 
families,  to  come  and  live  in  Egypt,  in  the  best  of  the  land ;  and 
also  directed  that  wagons  should  be  sent  to  carry  their  wives 
and  children,  and  their  father.  They  were  directed  not  to 
regard  their  moveable  property,  as  they  would  enjoy  the  good 
of  the  whole  land  of  Egypt.  Joseph  gladly  executed  Pharaoh's 
orders,  and  gave  also  to  each  man  changes  of  clothes ;  but  to 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  67 

Benjamin  he  gave  three  hundred  pieces  of  silver  and  five  changes 
of  raiment ;  and  to  his  father  he  sent  ten  asses,  laden  with  the 
good  things  of  Egypt,  and  ten  she-asses,  laden  with  corn,  and 
bread,  and  meat,  for  his  father  by  the  way.  When  he  sent  away 
his  brothers,  he  exhorted  them — "  See  that  ye  fall  not  out  bjj 
the  way."  Upon  their  arrival  at  home,  they  told  Jacob  that 
Joseph  was  yet  alive,  and  was  governor  over  all  the  land  of 
Egypt.  The  news  was  too  overwhelming  for  the  mind  of  Jacob ; 
he  fainted  and  believed  them  not,  at  the  first ;  but  when  he  be- 
held the  wagons  which  Joseph  had  sent  to  carry  him,  the  spirit 
of  the  old  man  revived.  "And  Israel  said,  It  is  enough;  Joseph 
my  son  is  yet  alive:  I  will  go  and  see  him  before  I  die." 


SECTION  XXV. 

JACOB,  AFTER  ASKING  COUNSEL  OF  GOD,  GOES  DOWN  TO  EGYPT  TO  HIS  SON. 

BUT  Jacob  would  not  take  so  important  a  step  as  removing  his 
whole  family  into  Egypt,  without  asking  counsel  of  God,  who 
had  hitherto  directed  him  in  all  his  ways.  He,  therefore,  jour- 
neyed southward,  until  he  came  to  Beersheba,  and  there  being 
on  the  borders  of  Canaan,  he  oifered  sacrifices  unto  the  God  of 
Isaac  his  father.  "And  God  spake  unto  Israel  in  the  visions 
of  the  night,  and  said,  Jacob,  Jacob:  and  he  said,  Here  am  I. 
And  he  said,  I  am  the  God  of  thy  father :  fear  not  to  go  down 
into  Egypt :  for  I  will  there  make  of  thee  a  great  nation.  I 
will  go  down  with  thee  into  Egypt ;  and  I  will  also  surely  bring 
thee  up  again;  and  Joseph  shall  put  his  hand  on  thine  eyes." 
After  this  clear  revelation  of  the  divine  will,  Jacob  hesitated  no 
longer,  but  taking  his  sons,  and  their  wives,  and  their  children, 
and  their  flocks  and  herds,  and  all  that  they  possessed,  they 
went  down  into  Egypt. 

At  this  time  Reuben  had  two  sons ;  Simeon,  six ;  Levi,  three ; 
Judah  had  had  five,  but  two  of  them  were  dead ;  Issachar  had 
four ;  Zebulun,  three ;  Gad,  seven ;  Asher,  four,  and  one  daugh- 
ter, and  two  grandchildren :  Joseph  was  already  in  Egypt,  and 
had  two  sons.  Benjamin,  though  the  youngest,  was  the  father 
of  ten  sons ;  Dan  had  only  one,  and  Naphtali  had  four.  These, 
exclusive  of  Jacob  himself  and  Joseph  and  his  two  sons,  make 
the  number  sixty-six;  and  with  them,  the  whole  number  of  Ja- 
cob's family,  exclusive  of  his  son's  wives,  was  seventy.  In  this 
enumeration  of  Jacob's  descendants,  there  are  several  things  re- 
markable. The  first  is,  that  among  so  many  children  and  grand- 
children, the  proportion  of  females  should  bo  so  small.  Only 
two  are  mentioned  in  the  sacred  history ;  Dinah,  Jacob's  daugh- 


68  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISEAELITISH  NATION. 

ter,  who  was  either  dead,  or  gone  from  her  father's  house ;  and 
Serah,  the  daughter  of  Asher.  Another  thing  worthy  of  remark 
is,  that  Benjamin,  who  is  so  often  called  a  lad,  and  sometimes  a 
child,  and  a  little  one,  should  be  the  father  of  ten  children.  On 
this  fact  it  may  be  observed,  that  Benjamin  was  now  thirty-five 
or  thirty-six  years  of  age ;  and,  as  to  his  being  called  a  lad,  &c., 
these  appellations  are  rather  to  express  the  tender  affection  of 
his  father  towards  him,  than  to  signify  that  he  was  not  a 
man.  The  word  little  is,  in  Hebrew,  the  same  as  the  word  for 
younger. 

When  Jacob  came  near  the  land  of  Goshen,  he  sent  Judah 
before  him,  to  announce  his  arrival.  "And  Joseph  made  ready 
his  chariot,  and  went  up  to  meet  Israel  his  father  to  Goshen, 
and  presented  himself  unto  him :  and  he  fell  on  his  neck,  and 
wept  on  his  neck  a  good  while.  And  Israel  said  unto  Joseph, 
Now  let  me  die,  since  I  have  seen  thy  face,  because  thou  art 
yet  alive."  Joseph,  having  instructed  his  brethren  how  to 
behave,  and  what  to  answer,  when  introduced  to  Pharaoh,  made 
haste  to  inform  the  king  of  the  arrival  of  his  father.  His  object 
was  to  obtain  for  them  the  privilege  of  dwelling  in  Goshen, 
which  seems  to  have  been  that  part  of  Egypt  which  was  next  to 
the  wilderness,  towards  the  land  of  Canaan,  because  Jacob  and 
his  sons  arrived  here  before  they  came  to  the  city  where  Joseph 
and  Pharaoh  resided.  It  is  probable  that  this  region,  on  account 
of  its  vicinity  to  the  uncultivated  parts  of  the  country,  was  pecu- 
liarly suited  to  be  the  residence  of  shepherds.  And  Joseph 
directed  his  brethren,  when  Pharaoh  should  question  them 
respecting  their  manner  of  life,  to  confess  that  their  occupation 
had  been  to  take  care  of  cattle,  from  their  youth;  and  that 
their  fathers  had  followed  the  same;  for  by  so  doing,  they 
would  gain  the  privilege  of  remaining  in  Goshen.  For  as  all 
shepherds  were  despised  by  the  Egyptians,  the  people  would 
be  unwilling  that  they  should  come  into  the  centre  of  the 
country,  to  mingle  with  the  other  inhabitants.  The  business 
was  arranged  according  to  Joseph's  direction,  and  the  result 
answered  his  expectations.  Pharaoh,  upon  hearing  that  the 
men  were  shepherds,  and  that  it  was  their  wish  to  remain  in 
Goshen,  readily  gave  the  permission.  He,  therefore,  told 
Joseph  that  the  whole  land  of  Egypt  was  before  him,  and  that 
he  might  give  to  his  father  and  brethren  the  best  of  it ;  but  as 
they  had  selected  Goshen,  he  directed  that  this  part  of  the 
country  should  be  assigned  to  them ;  and  requested,  that  if  he 
knew  any  of  them  to  be  men  of  activity,  he  would  make  them 
rulers  over  his  cattle. 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  69 

SECTION  XXVI. 

JACOB'S  INTERVIEW  WITH   PHARAOH — PRESSURE  OF  THE  FAMINE — JOSEPH'S   POLICY. 

JOSEPH  now  introduced  his  father  to  the  king ;  and  Jacob,  when 
he  came  into  the  royal  presence,  pronounced  a  benediction  upon 
Pharaoh.  It  is  probable  that  the  patriarch  had  the  appearance 
of  being  older  than  he  really  was,  for  he  was  lame,  and  had 
passed  a  life  of  trial  and  trouble.  Few  men  have  ever  ex- 
perienced greater  changes  or  more  heart-desolating  calamities. 
Pharaoh,  therefore,  as  soon  as  he  saw  him,  asked  him  how  old 
he  was.  To  this  Jacob  answered,  "  The  days  of  the  years  of 
my  pilgrimage  are  an  hundred  and  thirty  years :  few  and  evil 
have  the  days  of  the  years  of  my  life  been,  and  I  have  not 
attained  unto  the  days  of  the  years  of  the  life  of  my  fathers,  in 
the  days  of  their  pilgrimage."  The  particular  spot  which 
Joseph  selected  for  the  residence  of  his  father  and  brothers,  and 
their  families,  was  Rameses,  the  best  of  the  land;  and  there  he 
supplied  them  with  the  necessary  support,  distributing  food  to 
every  family,  according  to  its  numbers.  The  famine  had  now 
risen  to  its  height,  and  was  very  sore,  both  in  the  land  of  Egypt 
and  in  Canaan.  The  only  resource  of  the  people,  to  preserve 
them  from  death,  was  in  the  stores  which  Joseph  had  collected ; 
and  he,  as  a  faithful  servant,  considered  all  this  corn  as  the 
property  of  the  king,  at  whose  expense  it  had  been  obtained  and 
laid  up.  Instead  therefore,  of  giving  it  away,  he  sold  it  to  the 
people,  as  long  as  they  had  any  money  to  give  in  exchange ; 
and  when  their  money  failed,  Joseph  offered  to  take  their  cattle, 
which,  if  they  had  remained  in  the  hands  of  their  owners,  must 
have  died  speedily.  This  supply,  however,  only  saved  them  for 
one  year ;  and  when  this  was  ended,  the  people  came  to  him  in 
great  distress,  declaring  that  the  whole  of  their  money  and  their 
cattle  were  already  expended,  and  nothing  now  remained  but  their 
bodies  and  their  land.  "Wherefore,"  said  they,  "shall  we  die 
before  thine  eyes,  both  we  and  our  land  ?  buy  us  and  our  land  for 
bread,  and  we  and  our  land  will  be  servants  unto  Pharaoh." 
And  Joseph  bought  all  the  land  of  Egypt  for  Pharaoh ;  for  the 
Egyptians  sold  every  man  his  field,  because  the  famine  prevailed 
over  them.  So  the  land  became  Pharaoh's.  And  Joseph 
removed  the  people,  everywhere  into  the  cities,  where  provisions 
were  stored.  The  land  of  the  priests,  however,  was  not  sold ; 
for  they  received  from  Pharaoh  a  portion  for  their  support,  so 
that  they  were  under  no  necessity  of  selling  their  lands. 
Joseph  has  been  much  censured  by  some  persons  for  his  course 
in  regard  to  the  people  of  Egypt ;  but  it  would  be  difficult  to 
show  in  what  the  injustice  of  his  conduct  consisted.  "What  he 


70-  HISTORY   OF    THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

ought  to  have  done  if  the  kingdom  and  stores  had  been  his  own, 
is  another  question.  But  as  the  agent  and  steward  to  whom 
this  great  business  was  committed,  there  is  every  evidence  that 
he  acted  justly  and  wisely.  And  now,  having  fairly  purchased 
the  land,  he  gave  seed  to  the  people  to  sow  the  land ;  and  of  the 
increase  he  required  only  a  fifth  part  for  the  king,  leaving  the 
rest  for  their  own  use.  Surely  there  was  nothing  ungenerous 
or  unjust  in  this  regulation,  which  from  this  time  became  per- 
petual. Joseph  might  have  made  all  the  people  Pharaoh's  ser- 
vants, for  they  repeatedly  offered  to  become  such;  but  he  only 
established  it  as  a  law  that  the  king  should  have  a  fifth  part  of 
the  increase  of  all  the  land,  except  that  of  the  priests,  to  which 
Pharaoh  obtained  no  title. 


SECTION  XXVII. 

JABOB'S  RESIDES  IN  EGYPT  SEVENTEEN  YEARS — HIS  END  DRAWS  NIGH — HIS  INTERVIEW 
WITH  JOSEPH,  AND  BENEDICTION  OF  HIS  SONS. 

ISRAEL  having  obtained,  as  has  been  related,  the  land  of  Gos- 
hen,  and  being  there  supplied  with  food  in  abundance,  without 
toil,  multiplied  exceedingly.  Jacob  lived  after  he  came  down  to 
Egypt,  seventeen  years;  so  that  the  whole  age  of  Jacob  was  a 
hundred  and  forty-seven  years.  When  the  patriarch  found  that 
his  end  was  drawing  near,  he  called  for  Joseph,  and  caused  him 
to  swear  that  he  would  not  bury  him  in  Egypt,  but  carry  him 
to  the  burying-place  of  his  fathers,  in  the  land  of  Canaan. 
Soon  after  this,  Jacob  being  sick,  Joseph  came  to  see  him,  and 
brought  his  two  sons,  that  they  might  receive  their  grandfather's 
blessing  before  he  died.  And  they  informed  Jacob  that  his  son 
Joseph  was  come,  on  which  he  "strengthened  himself  and  sat 
upon  the  bed."  "And  Jacob  said  unto  Joseph,  God  Almighty 
appeared  unto  me  at  Luz,  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  blessed 
me,  and  said  unto  me,  I  will  make  thee  fruitful  and  multiply 
thee,  and  I  will  make  of  thee  a  multitude  of  people,  and  will 
give  this  land  to  thy  seed  after  thee,  for  an  everlasting  posses- 
sion. And  now  thy  two  sons,  Ephraim  and  Manasseh,  which 
were  born  to  thee  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  are  mine :  as  Reuben 
and  Simeon,  they  shall  be  mine.  And  thy  issue,  which  thou 
begettest  after  them,  shall  be  thine,  and  shall  be  called  after  the 
name  of  their  brethren  in  their  inheritance.  And  as  for  me, 
when  I  came  from  Padan,  Rachel  died  by  me  in  the  land  of 
Canaan,  in  the  way,  when  as  yet  there  was  but  a  little  way  to 
come  to  Ephrath ;  and  I  buried  her  in  the  way  of  Ephrath,  the 
same  is  Bethlehem."  When  Jacob  beheld  Joseph's  sons,  whom 
he  had  not  before  observed  to  be  present,  he  said,  "Who  are 
these  ?  And  Joseph  said  unto  his  father,  they  are  my  sons,  whom 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  71 

God  hath  given  me  in  this  place.  And  he  said,  Bring  them,  I 
pray  thee,  unto  me,  and  I  will  bless  them."  But  Jacob's  eye- 
sight had  greatly  failed,  so  that  he  could  see  nothing  distinctly. 
Joseph  brought  forward  the  lads,  and  Jacob  said,  "I  had  not 
thought  to  see  thy  face ;  and  lo,  God  hath  showed  me  also  thy 
seed."  And  when  Joseph  presented  his  sons  to  his  father  for 
his  benediction,  he  bowed  himself  to  the  earth.  And  he  held 
Ephraim  in  his  right  hand,  opposite  to  Jacob's  left;  and  Man- 
asseh in  his  left  hand,  opposite  to  his  father's  right;  but  Israel 
stretched  out  his  right  hand,  and  placed  it  on  the  head  of 
Ephraim  the  younger,  and  his  left  hand  on  Manasseh  the 
elder,  evidently  doing  this  not  by  accident,  but  designedly. 
He  first  blessed  Joseph  himself,  and  then  said,  "  God,  before 
whom  my  fathers  Abraham  and  Isaac  did  walk,  the  God  which 
fed  me  all  my  life  long  to  this  day,  the  angel  which  redeemed 
me  from  all  evil,  bless  the  lads ;  and  let  my  name  be  named  on 
them,  and  the  name  of  my  fathers  Abraham  and  Isaac ;  and  let 
them  grow  into  a  multitude  in  the  midst  of  the  earth."  "And 
when  Joseph  saw  that  his  father  laid  his  right  hand  upon  the 
head  of  Ephraim,  it  displeased  him,  and  he  held  up  his  father's 
hand,  to  remove  it  from  Ephraim's  head  to  Manasseh's  head ; 
and  Joseph  said  to  his  father,  Not  so,  my  father,  for  this  is  the 
first-born;  put  thy  right  hand  on  his  head.  And  his  father 
refused,  and  said,  I  know  it,  my  son,  I  know  it ;  he  also  shall 
become  a  people,  and  he  also  shall  be  great;  but  truly  his 
younger  brother  shall  be  greater  than  he,  and  his  seed  shall 
become  a  multitude  of  nations.  And  he  blessed  them  that  day, 
saying,  In  thee  shall  Israel  bless,  saying,  God  make  thee  as 
Ephraim,  and  as  Manasseh ;  and  he  set  Ephraim  before  Man- 
asseh. And  Israel  said  unto  Joseph,  Behold  I  die,  but  God 
shall  be  with  you,  and  bring  you  again  into  the  land  of  your 
fathers.  Moreover,  I  have  given  to  thee  one  portion  above  thy 
brethren,  which  I  took  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Amorites  with 
my  sword,  and  with  my  bow." 


SECTION  XXVIII. 

JACOB'S   DYING    PBOPHECY   EESFECTING    HIS   SONS — HIS    DECEASE. 

JACOB  now  called  together  all  his  sons,  and  being  inspired  to 
foretell  future  events,  he  went  on  to  prophecy  what  would  befall 
each  of  them  as  a  tribe  and  nation.  It  is  worthy  of  remark, 
that  the  moral  character  of  the  father  seems  to  be  impressed  on 
his  descendants,  and  their  destiny  is  made  to  depend  in  a  great 
measure  on  the  conduct  of  him  from  whom  they  derived  their 
descent. 


72  HISTORY   OF   THE    ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

Reuben  was  the  first-born,  but  though  he  was  "the  excellency 
of  dignity,  and  the  excellency  of  power,"  yet,  on  account  of  a 
base  crime  already  referred  to,  he  is  excluded  from  the  chief 
blessing,  and  is  pronounced  to  be  unstable  as  water,  and  it  is 
foretold  that  his  tribe  shall  not  rise  to  high  excellence  or  great 
power. 

The  treachery  and  cruelty  of  Simeon  and  Levi  come  now  into 
remembrance,  in  the  case  of  the  Shechemites,  whom  they  inhu- 
manly murdered,  after  deceiving  them,  when  they  were  unable 
to  defend  themselves.  "  Cursed  be  their  anger,  for  it  was  fierce, 
and  their  wrath,  for  it  was  cruel :  I  will  divide  them  in  Jacob, 
and  scatter  them  in  Israel."  This  last  prediction  was  most 
exactly  accomplished,  in  the  after  history  of  these  two  tribes. 
Simeon  having  lost  a  large  portion  of  his  numbers  in  the  wilder- 
ness, obtained  an  inheritance,  not  in  a  district  by  himself,  but  in 
scattered  portions  among  the  other  tribes ;  and  it  is  said  that 
the  men  of  this  tribe  travelled  about  as  schoolmasters ;  so  that 
they  were  literally  scattered  abroad,  and  divided  in  Israel.  And 
all  know  that  Levi  had  no  inheritance  with  his  brethren;  but, 
having  received  the  priesthood,  his  people  were  divided  among 
the  other  tribes,  each  of  which  furnished  a  certain  quota  of  cities 
for  their  habitation. 

Judah  receives  a  rich  blessing,  and  the  future  dignity  and 
power  of  the  tribe  answered  to  the  patriarch's  prediction. 
"Judah,  thou  art  he  whom  thy  brethren  shall  praise:  thy  hand 
shall  be  in  the  neck  of  thine  enemies :  thy  father's  children  shall 
bow  down  before  thee.  Judah  is  a  lion's  whelp ;  from  the  prey, 
my  son,  art  thou  gone  up :  he  stooped  down,  he  couched  as  a 
lion ;  who  shall  rouse  him  up  ?  The  sceptre  shall  not  depart 
from  Judah,  nor  a  lawgiver  from  between  his  feet,  until 
Shiloh  come,  and  unto  him  shall  the  gathering  of  the  people  be. 
Binding  his  foal  unto  the  vine,  and  his  ass's  colt  unto  the  choice 
vine;  he  washed  his  garments  in  wine,  and  his  clothes  in  the 
blood  of  grapes.  His  eyes  shall  be  red  with  wine,  and  his 
teeth  white  with  milk."  This  is  undoubtedly  the  chief  blessing 
of  all;  for  two  peculiar  things  are  promised — superiority  over 
the  other  tribes,  and  the  possession  of  a  sceptre  and  lawgiver; 
and  secondly,  that  the  Messiah  should  arise  from  this  tribe,  for 
thus  must  we  interpret  the  word  Shiloh.  The  temporal  bless- 
ings of  this  tribe  were  also  very  rich.  Their  country  abounded 
in  vineyards  and  flocks ;  so  that  wine  and  milk  were  the  cha- 
racteristics of  Judah.  He  is  compared  to  the  lion,  which 
became,  through  all  ages,  the  ensign  of  this  tribe,  and  is  believed 
to  have  been  the  figure  on  its  standard.  THE  LION  OF  THE 
TRIBE  OF  JUDAH  is  also  one  designation  of  the  Messiah. 

The  maritime  situation  of  the  tribe  of  Zebulun  is  exactly 
foretold,  and  the  boundaries  of  its  possessions,  on  the  great  sea, 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  73 

are  described,  even  unto  Zidon.  As  this  tribe  was  on  the  coast, 
so  it  is  described  as  having  harbours  and  ships. 

Issachar  is  described  as  having  a  pleasant  land,  but  an  abject 
spirit ;  and  as  a  servant  of  tribute.  Accordingly,  we  scarcely 
read  of  a  distinguished  person  from  this  tribe,  nor  any  distin- 
guished dignity  which  it  possessed. 

In  most  of  these  predictions  there  is  an  evident  allusion  to 
the  literal  import  of  the  names  of  Jacob's  sons;  as  here,  when 
Ban  is  introduced  in  his  order,  it  is  said,  "  Dan  shall  judge  his 
people,  as  one  of  the  tribes  of  Israel."  (The  word  Dan  signifies 
to  judge.)  Dan  is  compared  to  a  serpent  by  the  way,  an  adder 
in  the  path,  that  biteth  the  horse-heels:  so  that  his  "rider  shall 
fall  backward."  We  know  very  little  of  the  character  and  his- 
tory of  Dan,  as  a  separate  tribe ;  but  what  is  recorded,  exactly 
corresponds  with  this  description. 

At  this  point  Jacob  seems  to  have  been  exhausted.  He 
paused,  and  lifted  up  his  soul  to  God  in  an  earnest  ejaculation, 
"I  have  waited  for  thy  salvation,  0  Lord."  Then  he  pro- 
ceeded. "Gad," — which  name  signifies  a  troop — "a  troop 
shall  overcome  him,  but  he  shall  overcome  at  the  last."  "  Out 
of  Asher" — which  signifies  riches,  or  property — "his  bread 
shall  be  fat,  and  he  shall  yield  royal  dainties."  "Naphtali  is  a 
hind  let  loose:  he  giveth  goodly  words." 

But  now  the  patriarch  comes  to  his  beloved  Joseph,  which  as 
to  mere  temporal  blessings,  the  benediction  may  seem  to  be  the 
richest  of  all;  but  does  not  include  the  two  things  before  men- 
tioned as  peculiar  to  Judah,  namely,  government  and  the  Mes- 
siah. It  is  as  follows :  "  Joseph  is  a  fruitful  bough,  even  a  fruit- 
ful bough  by  a  well,  whose  branches  run  over  the  wall.  The 
archers  have  sorely  grieved  him,  and  shot  at  him,  and  hated  him ; 
but  his  bow  abode  in  strength,  and  the  arms  of  his  hands  were 
made  strong  by  the  hands  of  the  mighty  God  of  Jacob :  (from 
thence  is  the  Shepherd,  the  Stone  of  Israel :)  even  by  the  God  of 
thy  father,  who  shall  help  thee,  and  by  the  Almighty  who  shall 
bless  thee  with  the  blessings  of  heaven  above,  blessings  of  the 
deep  that  lieth  under,  blessings  of  the  breasts  and  of  the  womb. 
The  blessings  of  thy  father  have  prevailed  above  the  blessings  of 
my  progenitors,  unto  the  utmost  bounds  of  the  everlasting  hills ; 
they  shall  be  on  the  head  of  Joseph,  and  on  the  crown  of  the 
head  of  him  that  was  separate  from  his  brethren." 

The  only  difficulty  here  is  to  understand  who  is  meant  by  the 
shepherd,  and  stone  of  Israel,  which  was  to  come  out  of  this 
tribe.  These  titles  apply  very  exactly  to  the  Messiah,  but  we 
have  seen  that  he  was  to  proceed  from  Judah.  It  is  very  pro- 
bable, however,  that  these  words  contributed  to  produce  in  the 
minds  of  some  of  the  Jews,  a  notion  of  a  twofold  Messiah,  the 
one  to  •spring  from  Judah,  who  should  be  a  ruler,  and  the  other 


74  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

from  Joseph,  who  should  be  a  sufferer.  May  it  not  be  possible, 
that  through  the  line  of  females  received  by  marriage  into  the 
tribe  of  Judah,  or  by  some  other  intermingling  of  the  tribes, 
Messiah  may  have  derived  his  descent  from  both  these  tribes? 

Of  Benjamin  it  is  said,  he  "shall  raven  as  a  wolf :  in  the 
morning  he  shall  devour  the  prey,  and  at  night  he  shall  divide 
the  spoil." 

After  Jacob  had  finished  blessing  his  sons,  "  he  charged  them, 
and  said  unto  them,  I  am  to  be  gathered  unto  my  people :  bury 
me  with  my  fathers,  in  the  cave  that  is  in  the  field  of  Ephron 
the  Hittite ;  in  the  cave  that  is  in  the  field  of  Machpelah,  which 
is  before  Mamre,  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  which  Abraham  bought 
with  the  field  of  Ephron  the  Hittite,  for  a  possession  of  a  bury- 
ing-place.  (There  they  buried  Abraham,  and  Sarah  his  wife : 
there  they  buried  Isaac,  and  Rebekah  his  wife ;  and  there  I 
buried  Leah.)  The  purchase  of  the  field,  and  of  the  cave  that 
is  therein,  was  from  the  children  of  Heth.  And  when  Jacob 
had  made  an  end  of  commanding  his  sons,  he  gathered  up  his 
feet  into  the  bed,  and  yielded  up  the  ghost,  and  was  gathered 
unto  his  people." 


SECTION  XXIX. 

JACOB  IS  BURIED  ACCORDING  TO  HIS  REQUEST  IN  CANAAN MOURNING  ON  ACCOUNT  OF 

THE   PATRIARCH. 

WHEN  Joseph  perceived  that  his  father  had  ceased  to  breathe, 
he  "  fell  upon  his  face,  and  wept  upon  him,  and  kissed  him. 
And  Joseph  commanded  his  servants,  the  physicians,  to  embalm 
his  father:  and  the  physicians  embalmed  Israel."  The  art  of 
preserving  human  bodies,  by  embalming  them,  was  certainly 
better  understood  in  Egypt,  in  ancient  times,  than  it  ever  was 
in  any  other  country,  as  is  evident  by  the  numerous  mummies, 
which  unto  this  day  are  found  in  the  caves  and  subterraneous 
catacombs,  and  some  of  which  are  probably  almost  as  ancient  as 
the  time  of  Joseph.  It  was  customary  to  mourn  forty  days  for 
persons  embalmed ;  but  in  this  case,  the  Egyptians,  by  reason  of 
their  great  regard  for  Joseph,  and  their  veneration  for  the  aged 
and  pious  patriarch,  extended  their  mourning  to  seventy  days. 
And  when  the  mourning  was  ended,  Joseph  informed  Pharaoh 
of  the  oath  which  his  father  had  made  him  swear,  in  regard  to 
his  burial,  and  Pharaoh  readily  granted  him  permission  to  carry 
the  body  of  his  father  to  Canaan ;  and  all  the  servants  of 
Pharaoh  accompanied  him,  and,  also,  all  the  elders  of  Israel, 
and  all  the  elders  of  the  land  of  Egypt ;  and  all  Joseph's  breth- 
ren, and  all  their  households,  except  that  they  left  their  young 
children,  and  their  flocks  and  herds  in  the  land  of  Goshen. 


THE   PATRIARCHS.  75 

"And  there  went  up  with  him  both  chariots  and  horsemen;  and 
it  was  a  very  great  company.  And  they  came  to  the  threshing- 
floor  of  Atad,  which  is  beyond  Jordan,  and  there  they  mourned 
with  a  great  and  very  sore  lamentation:  and  they  made  a 
mourning  for  his  father  seven  days."  When  the  people  of  the 
land  saw  this  funeral  procession,  and  observed  their  bitter 
lamentation,  they  said,  "This  is  a  grievous  mourning  to  the 
Egyptians,"  and  on  this  account  the  place  received  the  name  of 
Abel-mizraim;  that  is,  the  mourning  of  the  Egyptians.  And 
his  sons  buried  him  in  the  cave  of  Machpelah,  which  is  before 
Mamre.  "And  Joseph  returned  into  Egypt,  he  and  his  breth- 
ren, and  all  that  went  up  with  him  to  bury  his  father." 


SECTION  XXX. 

JOSEPH'S  BRETHREN  SUSPICIOUS  OF  HIS  FRIENDSHIP CHARACTER  OF  JOSEPH — LENGTH 

OF   HIS   LIFE HIS  INJUNCTION    RESPECTING    HIS   BONES — HIS   DECEASE. 

"AND  when  Joseph's  brethren  saw  that  their  father  was  dead, 
they  said,  Joseph,  peradventure,  will  hate  us,  and  will  certainly 
requite  us  all  the  evil  which  we  did  unto  him.  And  they  sent 
messengers  unto  Joseph,  saying,  Thy  father  did  command 
before  he  died,  saying,  Forgive,  I  pray  thee  now,  the  trespass 
of  thy  brethren,  and  their  sin,  for  they  did  unto  thee  evil ;  and 
now  we  pray  thee,  forgive  the  trespass  of  the  servants  of  the 
God  of  thy  father.  And  Joseph  wept  when  they  spake  unto 
him;"  and  said  unto  them,  "Fear  not,  for  am  I  in  the  place  of 
God?  But  as  for  you,  ye  thought  evil  against  me;  but  God 
meant  it  unto  good,  to  bring  to  pass,  as  it  is  this  day,  to  save 
much  people  alive.  Now,  therefore,  fear  ye  not :  I  will  nour- 
ish you  and  your  little  ones.  And  he  comforted  them,  and 
spake  kindly  to  them." 

The  character  of  Joseph,  as  here  exhibited,  is  exceedingly 
amiable.  His  brothers,  disturbed  by  their  own  guilty  fears, 
could  not  enter  into  his  kind  and  benevolent  feelings.  They 
could  not  but  think,  that  now  their  father  was  out  of  the  way, 
and  all  restraint  removed,  he  would  be  disposed  to  avenge  him- 
self upon  them  for  their  cruel  treatment.  After  so  long  a 
manifestation  of  kindness  and  forgiveness,  it  cut  Joseph  to  the 
heart,  to  find  them  entertaining  such  suspicions  of  his  motives 
and  designs ;  so  that  he  wept,  when  they  presented  their  sup- 
plication before  him.  From  this  history  we  learn  how  trouble- 
some a  thing  guilt  is.  These  men  were,  for  a  while,  successful 
in  covering  their  transgression  from  men ;  but  after  more  than 
a  score  of  years,  their  sin  found  them  out,  and  they  were  sore 
afflicted  by  the  lashes  of  conscience,  while  suffering  under  the 
severe  pressure  of  external  affliction. 


76  HISTORY   OF   THE    ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

Joseph  lived  to  see  Ephraim's  children  of  the  third  genera- 
tion; and  the  children  of  Machir,  the  son  of  Manasseh,  were 
brought  up  on  Joseph's  knees.  And  when  he  perceived  that 
his  end  was  approaching,  he  said  to  his  brethren,  "  I  die ;  and 
God  will  surely  visit  you,  and  bring  you  out  of  this  land,  unto 
the  land  which  he  sware  to  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob." 
And  he  caused  the  children  of  Israel  to  swear,  that  when  they 
removed  to  that  land,  they  would  carry  with  them  his  bones. 
"  So  Joseph  died,  being  a  hundred  and  ten  years  old ;  and 
they  embalmed  him,  and  he  was  put  in  a  coffin  in  Egypt." 


PART   II. 


THE    ISRAELITES. 


SECTION  I. 

THE   CONTINUANCE  OF    THE    HEBREWS   IN   THE   LAND  OF   EGYPT THE    CHt'EL    EDICTS 

OF  THE  EGYPTIANS  AGAINST  THE  MALE  HEBREW  CHILDREN THE  BIRTH,  CON- 
CEALMENT, EXPOSURE,  AND  ADOPTION  OF  MOSES — MISERABLE  BONDAGE  OF  THE 
HEBREWS — MOSES  KILLS  AN  EGYPTIAN,  AND  FLIES  TO  ARABIA,  WHERE  HE  ENTERS 
INTO  THE  FAMILY  OF  JETHRO,  PRIEST  OF  MIDIAN,  WHOSE  DAUGHTER  HE  MARRIES. 

THE  period  of  the  residence  of  the  Israelites  in  Egypt,  has 
been  understood  differently  by  learned  men;  for  while  most 
maintain  that  it  did  not  exceed  two  hundred  and  fifteen  years, 
some  are  of  opinion,  that  it  could  not  be  less  than  four  hundred 
years,  in  conformity  with  the  prediction  of  God  to  Abraham, 
"  Know  of  a  surety  that  thy  seed  shall  be  a  stranger  in  a  land 
that  is  not  theirs,  and  shall  serve  them ;  AND  THEY  SHALL 

AFFLICT   THEM   FOUR   HUNDRED   YEARS."      This,  taken   Strictly, 

decides  the  question  at  once.  But  it  has  been  alleged,  with 
much  plausibility,  that  these  four  hundred  years  should  be  cal- 
culated from  the  time  when  the  prediction  was  uttered;  and 
includes  all  the  time  of  the  residence  of  Isaac  and  Jacob  in 
Canaan,  as  well  as  the  time  spent  in  Egypt.  And  this  inter- 
pretation is  strongly  supported  by  the  Septuagint  version,  and 
the  Samaritan  text,  which  contain  a  clause,  which  expressly 
declares,  that  the  four  hundred  years  comprehended  the  time 
of  their  sojourning  in  Canaan;  and  even  if  this  is  a  gloss 
which  has  crept  into  the  text  of  these  copies,  yet  it  shows  how 
this  matter  was  understood  in  very  ancient  times.  But  some 
of  the  subsequent  words  of  this  same  prediction  appear  to 
favour  this  interpretation  not  a  little.  God  says,  "  But  in  the 
fourth  generation  they  shall  come  hither  again;"  for  it  seems 
altogether  probable,  that  these  generations  commenced  with 
Abraham ;  and  the  word  generation  here,  evidently  is  synony- 


78  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

mous  with  a  century  of  years.  Another  argument  in  favour'of 
the  common  opinion  is,  that  the  number  of  successive  descend- 
ants of  the  sons  of  Jacob  are  too  few  for  a  residence  in  Egypt 
of  four  hundred  years.  For  example,  when  Israel  went  down 
to  Egypt,  Levi  had  three  sons,  Gershon,  Kohath,  and  Merari. 
Amram,  the  father  of  Moses,  was  the  son  of  Kohath,  and 
grandson  of  Levi.  If  we  suppose  that  four  hundred  years 
elapsed,  or  more  than  three  hundred  before  Moses  was  born,  it 
will  comport  very  badly  with  the  rapid  multiplication  which  is 
spoken  of.  It  can  hardly  be  believed,  that  in  so  long  a  period 
there  would  be  so  few  births,  in  succession.  And  it  is  remark- 
able too,  that  Jochebed,  the  wife  of  Amram,  was  the  daughter 
of  Levi.  This  man,  therefore,  married  his  own  aunt;  but  at 
this  time  the  law  regulating  the  degrees  of  kindred  within 
which  marriages  were  forbidden,  was  not  given.  The  only 
cogent  reason  for  supposing  that  the  Israelites  lived  four  hun- 
dred years  in  Egypt,  is,  the  great  multitude  to  which  they  had 
increased  by  the  time  of  the  Exodus.  But  where  people  are 
healthy,  and  enjoy  the  comforts  of  life  without  excessive  toil, 
their  increase  will  always  be  surprising,  until  an  exact  calcula- 
tion is  made;  for  the  ratio  of  increase  is  geometrical.  Let  it 
be  considered,  also,  that  God  blessed  this  people,  according  to 
his  repeated  promise,  in  multiplying  them  beyond  all  parallel. 
It  is  therefore,  no  how  incredible,  that  this  single  family  of 
seventy  males  should,  in  the  space  of  two  hundred  and  fifteen 
years,  have  grown  to  be  a  nation  of  two  millions  of  persons. 
In  this  country,  in  three  hundred  years,  a  few  adventurous 
colonists  have  swelled  to  the  enormous  population  of  more  than 
twenty  millions  of  souls.  The  increase  of  the  Israelites  was 
not  more  surprising  than  this.  It  was  therefore,  an  unexpected 
thing  to  find  the  learned  Rosenmuller  maintaining  in  his  Scho- 
lia, that  the  Israelites  resided  in  Egypt  four  hundred  years. 

How  long  the  descendants  of  Jacob  enjoyed  good  treatment 
and  liberty,  cannot  be  ascertained.  Joseph  lived  nearly  a  cen- 
tury after  he  came  to  Egypt.  During  his  lifetime,  there  was 
no  unfavourable  change  in  the  condition  of  his  brethren.  It 
seems  probable  that  the  king  that  arose,  "who  knew  not 
Joseph,"  was  not  of  the  same  family  as  Pharaoh,  before  whom 
Joseph  stood,  and  whose  prime  minister  he  was;  but  some 
usurper  or  invader  from  a  foreign  land,  who  was  literally  igno- 
rant how  great  a  benefactor  Joseph  had  been  to  this  nation ; 
and  how  much  the  royal  family  was  indebted  to  him.  This 
king,  after  he  ascended  the  throne,  observing  that  the  Israel- 
ites were  an  entirely  distinct  people  from  the  Egyptians,  and 
that  they  increased  in  numbers  above  the  Egyptians,  beyond 
all  comparison,  was  filled  with  alarm,  lest  they  should  seize  upon 
the  supreme  power ;  and  especially,  "  lest  if  war  should  fall  out," 


THE   ISRAELITES.  79 

that  there  would  be  danger  that  they  should  join  with  the  ene- 
my.   He  began,  therefore,  to  consult  and  contrive  how  he  might 
check  this  rapidly  increasing  population.     The  plan  which  he 
devised  was  indeed  cruel,  but  if  carried  into  effect,  would  have 
answered  the  purpose.     It  was  to    put  the   male  children  to 
death,  as  fast  as  they  were  born.     But  God  disappointed  his 
first  attempt  to  accomplish  this  end.    Another  method  of  attain- 
ing the  object  was  then  devised.    A  decree  was  made,  that  with- 
out exception,  every  male  of  the  Israelites  should  be  cast  into 
the  river  Nile.     This  law,  it  seems,  was  executed  with  rigour, 
but  for  how  long  a  time  is  not  known.    During  this  time,  Moses 
was  born ;  and  being  a  child  of  uncommon  beauty,  his  parents, 
who  were  pious,  determined  that  they  would  conceal  him  as 
long  as  they  could.     In  pursuance  of  this  resolution,  they  suc- 
ceeded in  evading  the  king's  officers  for  three  months,  but  such 
was  the  vigilance  of  those  charged  with  the  execution  of  the 
cruel  mandate,  that  they  were  unable  to  conceal  the  child  any 
longer.     Still,  however,  entertaining,  as  it  would  seem,  a  hope 
of  providential  interposition,  they  prepared  an  ark  of  bulrushes, 
and  rendered  it  water-tight ;  and  placing  the  little  boy  in  this 
small  vessel,  they  launched  it  upon  the  river,  and  retired,  but 
left  the  sister  of  the  child  in  a  covert  place,  to  watch  what 
would  become  of  him.    It  is  probable,  that  the  parents  of  Moses 
resided  in  or  near  the  royal  city ;  for  we  find  the  daughter  of 
the  king,  with  her  female  attendants,  coming  to  the  river,  near 
the  place  where  the  ark  was  left,  to  bathe.     And  she,  having 
spied  the  ark  among  the  flags  where  it  had  been  left,  directed 
her  maidens  to  bring  it  to  her.     And  when  she  opened  it,  she 
beheld  a  lovely  infant ;  and  the  babe  wept.    The  female  breast, 
in  every  country,  is  susceptible  of  the  feelings  of  humanity. 
The  princess  conjectured  that  it  must  be  one  of  the  Hebrew's 
children;  for  she  was  aware  of  the  cruel  edict  which  had  gone 
forth  against  the  male  infants  of  this  afflicted  nation,  and  knew 
also,  the  severity  with  which  the  law  was  enforced.     But  yield- 
ing to  the  emotions  of  her  own  compassionate  heart,  she  re- 
solved at  every  risk  to  save  the  child.    While  she  was  revolving 
this  purpose  in  her  mind,  providentially  the  little  girl  left  to 
watch,  presented  herself,  and  observing  that  her  little  brother 
was  viewed  with  compassion  by  the  princess,  she  had  the  pre- 
sence of  mind  and  consideration,  to  ask  her  if  she  should  call 
a  nurse.     This  was  the  very  thing  needed  to  carry  her  design 
into  execution;  she  therefore  instantly  expressed  her  consent; 
not  suspecting,  probably,  that  this  officious  little  girl  was  sister 
to  the  babe  in  her  possession;  or  that  the  nurse  who  was 
promptly  at  hand  to  obey  her  commands,  Avas  the  mother  of  the 
child.    There  is,  indeed,  no  evidence  that  she  was  ever  informed 
of  this  fact ;  or  that  she  ever  suspected  that  the  nurse  of  Moses 


80  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

was  his  own  affectionate  mother.  The  address  of  Miriam,  Mo- 
ses' sister,  was  in  the  following  simple  words,  "  Shall  I  go  and 
call  to  thee  a  nurse  of  the  Hebrew  women,  that  she  may  nurse 
the  child  for  thee  ?"  "And  Pharaoh's  daughter  said  unto  her, 
Go ;  and  the  maid  went  and  called  the  child's  mother.  And 
Pharaoh's  daughter  said,  Take  this  child  away  and  nurse  it  for 
me,  and  I  will  give  thee  thy  wages."  This  believing  mother 
cast  her  lovely  child,  when  she  could  preserve  him  no  longer  at 
home,  upon  Providence ;  and  now  that  careful  Providence  casts 
him  back  into  her  own  bosom,  in  circumstances  in  which  she 
could  cherish  the  infant  without  fear;  yea,  God  so  ordered  the 
affair,  that  the  mother  received  rich  compensation  from  royal 
hands,  for  cherishing  the  beloved  fruit  of  her  own  womb.  Never 
did  nurse  more  promptly  or  joyfully  engage  in  the  duties  of  her 
vocation.  "And  she  took  the  child  and  nursed  it;  and  the 
child  grew ;  and  she  brought  him  unto  Pharaoh's  daughter,  and 
he  became  her  son."  For  humanity's  sake,  we  may  hope,  that 
the  cruel  edict  under  which  Moses  was  born  and  exposed,  was 
of  short  continuance  ;  as  we  hear  no  more  about  it ;  and  it  is  a 
fact,  that  cruel  laws  soon  become  odious  among  any  people, 
whoever  may  be  the  victims  of  them.  Human  feelings  revolt 
against  the  murdering  of  young  children  by  wholesale ;  and  the 
continued  increase  of  the  Israelites  proves  that  this  cruel  edict 
could  not  have  been  long  executed ;  for  then  the  increase  of 
population  must  have  ceased,  and  Moses  would  have  had  no 
male  contemporaries.  It  is  probable,  therefore,  that  hard  and 
oppressive  servitude  was  substituted  for  this  murderous  edict 
against  the  infants. 

The  Israelites  were  now  reduced  to  a  state  of  oppressive 
bondage.  They  still  inhabited  Goshen,  and  lived  separately 
from  the  Egyptians,  but  they  were  required  to  labour  in  brick 
and  mortar  for  the  king ;  erecting  buildings  for  his  pleasure  or 
caprice.  As  the  object  was  to  keep  them  at  hard  service,  that 
they  might  have  no  time  to  meditate  any  schemes  of  deliver- 
ance, it  is  not  an  improbable  supposition,  that  the  pyramids 
were  erected  by  their  labours.  For  unless  some  such  work  was 
undertaken,  it  is  hard  to  conceive  how  five  or  six  hundred 
thousand  men  could,  for  many  years,  be  kept  employed  in 
making  brick. 

The  first  we  hear  of  these  oppressive  burdens  imposed  on  the 
Israelites,  was,  when  Moses  was  grown  to  be  a  man,  for  then 
"he  went  out  unto  his  brethren  and  looked  on  their  burdens." 
The  mother  of  Moses  had  been  his  instructer,  as  well  as  his 
nurse.  She  did  not  fail  to  communicate  to  him  the  secret 
of  his  descent,  and  to  inspire  him  with  a  desire  to  deliver 
his  brethren  from  the  cruel  bondage  under  which  they  were 
labouring.  Moses,  however,  was  educated  in  the  court  of 


THE   ISRAELITES.  81 

Pharaoh,  and  was  instructed  in  all  the  learning  of  the  Egyp- 
tians. He  was  brought  up  exactly  as  if  he  had  been  a  prince 
"of  the  royal  blood;  for  the  daughter  of  the  king  had  adopted 
him  as  her  own  son,  and  educated  him  as  such.  It  is  re- 
lated by  Josephus,  that  he  was  received  by  the  king,  in 
default  of  male  offspring,  as  the  heir  apparent  to  the  crown. 
But  while  such  splendid  objects  were  presented,  and  within  the 
reach  of  Moses,  his  mind  was  occupied  with  other  thoughts  and 
designs.  He  sympathized  deeply  with  his  oppressed  brethren, 
in  their  grievous  afflictions,  and  was  resolved  to  exert  himself 
for  their  relief.  Indeed,  it  seems,  that  he  had  early  received  a 
divine  revelation,  that  he  was  destined  to  be  the  deliverer  of 
Israel  from  their  iron  bondage.  And  he  expected  that  they 
would  be  ready  to  recognize  him  as  such.  When  he  beheld  the 
oppression  which  his  brethren  endured,  his  heart  was  warmed 
with  indignation ;  and  observing  an  Egyptian  smiting  an  Israel- 
ite, and  being  a  man  of  great  bodily  strength,  he  slew  the 
Egyptian,  first  looking  around  to  see  that  there  were  no  per- 
sons present  who  might  inform  against  him ;  little  suspecting 
that  the  man  whom  he  rescued  from  death  would  bring  him 
into  danger,  by  publishing  the  fact.  But  going  out  the  second 
day,  he  observed  two  of  the  Hebrews  striving  together.  "And 
he  said  to  him  that  did  the  wrong,  Wherefore  smitest  thou  thy 
fellow?  And  he  said,  Who  made  thee  a  prince  and  a  judge  over 
us  ?  Intendest  thou  to  kill  me  as  thou  killedst  the  Egyptian  ?" 
Upon  hearing  this,  Moses  perceived  that  the  transaction  of  the 
former  day,  in  which  to  save  the  life  of  a  brother  he  had  slain 
an  Egyptian,  was  known,  and  would,  consequently,  soon  reach 
the  ears  of  the  king.  And  in  this  he  was  not  erroneous  in  his 
judgment,  for  Pharaoh  had  not  only  heard  the  report,  but  was 
so  much  enraged  on  account  of  the  act,  that  he  resolved  to  put 
Moses  to  death.  Probably,  he  had  been  growing  jealous  of  him 
for  some  time;  or  he  would  not  have  been  disposed  to  proceed 
at  once  to  extremities,  before  he  knew  the  exact  circumstances 
of  the  case.  But  Moses,  having  received  timely  warning,  fled 
from  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  went  into  Arabia,  into  the  land  of 
Midian.  Having  come  an  entire  stranger,  and  a  fugitive,  into 
this  country,  he  sat  down  by  a  well.  It  was  so  ordered  in  Pro- 
vidence, that  he  should  come  into  the  neighbourhood  of  a  very 
wise,  pious,  and  distinguished  man,  namely,  Jethro,  the  priest, 
or  prince,  of  Midian.  Probably,  he  united  in  himself,  as  was 
customary  in  many  nations,  the  highest  civil  and  sacred  offices. 
The  daughters  of  this  eminent  man,  seven  in  number,  in  accord- 
ance with  oriental  customs,  kept  the  flocks  of  their  father ;  and 
on  this  occasion,  they  had  driven  them  to  the  well  where  Moses 
was  resting  himself;  "and  they  came  and  drew  water,  and  filled 
the  troughs  to  water  their  father's  flock.  And  the  shepherds 
6 


82  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

came  and  drove  them  away."  Probably  there  existed  some  dis- 
pute respecting  the  property  of  this  well,  as  we  find  was  often 
the  case  in  the  time  of  the  patriarchs ;  for  to  those  who  led  the 
life  of  shepherds,  no  other  permanent  possessions  were  of  much 
importance :  or,  this  part  of  the  country  may  have  been  infested 
with  a  set  of  selfish,  unaccommodating  shepherds,  who  "felt 
power  and  forgot  right;"  or,  they  may  have  been,  for  reasons 
unknown  to  us,  hostile  to  Jethro  and  his  family.  Often  the 
very  excellence  and  wisdom,  as  well  as  the  wealth  and  power  of 
an  individual,  makes  him  an  object  of  envy  with  the  people 
around  him.  Moses,  observing  the  rough  and  uncourteous 
treatment  of  these  interesting  shepherdesses,  by  these  ill-natured 
shepherds,  immediately  interposed ;  and  being  a  man  of  cour- 
age and  prowess,  and  in  the  prime  of  life,  he  found  no  difficulty 
in  delivering  them  from  their  oppressors ;  and  assisted  them  in 
watering  their  flocks.  It  seems  that  this  was  no  singular  case, 
but  one  of  common  occurrence ;  for  when  they  returned  home, 
Reuel,  their  father,  said,  "  How  is  it  that  you  are  come  so  soon 
to  day?"  Commonly,  it  is  probable,  they  had  to  wait  until  all 
the  other  shepherds  had  watered  their  flocks  and  had  departed. 
Their  modesty  prevented  these  young  women  from  inviting  Mo- 
ses to  accompany  them  home :  and  he  was  not  disposed  to  in- 
trude into  the  family  of  a  stranger,  on  whom  he  had  no  claims. 
Reuel,  who  is  here  called  the  father  of  these  young  women,  was 
their  grandfather ;  for  in  Numbers  x.  29,  Hobab,  another  name 
for  Jethro,  is  called  the  son  of  Raguel,  (doubtless,  the  same 
name  as  Reuel;)  when  he  heard  that  an  Egyptian  delivered  them 
out  of  the  hand  of  the  shepherds,  and  drew  water  for  them  to 
water  their  flocks,  reproved  them  for  being  so  uncivil  as  not  to 
bring  the  stranger  to  the  house;  and  immediately  sent  them 
back  to  invite  the  man,  that  he  might  receive  some  refreshment. 
Hospitality  to  strangers  has  been  a  characteristic  of  the  hum- 
blest of  the  Arabs  for  four  thousand  years :  no  obligation  is  by 
them  viewed  to  be  more  sacred  than  the  duty  of  hospitality  to  any 
fellow-creature  whom  Providence  brings  under  their  protection. 
Moses  was,  therefore,  kindly  received  as  a  respected  guest  by 
this  amiable  family.  And  the  occurrence  which  brought  them 
to  an  acquaintance  with  each  other,  was  attended  with  very  in- 
teresting consequences  to  both  parties.  One  of  these  young/ 
shepherdesses  had  charms  to  attract  the  attention  and  fix  the 
affections  of  a  man  who  had  been  educated  in  all  the  learning 
of  Egypt,  and  had  been  accustomed  to  live  in  all  the  luxu- 
ries and  splendours  of  Pharaoh's  palace.  Moses,  however,  had 
received  that  wisdom  from  above  which  teaches  a  man  the 
emptiness  of  all  earthly  greatness,  and  which  led  him  to  see 
that  more  true  pleasure  is  found  in  retirement,  in  pious  solitude  i 
in  the  wilderness,  than  in  all  the  pomp  and  wealth  of  a  royal 


THE   ISRAELITES.  83 

court.  Finding  himself  an  exile  from  Egypt,  and  not  foresee- 
ing when  he  should  be  able  to  return  thither  with  safety,  he  was 
content  to  take  up  his  abode  in  the  hospitable  mansion,  and 
with  the  agreeable  family  on  which  he  had  alighted ;  and  his 
affection  for  Zipporah,  the  daughter  of  Jethro,  being  recipro- 
cated, he  was  united  to  her  in  marriage ;  and  she  bare  him  a 
son,  whom  he  called  Gershom,  which  means,  A  STRANGER  HERE  : 
for  he  said,  I  have  been  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land.  She  also 
bore  him  another  son,  whom  he  named  Eliezer,  THE  LORD  is  MY 

HELP. 


SECTION  II. 

MOSES   SOJOURNS   IM     MIDIAN     FORTY   YEARS — RECEIVES   HIS     COMMISSION    FROM    GOD 

TO  GO  AND   DELIVER   THE   PEOPLE  OF    ISRAEL    FROM    THEIR  CRUEL    BONDAGE THE 

STRONG   RELUCTANCE    OF    MOSES  OVERCOME — HE    IS   EMPOWERED    TO    WORK     MIRA- 
CLES— AARON    IS    ASSOCIATED   WITH    HIM    IN   THE    COMMISSION. 

HERE,  in  a  country  much  retired,  and  to  this  day  very  little 
known,  Moses  spent  forty  years  of  his  life  ;  not  in  idleness,  for 
he  kept  the  flocks  of  Jethro,  his  father-in-law;  and  doubtless, 
acquired  stores  of  wisdom  from  a  contemplation  of  the  works 
and  ways  of  God ;  and  from  more  direct  intercourse  with  the 
Father  of  his  spirit  by  prayer  and  holy  communion.  While, 
in  this  retirement,  it  has  been  supposed  by  some,  that  he  wrote 
the  book  of  Genesis,  and  perhaps  the  book  of  Job.  But  this  is 
mere  conjecture,  and  possesses  no  strong  degree  of  probability ; 
for  it  is  by  no  means  certain  that  alphabetical  writing  was  at 
this  time  discovered;  and  as  to  leisure,  he  had  enough  of  it  in 
the  forty  years  which  he  spent  in  the  wilderness ;  and  there  he 
had  access  to  all  the  traditions  which  had  been  handed  down 
through  the  patriarchs ;  from  which  sources  of  information  he 
was  cut  off,  while  resident  in  Arabia.  Indeed,  Moses  seems  to 
have  relinquished  all  idea  of  returning  to  Egypt ;  and  probably 
had  abandoned  the  expectation,  that  he  was  destined  to  be  the 
deliverer  of  Israel  from  oppression  and  bondage;  until  the 
Lord  appeared  unto  him  in  the  burning  bush,  at  Mount  Horeb. 
These  appear  to  be  at  least  probable  inferences,  from  the 
reluctance  which  he  manifested  to  be  commisioned  to  go  to 
Pharaoh,  and  to  his  brethren,  with  a  message  from  Jehovah. 

The  account  of  this  remarkable  transaction  is  as  follows: 
"  And  the  angel  of  the  Lord  (Jehovah)  appeared  unto  him  in  a 
flame  of  fire  out  of  the  midst  of  a  bush ;  and  he  looked,  and 
behold  the  bush  burned  with  fire,  and  the  bush  was  not  con- 
sumed. And  Moses  said,  I  will  now  turn  aside  and  see  this 
great  sight,  why  the  bush  is  not  burned.  And  when  the  Lord 
saw  that  he  turned  aside  to  see,  God  called  to  him  out  of  the 
midst  of  the  bush,  and  said,  Moses,  Moses,  and  he  said,  Here 


84  HISTORY   OF  THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

am  I.  And  he  said,  Draw  not  nigh  hither ;  put  off  thy  shoes 
from  off  thy  feet,  for  the  place  whereon  thou  standest  is  holy 
ground.  Moreover,  he  said,  I  am  the  God  of  thy  father,  the 
God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob. 
And  Moses  hid  his  face,  for  he  was  afraid  to  look  upon 
God.  And  Jehovah  said,  I  have  surely  seen  the  affliction 
of  my  people  which  are  in  Egypt,  and  have  heard  their  cry,  by 
reason  of  their  task-masters ;  for  I  know  their  sorrows.  And 
I  am  come  down  to  deliver  them  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Egypt- 
ians, and  to  bring  them  up  out  of  that  land,  unto  a  good  land 
and  a  large,  unto  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey ;  unto 
the  place  of  the  Canaanites,  and  the  Hittites,  and  the  Amo- 
rites,  and  the  Perizzites,  and  the  Hivites,  and  the  Jebusites. 
Now,  therefore,  behold  the  cry  of  the  children  of  Israel  is 
come  up  unto  me :  and  I  have  also  seen  the  oppression  where- 
with the  Egyptians  oppress  them.  Come  now,  therefore,  and 
I  will  send  thee  unto  Pharaoh,  that  thou  mayest  bring  forth 
my  people,  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt."  Moses  was 
much  disturbed  with  this  extraordinary  manifestation  and  com- 
mision,  and  was  by  no  means  inclined  to  undertake  so  arduous 
a  work.  His  objections  originated  partly  in  the  low  opinion 
which  he  entertained  of  his  own  abilities,  and  in  some  degree 
of  culpable  distrust  of  God.  He  said,  "Who  am  I  that  I 
should  go  unto  Pharaoh,  and  that  I  should  bring  the  people  of 
Israel  out  of  Egypt?"  But  God  said,  "Certainly  I  will  be 
with  thee."  And  told  him  that  it  should  be  a  sign  unto  him 
that  he  was  sent,  "that  on  that  very  mountain  ye  shall  serve 
God,  when  thou  hast  brought  forth  the  people  out  of  Egypt." 
But  Moses  continued  to  excuse  himself;  and  alleged  that  when 
he  came  to  the  children  of  Israel,  they  would  ask  the  name  of 
the  God  by  whom  he  was  sent;  "and,"  said  he,  "What  shall  I 
say  unto  them  ?"  And  God  gave  unto  Moses  this  name,  I  AM 
THAT  I  AM  ;  or,  as  it  might  be  rendered,  I  WILL  BE  THAT  I  WILL 
BE ;  "And  God  said  unto  Moses,  Thou  shalt  say  to  the  children 
of  Israel,  the  Lord  God  of  your  fathers,  the  God  of  Abraham, 
the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob,  hath  sent  me  unto 
you ;  this  is  my  name  for  ever,  and  this  is  my  memorial  unto 
all  generations.  Go  and  gather  the  elders  of  Israel  together 
and  say  unto  them,  The  God  of  Abraham,  of  Isaac,  and  Jacob, 
appeared  unto  me,  saying  I  have  surely  visited  you,  and  seen 
that  which  is  done  unto  you  in  Egypt.  And  I  have  said,  I 
will  bring  you  up  out  of  the  affliction  of  Egypt ;  and  they  shall 
hearken  to  thy  voice,  and  thou  shalt  come,  and  all  the  elders 
of  Israel  unto  the  king  of  Egypt ;  and  ye  shall  say  unto  him, 
the  Lord  God  of  the  Hebrews  hath  met  with  us ;  and  now  let 
us  go  three  days  journey  into  the  wilderness,  that  we  may 
sacrifice  to  the  Lord  our  God.  And  I  am  sure  the  king  of 


THE   ISRAELITES.  85 

Egypt  will  not  let  you  go ;  no,  not  with  a  mighty  hand ;  and  I 
will  stretch  out  my  hand,  and  smite  Egypt  with  all  my  won- 
ders, which  I  will  do  in  the  midst  thereof;  and  after  that  he 
will  let  you  go.  And  I  will  give  the  people  favour  in  the  sight 
of  the  Egyptians;  and  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  when  ye  go, 
ye  shall  not  go  empty.  But  every  woman  shall  borrow  (ask) 
of  her  neighbour,  and  of  her  that  sojourneth  in  her  house, 
jewels  of  silver,  and  jewels  of  gold,  and  raiment;  and  ye  shall 
put  them  upon  your  sons,  and  upon  your  daughters,  and  ye 
shall  spoil  the  Egyptians." 

Here  it  may  be  proper  to  remark,  that  the  king  from  whose 
anger  Moses  fled,  was  before  this  time  dead,  and  who  was  his 
successor  we  are  not  informed ;  but  this  we  know,  that  he  was 
raised  by  the  providence  of  God  to  the  high  station  which  he 
occupied,  that  in  him  the  divine  power  might  be  manifested,  and 
the  name  of  God  declared  throughout  all  the  earth.  All  the 
kings  of  Egypt  were  called  by  the  name  of  Pharaoh,  for  many 
generations,  although  they  might  be  of  entirely  different 
families.  This  man  has  been  rendered  conspicuous  by  the 
obstinacy  which  he  manifested  in  refusing  to  let  the  people  of 
Israel  go,  notwithstanding  the  wonders  which  were  wrought 
before  his  eyes,  and  which  he  must  have  been  convinced, 
nothing  but  the  power  of  God  could  produce.  His  history  is 
also  remarkable  for  the  dreadful  overthrow  which  he  met,  when 
pursuing  after  the  Israelites,  in  the  Red  Sea. 

Moses  still  discovered  strong  reluctance  to  be  sent  on  this 
arduous  work;  and  alleged,  that  his  words  would  not  be 
believed;  on  which  the  Lord  changed  the  rod  which  he  held  in 
his  hand  into  a  serpent,  and  back  again  into  a  rod;  which 
sign  he  was  directed  to  exhibit  in  Egypt,  that  the  Israelites 
might  believe  that  the  God  of  their  fathers  had  sent  him.  He 
then  directed  him  to  put  his  hand  into  his  bosom,  and  his  hand 
instantly  became  white  as  snow  with  the  leprosy,  when  he  took 
it  out ;  and  again  he  was  ordered  to  put  it  into  his  bosom,  and 
on  taking  it  out,  it  was  as  instantly  restored  to  its  natural  state. 
And  he  said,  if  they  will  not  believe  the  first  they  will  believe 
the  latter  sign.  And  if  they  continued  obstinate  in  their 
incredulity  after  the  exhibition  of  both  these  signs,  Moses  was 
directed  to  change  the  water  of  the  river  into  blood.  Moses 
now  pleaded  his  want  of  eloquence,  as  a  reason  why  he  should 
not  be  sent,  saying,  "I  am  slow  of  speech  and  of  a  slow 
tongue."  "And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  who  hath  made  man's 
mouth  ?  or  who  maketh  the  dumb,  or  deaf,  or  the  seeing,  or  the 
blind  ?  Have  not  I  the  LORD  ?  Now,  therefore,  go,  and  I  will 
be  with  thy  mouth,  and  teach  thee  what  to  say."  The  extreme 
reluctance  of  Moses  to  engage  in  this  expedition  was  still 
further  manifested ;  for  he  now  began  to  supplicate,  that  the 


86  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

commission  might  be  transferred  to  another,  saying,  "  0  my 
Lord,  send  I  pray  thee,  by  the  hand  of  him  -whom  thou  wilt 
send."  This  was  too  much.  The  patience  of  God  in  bearing 
with  him  before  was  wonderful.  But  now,  "the  anger  of  the 
Lord  was  kindled  against  Moses ;  and  he  said,  is  not  Aaron, 
the  Levite,  thy  brother?  I  know  that  he  can  speak  well. 
And  also  behold,  he  coineth  forth  to  meet  thee ;  and  when  he 
seeth  thee  he  will  be  glad  in  his  heart.  And  thou  shalt  speak 
unto  him  and  put  words  in  his  mouth ;  and  I  will  be  with  thy 
mouth,  and  with  his  mouth,  and  will  teach  you  what  ye  shall 
do.  And  he  shall  be  thy  spokesman  unto  the  people;  and  he 
shall  be  unto  thee  instead  of  a  mouth ;  and  thou  shalt  be  unto 
him  instead  of  God.  And  thou  shalt  take  this  rod  in  thine 
hand,  wherewith  thou  shalt  do  signs."  It  seems  probable  from 
what  is  here  said,  that  Aaron  had  heard  of  his  brother's  place 
of  residence,  and  was  now  on  his  way  to  visit  him,  and  consult 
with  him  respecting  the  miserable  condition  of  the  people  of 
Israel. 


SECTION  III. 

MOSES   TAKES  LEAVE    OF  JETHRO — CIRCUMCISION — AARON,  HIS    BROTHER,  JOINS    HIM, 

AND  RECEIVES  A    FULL  ACCOUNT   OF  THE    MESSAGE    OF  JEHOVAH THEY  GO  TO  THE 

HEBREWS  FIRST,  AND  THEN  APPEAR  BEFORE  PHAROAH,  AND  EXHIBIT  THE  MIRA- 
CLES WHICH  THEY  WERE  DIRECTED  TO  PERFORM — PHARAOH'S  HEART  IS  HARDENED 
AND  THE  CONDITION  OF  THE  PEOPLE  IS  MORE  WRETCHED GOD  PROMISES  DELIVER- 
ANCE. 

MOSES  having  received  from  God  this*  important  commission, 
returned  to  Jethro  his  father-in-law,  and  requested  of  him  per- 
mission to  visit  his  brethren  in  Egypt,  and  see  whether  they 
were  yet  alive.  To  which  this  good  man  answered,  "Go  in 
peace."  It  was  revealed  unto  Moses,  that  all  those  in  Egypt 
who  had  sought  his  life  were  dead ;  so  that  he  might  now 
return  in  safety  as  it  related  to  former  transactions.  He, 
therefore,  took  his  wife  and  his  sons,  and  set  off  on  his  journey 
to  Egypt.  And  as  he  was  commanded,  he  took  with  him  the 
wonder-working  rod,  that  he  might  exhibit  to  Pharaoh  the 
miracles  which  he  was  directed  to  perform.  He  was  instructed 
to  say  to  Pharaoh,  "Israel  is  my  son,  even  my  first-born;  let 
my  son  go  that  he  may  serve  me;  and  behold  if  thou  refuse  to 
let  him  go,  I  will  slay  thy  son,  even  thy  first-born." 

Moses,  it  seems,  had  neglected  the  circumcision  of  his  chil- 
dren, on  which  account  he  was  met  and  menaced  with  death,  by 
the  angel  of  the  Lord.  Zipporah,  through  whose  influence,  pro- 
bably, the  neglect  had  taken  place,  now  performed  the  cere- 
mony herself;  and  then  pettishly  said,  "Surely  a  bloody  hus- 
band ant  thou  to  me." 

And  when  Moses  was  on  his  way,  the  Lord  directed  Aaron 


THE   ISRAELITES.  87 

to  go  forth  and  meet  him;  and  he  went  into  the  wilderness,  and 
met  him  at  the  mount  of  God,  and  kissed  liim.  And  Moses 
told  Aaron  all  the  words  of  the  Lord,  and  informed  him  of  the 
commission  which  he  had  received,  and  the  signs  which  he  was 
authorized  to  exhibit ;  and  let  him  know  the  part  which  he  was 
appointed  to  act  under  this  important  commission.  It  is  proba- 
ble, that  Moses  sent  back  to  her  father's  house,  Zipporah  and 
his  sons,  either  from  the  inn  where  they  must  have  remained 
some  time,  on  account  of  the  circumcision  ;  or,  from  this  mount, 
after  he  met  with  his  brother,  and  learned  the  miserable  condi- 
tion of  the  Israelites  in  Egypt.  It  is  not  at  all  probable  that 
she  accompanied  him  to  Egypt,  and  was  thence  sent  back ;  and 
we  know  she  was  with  her  father  when  Moses  brought  the  peo- 
ple out  of  Egypt,  and  during  the  first  part  of  their  journey  in 
the  wilderness ;  for  in  the  xviii.  chapter  of  Exodus,  we  read,  that 
Jethro  brought  to  Moses  while  encamped  before  the  mount  of 
God,  his  wife  "after  that  he  had  sent  her  back." 

Moses,  accompanied  by  his  brother  Aaron,  having  entered 
Egypt,  as  he  had  been  directed,  gathered  together  all  the  elders 
of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  Aaron,  who  acted  as  the  spokesman 
of  Moses,  repeated  before  the  people,  the  message  which  God 
had  sent.  And  then,  in  confirmation  of  their  commission,  they 
exhibited  the  miracles  which  Moses  had  been  directed  to  per- 
form. "  And  the  people  believed ;  and  when  they  heard  that 
the  Lord  had  visited  the  children  of  Israel,  and  that  he  had 
looked  upon  their  affliction,  then  they  bowed  their  heads  and 
worshipped." 

Moses  and  Aaron  having  successfully  executed  their  commis- 
sion to  the  elders  of  Israel,  went  boldly  unto  Pharaoh,  and  de- 
manded, in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  that  he  would  let  the  people 
go  to  hold  a  feast  in  the  wilderness.  The  king  seems  to  have 
been  surprised  at  the  communication,  and  said,  "  Who  is  the 
Lord,  that  I  should  obey  his  voice  to  let  Israel  go  ?  I  know 
not  the  Lord,  nor  will  I  let  Israel  go."  They  informed  him 
that  the  God  of  the  Hebrews  had  met  with  them,  and  required 
that  the  people  should  go  out  into  the  wilderness  to  sacrifice  to 
him.  Pharaoh  now  became  incensed,  and  charged  Moses  and 
Aaron  with  drawing  off  the  people  from  their  work,  and  ordered 
them  to  get  to  their  burdens.  And  to  prevent  them  from  list- 
ening to  schemes  of  this  sort,  he  directed  the  task-masters  and 
officers  of  the  people,  to  require  of  them  the  usual  quantity  of 
brick,  but  instead  of  supplying  them  with  straw,  as  heretofore, 
to  leave  them  to  gather  it  for  themselves.  "  They  be  idle," 
said  he,  "  therefore  they  cry,  saying,  Let  us  go  and  sacrifice  to 
our  God.  Let  more  be  laid  upon  them,  and  let  them  not  regard 
vain  words."  The  people  were  placed  in  wretched  circum- 
stances, the  task-masters  required  the  undiminished  number  of 


HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

bricks,  and  yet  furnished  them  with  no  straw,  and  "hasted 
them,  saying,  fulfil  your  works,  your  daily  tasks,  as  when  there 
was  straw."  And  the  officers  of  the  children  of  Israel,  whom 
the  task-masters  had  placed  over  them,  from  among  themselves, 
and  who  were  held  responsible  for  the  work  of  those  under  them, 
were  now  beaten,  because  the  tasks  were  not  finished  as  before ; 
and  they  came  and  cried  unto  Pharaoh,  complaining  that  they 
were  beaten  for  not  having  the  work  done,  when  they  were  not 
furnished  with  the  requisite  straw ;  declaring  that  the  fault  lay 
not  with  them,  but  with  his  own  people.  "But  he  said,  ye  are 
idle,  ye  are  idle ;  therefore  ye  say,  Let  us  go  and  do  sacrifice  to 
the  Lord."  The  officers  of  the  children  of  Israel  now  found 
that  they  were  in  an  evil  case ;  and  when  they  met  Moses  and 
Aaron,  they  said,  "  The  Lord  look  upon  you  and  judge,  because 
ye  have  made  our  savour  to  be  abhorred  in  the  eyes  of  Pharaoh, 
and  in  the  eyes  of  his  servants,  to  put  a  sword  in  their  hands 
to  slay  us."  This  bitter  complaint  of  the  Israelites  greatly  dis- 
turbed the  mind  of  Moses.  He  returned  unto  the  Lord  and 
said,  "Wherefore  hast  thou  so  evil  entreated  this  people?  why 
is  it  that  thou  hast  sent  me  ?  For  since  I  came  to  Pharoah  to 
speak  in  thy  name,  he  hath  done  evil  to  this  people ;  neither 
hast  thou  delivered  thy  people  at  all." 

In  answer,  God  assured  Moses,  that  eventually  Pharaoh 
would  be  constrained  to  let  the  people  go,  and  would  even  drive 
them  out  of  the  land.  Then  he  said,  "  I  am  the  Lord :  and  I 
appeared  unto  Abraham,  unto  Isaac,  and  unto  Jacob,  by  the 
name  of  God  Almighty ;  but,  also,  by  my  name  Jehovah  was  I 
not  known  to  them.  And  I  have  established  my  covenant  with 
them,  to  give  them  the  land  of  Canaan,  the  land  of  their  pil- 
grimage, wherein  they  were  strangers !  And  I  have  also  heard 
the  groaning  of  the  children  of  Israel,  whom  the  Egyptians 
keep  in  bondage,  and  I  have  remembered  my  covenant.  Where- 
fore say  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  I  am  the  Lord,  I  will  bring 
you  out  from  under  the  burdens  of  the  Egyptians ;  and  I  will 
rid  you  out  of  their  bondage,  and  I  will  redeem  you  with  a 
stretched-out  arm,  and  with  great  judgments.  And  I  will  take 
you  to  me  for  a  people,  and  I  will  be  to  you  a  God ;  and  ye 
shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  your  God,  which  bringeth  you 
out  from  under  the  burdens  of  the  Egyptians.  And  I  will  bring 
you  into  the  land,  concerning  the  which  I  did  swear  to  give  it 
to  Abraham,  to  Isaac,  and  to  Jacob;  and  I  will  give  it  to  you 
for  a  heritage:  I  am  the  Lord."  Moses  now  communicated 
these  gracious  promises  to  the  children  of  Israel,  but  they 
hearkened  not  unto  him,  "  for  anguish  of  spirit  and  for  cruel 
bondage." 

The  Lord  now  commanded  Moses  to  go  again  unto  Pharao 
and  to  demand  of  him  to  let  the  people  go  out  of  his  land:  bu 


THE  ISRAELITES.  89 

Moses  said,  "Behold  the  children  of  Israel  have  not  hearkened 
unto  me,  how  then  shall  Pharaoh  hear  me,  who  am  of  uncir- 
cumcised  lips?"  But  the  only  answer  was  a  repetition  of  the 
former  command.  And  he  moreover  informed  him,  that  Pha- 
raoh's heart  would  be  hardened,  so  that  he  would  not  let  the 
people  go ;  and  thus  there  would  be  occasion  for  him  to  mul- 
tiply his  signs  and  wonders  in  the  land  of  Egypt.  "  And  the 
Egyptians  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  when  I  stretch  forth 
my  hand  upon  Egypt,  and  bring  the  children  of  Israel  from 
among  them."  And  Moses  and  Aaron  did  as  the  Lord  com- 
manded them. 

At  the  time  when  Moses  and  Aaron  went  in  to  speak  to 
Pharaoh,  the  former  was  eighty  years  of  age,  and  the  latter 
eighty-three. 


SECTION  IV. 

AARON'S  ROD  BECOMES  A  SERPENT — THE  MAGICIANS  OF  PHARAOH  IMITATE  THE 
MIRACLE — MOSES  AND  AARON  TURN  THE  WATER  INTO  BLOOD — THIS  ALSO  IMI- 
TATED BY  THE  MAGICIANS — THE  MIRACLE  OF  THE  FROGS — THIS  ALSO  IMITATED 
BY  THE  MAGICIANS — THE  DUST  CONVERTED  INTO  LICE MAGICIANS  CONFOUNDED. 

THE  Lord  now  directed  them  when  they  went  into  Pharaoh,  to 
cast  down  the  rod  and  it  would  become  a  serpent.  They  did 
so  accordingly,  in  the  presence  of  Pharaoh  and  his  servants. 
The  king  then  called  in  the  wise  men,  and  the  sorcerers,  and 
the  magicians  of  Egypt;  these  also,  by  the  sleight  of  hand,  or 
by  the  aid  of  evil  spirits,  cast  down  their  rods,  and  they  either 
really,  or  in  appearance,  became  serpents :  but  God's  superior- 
ity over  their  diabolical  arts  was  even  now  manifested ;  for 
Aaron's  rod  swallowed  up  their  rods.  But  the  magicians  had 
been  so  successful  in  imitating  the  miracle  of  Moses  and  Aaron, 
that  Pharaoh's  heart  was  hardened,  and  he  refused  to  let  the 
people  go. 

Moses  and  Aaron  were  next  commanded  to  meet  Pharaoh  at 
the  brink  of  the  river,  and  again  to  demand  of  him  to  let  the 
people  go;  and  when,  as  before,  he  refused,  Aaron  took  the 
rod  and  stretched  it  out  over  the  waters  of  Egypt,  and  they 
were  all  turned  to  blood,  and  the  fish  in  the  river  died,  and 
the  river  stank;  and  the  Egyptians  could  not  drink  of  the 
water  of  the  river ;  and  there  was  blood  throughout  all  the 
land  of  Egypt.  The  magicians  imitated  this  also,  by  turning 
water  into  blood ;  but  it  must  have  been  on  a  very  small  scale, 
for  all  the  rivers,  streams,  and  pools  were  already  converted 
into  blood ;  so  that  "  all  the  Egyptians  digged  round  about  the 
river  for  water  to  drink,  for  they  could  not  drink  of  the  water 
of  the  river." 


90  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISBAELITISH  NATION. 

But  Pharaoh  remained  obstinate,  and  went  into  his  house, 
still  refusing  to  comply  with  the  command  of  the  Almighty ; 
and  did  not  lay  to  heart  the  wonderful  manifestation  of  divine 
power;  which,  in  two  instances,  had  taken  place  before  his 
eyes. 

The  next  plague  inflicted  on  the  Egyptians  by  the  command 
of  God,  was  the  multiplication  of  frogs  throughout  the  whole 
land.  They  were  found  in  frightful  abundance,  not  only  in 
the  river  and  in  the  fields,  but  came  up  into  their  houses,  their 
bed-chambers,  and  their  beds;  and  even  into  their  ovens  and 
kneading-troughs.  And  this  miracle  was  also  imitated  by  the 
magicians ;  but  manifestly,  on  a  contracted  scale,  and  probably 
in  a  secret  place,  where  they  could  play  off  their  arts  of  jug- 
glery. The  land  was  already  filled  with  frogs,  and  there  was 
no  difficulty  in  procuring  as  many  as  they  would  for  the  pur- 
poses of  deception.  .But  it  seems,  these  sorcerers  had  no 
power  to  rid  the  country  of  the  frogs  which  were  spread  over 
it :  for  Pharaoh  makes  no  application  to  them  for  relief  from 
the  plague ;  but  says  to  Moses  and  Aaron,  "  Entreat  the  Lord 
that  he  may  take  away  the  frogs  from  me,  and  from  my  peo- 
ple :  and  I  will  let  the  people  go,  that  they  may  sacrifice  to 
the  Lord."  And  Moses  promised  that  on  the  following  day,  it 
should  be  done  as  he  desired,  that  he  might  know  that  there  is 
none  like  unto  the  Lord  God.  "And  Moses  cried  unto  the 
Lord,  and  the  Lord  did  according  to  the  word  of  Moses." 
"  But  when  Pharaoh  saw  there  was  respite,  he  hardened  his 
heart,  and  hearkened  not  unto  them." 

The  fourth  miracle  which  Moses,  by  divine  command, 
wrought  for  the  punishment  of  the  Egyptians,  was  still  more 
distressing  than  any  of  the  preceding.  The  dust  of  the  land 
was  turned  by  the  stretching  out  of  Aaron's  rod  into  lice. 

The  magicians  were  entirely  confounded  by  this  miracle: 
for,  when  they  resorted  to  their  enchantments,  they  could  effect 
nothing  like  this ;  and  this  furnishes  a  strong  argument  to  prove, 
that  they  were  mere  impostors ;  for,  if  they  had  really  power 
to  produce  living  serpents  and  frogs,  by  their  diabolical  arts,  I 
see  not  why  they  could  not  as  easily  produce  lice.  But  in  this 
they  failed,  and  said  to  Pharaoh,  "This  is  the  finger  of  God." 
There  was  no  room  for  their  delusive  arts,  in  this  case;  or, 
they  became  alarmed  at  these  manifest  indications  of  Almighty 
.power.  Some,  indeed,  suppose  that  God  himself  enabled  the 
magicians  to  perform  the  first  miracles,  and  then  withdrew  his 
aid  to  show  the  superiority  of  Moses  and  Aaron ;  but  this 
seems  to  me  to  be  an  unreasonable  supposition,  and  a  course  of 
proceeding  unworthy  of  Almighty  God.  It  would  be,  in  the 
first  place,  giving  the  attestation  of  miracles  to  an  imposture ; 
and,  in  the  next  place,  it  would  be  a  competition  for  superior- 


THE   ISRAELITES.  91 

ity,  in  a  case  where  the  power  of  God  was  exerted  on  both 
sides.  We  have  to  choose,  then,  between  the  hypothesis  of  a 
diabolical  agency,  enabling  these  magicians  to  go  as  far  as 
they  did,  and  that  of  the  arts  of  imposture  and  delusion,  in 
which  wicked  men  may  become  so  adroit,  that  they  easily 
impose  upon  the  ignorant  and  unsuspicious,  as  is  proved  by  the 
experience  of  every  day. 


SECTION  V. 

THE  MIRACLE  OF  "  DIVERS  KINDS  OF  FLIES" THE  MURRAIN THE  HAIL — PHA- 
RAOH AFFRIGHTED  BY  THE  THUNDER  WHICH  ACCOMPANIED  THE  HAIL — BUT 
HIS  HEART  REMAINS  OBDURATE — THE  PLAGUE  OF  THE  LOCUSTS — OF  THE  MIRA- 
CULOUS DARKNESS. 

AFTER  the  plague  of  the  lice,  the  magicians  relinquished  the 
contest,  and  made  no  further  effort  with  their  enchantments. 
The  next  plague  was  of  flies  or  gnats,  which  in  the  cv.  Psalm, 
are  called  "divers  kinds  of  flies."  Swarms  of  these  troublesome 
insects  filled  their  houses,  and  greatly  infested  the  Egyptians. 
But  in  this  case,  a  line  of  distinction  was  drawn  between  the 
people  of  Israel  and  the  Egyptians ;  for  in  the  land  of  Goshen, 
there  were  no  swarms  of  flies.  The  pressure  of  this  judgment 
was  heavy  on  the  people,  and  Pharaoh  began  again  to  relent, 
and  would  have  compromised  the  matter,  by  giving  the  Hebrews 
permission  to  offer  sacrifices  in  the  land  of  Goshen,  where  they 
dwelt;  but  to  this  Moses  would  by  no  means  agree,  because 
their  sacrifices  were  an  abomination  to  the  Egyptians ;  consist- 
ing of  animals  held  sacred  and  even  worshipped  by  them;  but 
he  insisted,  that  they  should  go  three  days  journey  into  the 
wilderness.  At  length  Pharaoh  seemed  to  consent,  provided 
they  did  not  go  very  far  away.  Upon  this  Moses  again  en- 
treated the  Lord  to  remove  the  swarms  of  flies,  which  was  ac- 
cordingly done.  But  no  sooner  was  the  plague  removed,  than 
Pharaoh  again  hardened  his  heart,  and  refused  to  let  the  peo- 
ple go. 

The  fifth  plague  was  a  grievous  murrain  upon  the  horses,  the 
asses,  the  camels,  the  oxen,  and  the  sheep  in  the  land  of  Egypt, 
generally;  while,  in  Goshen,  not  an  animal  belonging  to  the 
children  of  Israel  died.  Still,  however,  Pharaoh's  heart  was 
hardened,  and  he  refuse  to  let  the  people  go.  Wherefore  Moses 
was  directed  to  take  the  ashes  of  the  furnace,  and  sprinkle  it 
towards  heaven,  in  the  sight  of  Pharaoh;  "and  it  became  a 
boil  breaking  forth  on  man  and  beast  throughout  all  the  land  of 
Egypt;"  "and  the  magicians  could  not  stand  before  Moses  be- 
cause of  the  boils ;  for  the  boil  was  upon  the  magicians,  and 
upon  all  the  Egyptians." 


92  HISTORY   OF   THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

When  this  judgment  was  no  more  regarded  by  Pharaoh  than 
any  of  the  former,  Moses  was  directed  to  rise  up  early  in  the 
morning  and  stand  before  Pharaoh,  and  say,  "  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  God  of  the  Hebrews,  let  my  people  go  that  they  may 
serve  me.    For  I  will  at  this  time  send  all  my  plagues  upon  thy 
heart,  and  upon  thy  servants,  and  upon  thy  people,  that  thou 
mayest  know  that  there  is  none  like  me  in  all  the  earth.     For 
now  I  will  stretch  out  my  hand  that  I  may  smite  thee  and  thy 
people  with  pestilence ;  and  thou  shalt  be  cut  off  from  the  earth. 
And  in  very  deed,  for  this  cause  have  I  raised  thee  up,  for  to 
show  in  thee  my  power ;  and  that  my  name  may  be  declared 
throughout  all  the  earth.     As  yet  exaltest  thou  thyself  against 
my  people,  that  thou  wilt  not  let  them  go?    Behold,  to-morrow, 
about  this  time,  I  will  cause  it  to  rain  a  very  grievous  hail,  such 
as  hath  not  been  in  Egypt  since  the  foundation  thereof,  even 
until  now.     Send,  therefore,  now,  and  gather  thy  cattle,  and 
all  that  thou  hast  in  the  field ;  for  upon  every  man  and  beast 
which  shall  be  found  in  the  field,  and  shall  not  be  brought  home, 
the  hail  shall  come  down  upon  them,  and  they  shall  die.    He  that 
feared  the  word  of  the  Lord  amongst  the  servants  of  Pharaoh, 
made  his  servants  and  his  cattle  flee  into  the  houses ;  and  he 
that  regarded  not  the  word  of  the  Lord,  left  his  servants  and 
his  cattle  in  the  field."     Accordingly,  when  Moses  stretched 
forth  his  rod  toward  heaven,  the  Lord  sent  thunder  and  hail ; 
and  the  fire  ran  along  upon  the  ground.     And  there  was  hail, 
and  fire  mingled  with  the  hail,  very  grievous,  such  as  there  was 
none  like  it  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt,  since  it  became  a  nation. 
And  the  hail  smote,  throughout  all  the  land  of  Egypt,  all  that 
was  in  the  field,  both  of  man  and  beast ;  an^the  hail  smote 
every  herb  of  the  field,  and  broke  every  tree  of  the  field.    Only 
in  the  land  of  Goshen,  where  the  children  of  Israel  were,  there 
was  no  hail."     Pharaoh  was  greatly  moved  by  the  severity  of 
this  judgment;  and  having  called  Moses  and  Aaron,  he  ex- 
claimed, "  I  have  sinned  this  time ;  the  Lord  is  righteous,  and 
I  and  my  people  are  wicked.     Entreat  the  Lord  (for  it   is 
enough,)  that  there  be  no  more  mighty  tbwaderings  and  hail ; 
and  I  will  let  you  go,  and  ye  shall  stay  no  longer."     The  king 
was  evidently  frightened  by  the  unusual  thunder  which  accom- 
panied this  storm ; — a  rare  thing  in  the  land  of  Egypt.    Moses, 
although  he  knew  that  Pharaoh  would  not  fulfil  his  promise, 
yet  prayed  for  a  cessation  of  the  hail ;  and  his  petition  was 
granted.     "  The  flax  and  the  barley  was  smitten  ;  for  the  bar- 
ley was  in  the  ear,  and  the  flax  was  boiled ;  but  the  wheat  and 
the  rye  were  not  smitten ;  for  they  were  not  grown  up." 

Pharaoh's  heart  remaining  obstinate,  and  he  still  refusing  to 
permit  the  Israelites  to  depart,  Moses  and  Aaron  went  in  and 
said  unto  him,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  the  Hebrews,  how 


THE  ISRAELITES.  93 

long  wilt  thou  refuse  to  humble  thyself  before  me?  Let 
my  people  go  that  they  may  serve  me :  else  if  thou  refuse, 
to-morrow  will  I  bring  the  locusts  into  thy  courts.  The  condi- 
tion of  Egypt  was  now  so  deplorable  that  the  servants  of  Pha- 
raoh began  to  entreat  him  to  let  the  people  go.  "Knowest 
thou  not,"  said  they,  "that  Egypt  is  destroyed?"  Upon  which 
he  said  to  Moses  and  Aaron,  "  Go,  serve  the  Lord  your  God, 
but  who  are  they  that  shall  go  ?  And  Moses  said,  we  will  go 
with  our  young  and  with  our  old,  with  our  sons  and  with  our 
daughters,  with  our  flocks  and  with  our  herds,  will  we  go ;  for 
we  must  hold  a  feast  unto  the  Lord."  But  Pharaoh  would  not 
hearken  to  this;  but  insisted  that  only  the  men  should  go, 
which  was  the  original  request,  and  when  Moses  and  Aaron 
did  not  yield  in  the  least,  he  drove  them  from  his  presence. 

The  plague  of  the  locusts  now  came  upon  the  land  of  Egypt ; 
"  For  they  covered  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  so  that  the  land 
was  darkened ;  and  they  did  eat  every  herb  of  the  land,  and  all 
the  fruit  of  the  trees  which  the  hail  had  left;  and  there 
remained  not  any  green  thing  in  the  trees,  or  in  the  herbs  of 
the  field,  through  all  the  land  of  Egypt.  Pharaoh  was  now 
seized  with  another  fit  of  repentance,  and  called  for  Moses  and 
Aaron,  and  said,  "  I  have  sinned  against  the  Lord  your  God, 
and  against  you;  now,  therefore,  forgive  my  sin,  only  this 
once,  and  entreat  the  Lord  your  God,  that  he  may  take  away 
from  me  this  death  only.  And  Moses  went  out  and  prayed  to 
the  Lord,  who  sent  a  mighty  strong  west  wind,  which  took 
away  the  locusts,  and  cast  them  into  the  Red  Sea ;  so  that 
there  remained  not  one  locust  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt." 

The  next  plague  sent  by  the  hand  of  Moses  on  the  Egyptians 
was  not  attended  with  so  much  danger  to  human  life,  as  some 
of  the  rest,  but  it  was  one  replete  with  horror.  It  was  a  total 
darkness  for  the  space  of  three  days.  During  this  period  no 
one  saw  another,  and  they  were  unable  to  remove  from  their 
place ;  but  all  the  children  of  Israel  had  light  in  their  dwellings. 
Pharaoh  now  consented  that  they  should  go,  and  take  their 
wives  and  children ;  but  not  their  flocks  and  their  herds.  But 
they  said,  "  Our  cattle  shall  go  with  us,  there  shall  not  be  a 
hoof  left  behind:  for  thereof  must  we  take  to  serve  the  Lord 
our  God;  and  we  know  not  with  what  we  must  serve  the  Lord, 
until  we  come  'thither."  With  this  unyielding  demand, 
Pharaoh  was  so  much  displeased,  that  he  said  in  his  wrath, 
"  Get  thee  from  me ;  take  heed  to  thyself,  see  my  face  no  more ; 
for  in  that  day  thou  seest  my  face,  thou  shalt  die.  And 
Moses  said,  Thou  hast  spoken  well,  I  will  see  thy  face  again  no 
more." 


94  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 


SECTION  VI. 

INSTITfrTION  OF   THE  PASSOVER — THE    DESTRUCTION  OF  THE    FIRST-BORN  OF  ALL   THE 
EGYPTIANS — THE  EXODUS. 

AFFAIRS  were  now  coming  to  a  crisis.  The  Lord  commanded 
Moses  to  speak  to  the  people,  that  every  man  and  every  woman 
should  borrow,  or  rather,  ask  of  their  neighbours,  jewels  of 
silver,  and  jewels  of  gold.  "And  the  Lord  gave  the  people 
favour  in  the  sight  of  the  Egyptians.  Moreover,  the  man 
Moses  was  very  great  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  in  the  sight  of 
Pharaoh  and  his  servants;  and  in  the  sight  of  the  people." 

And  Moses  made  known  to  the  people  that  about  midnight, 
the  Lord  would  go  forth  into  the  midst  of  Egypt,  and  would 
slay  all  the  first-born  in  the  land  of  Egypt ;  from  the  first-born 
of  Pharaoh  on  the  throne,  to  the  first-born  of  the  maid-servant, 
that  sitteth  behind  the  mill ;  and  all  the  first-born  of  beasts. 
But  that  against  the  children  of  Israel  not  a  dog  should  move 
his  tongue,  against  man  or  beast.  "And  Moses  and  Aaron  did 
all  these  wonders  before  Pharaoh,  and  the  Lord  hardened  Pha- 
raoh's heart,  that  he  would  not  let  the  children  of  Israel  go  out 
of  his  land." 

"And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses  and  Aaron,  saying,  This 
month  shall  be  unto  you  the  beginning  of  months ;  it  shall  be 
the  first  month  in  the  year  to  you.  Speak  ye  to  all  the  child- 
ren of  Israel,  saying,  In  the  tenth  day  of  this  month,  they 
shall  take  to  them  every  man  a  lamb,  according  to  the  house  of 
their  fathers,  a  lamb  for  a  house.  And  if  the  household  be  too 
little  for  the  lamb,  let  him  and  his  neighbour  next  to  his  house, 
take  it  according  to  the  number  of  the  souls;  every  man 
according  to  his  eating,  shall  make  your  count  for  the  lamb. 
Your  lamb  shall  be  without  blemish,  a  male  of  the  first  year ; 
ye  shall  take  it  out  from  the  sheep  or  from  the  goats.  And  ye 
shall  keep  it  up  until  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  same  month ; 
and  the  whole  assembly  of  the  congregation  of  Israel  shall  kill 
it  in  the  evening.  And  they  shall  take  of  the  blood,  and  strike 
it  on  the  two  side-posts,  and  on  the  upper  door-post  of  the 
houses,  wherein  they  shall  eat  it.  And  they  shall  eat  the  flesh 
in  that  night;  roasted  with  fire,  and  unleavened  bread,  and 
with  bitter  herbs  shall  they  eat  it.  Eat  not  of  it  raw,  nor  sod- 
den at  all  with  water,  but  roasted  with  fire ;  his  head  with  his 
legs,  and  with  the  purtenance  thereof.  And  ye  shall  let 
nothing  of  it  remain  until  the  morning;  and  that  which 
remaineth  of  it  until  the  morning,  ye  shall  burn  with  fire.  And 
thus  shall  ye  eat  it  with  your  loins  girded,  your  shoes  on  your 
feet,  and  your  staff  in  your  hand ;  and  ye  shall  eat  it  in  haste : 


THE   ISRAELITES.  95 

it  is  the  Lord's  passover.  For  I  will  pass  through  the  land  of 
Egypt  this  night,  and  will  smite  all  the  first-born  in  the  land  of 
Egypt,  both  man  and  beast ;  and  against  all  the  gods  of  Egypt 
I  will  execute  judgment.  I  am  the  LORD.  And  the  blood 
shall  be  to  you  a  token  upon  the  houses  where  you  are;  and 
when  I  see  the  blood  I  will  pass  over  you,  and  the  plague  shall 
not  be  upon  you,  when  I  smite  the  land  of  Egypt.  And  this 
day  shall  be  unto  you  for  a  memorial,  and  ye  shall  keep  it  a 
feast  to  the  Lord,  throughout  your  generations :  ye  shall  keep  it 
a  feast  by  an  ordinance  for  ever.  Seven  days  shall  ye  eat 
unleavened  bread,  even  the  first  day  ye  shall  put  away  leaven 
out  of  your  houses ;  for  whosoever  eateth  leavened  bread,  from 
the  first  day  until  the  seventh  day,  that  soul  shall  be  cut  off 
from  Israel." 

Thus  the  solemn  feast  of  the  passover  was  instituted,  to  be  a 
memorial  of  the  deliverance  of  the  children  of  Israel  from  the 
desolating  plague  which  fell  on  every  house  of  the  Egyptians, 
by  means  of  the  sprinkled  blood  of  a  lamb  on  the  door-posts  of 
their  houses.  And 'it  can  hardly  be  doubted,  that  this  same 
ceremony  of  a  slaughtered  lamb  and  sprinkled  blood,  had  a 
prospective  as  well  as  a  retrospective  aspect;  it  was  a  type 
of  the  deliverance  to  be  effected  by  the  LAMB  OF  GOD,  aa 
well  as  a  memorial  of  a  deliverance  from  the  destroying  angel, 
who  passed  through  Egypt. 

It  was  ordained  that  the  passover  should  be  celebrated 
annually,  on  the  same  day  of  the  month;  that  all  the  Israelites, 
by  families,  should  partake  of  it ;  but  that  no  stranger  should 
be  admitted,  until  all  his  males  were  circumcised.  And  they 
were  directed,  when  they  came  to  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  their 
children  should  inquire,  "What  mean  you  by  this  service?" 
they  should  say,  "This  is  the  sacrifice  of  the  Lord's  passover, 
who  passed  over  the  houses  of  the  children  of  Israel  in  Egypt, 
when  he  smote  the  Egyptians,  and  delivered  our  houses." 

The  commands  of  God  were  immediately  obeyed  by  the 
Israelites.  And  at  midnight  the  Lord  smote  all  the  first-born 
of  Egypt;  "  and  there  was  a  great  cry  in  Egypt;  for  there  was 
not  a  house  where  there  was  not  one  dead."  Pharaoh  now 
gave  orders  in  good  earnest,  that  Moses  and  Aaron  and  all  the 
people  of  Israel  should  depart  from  Egypt.  "And  the  Egyp- 
tians were  urgent  upon  the  people,  that  they  might  send  them 
out  of  the  land  in  haste,  for  they  said,  We  be  all  dead  men." 
This  strong  desire  to  get  rid  of  a  people  who  seemed  to  be  the 
occasion  of  such  dreadful  judgments,  seems  to  have  had  much 
influence  in  disposing  them^to  give  them  whatever  they  asked ; 
so  that  the  Israelites  went  out  of  Egypt,  as  had  been  predicted 
to  them,  laden  with  the  spoils  of  the  Egyptians,  which  they  had 
voluntarily  given  into  their  hands. 


96  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 


SECTION  VII. 

NUMBER  OF    THE    PEOPLE — TIME   OF    SOJOURNING — CHANGE   OF   THE    COMMENCEMENT 

OF    THE    TEAR REDEMPTION    OF    THE    FIRST-BORN THE  WAY  WHICH  THEY    WERE 

LED — JOSEPH'S  BONES SUCCOTH — PILLAR  OF  FIRE  AND  CLOUD. 

THE  number  of  persons,  besides  children  and  a  mixed  mul- 
titude, who  went  up  out  of  Egypt  that  night,  was  six  hundred 
thousand  men.  And  their  first  journey  was  from  Kameses,  in 
Goshen,  to  Succoth,  so  called  from  the  booths  which  they 
erected  there. 

"Now,"  says  Moses,  "the  sojourning  of  the  children  of 
Israel,  [in  the  land  of  Egypt  and  in  the  land  of  Canaan]  was 
four  hundred  and  thirty  years."  The  period,  as  here  given, 
commences  with  the  first  promise  made  to  Abraham,  (Gen. 
xii.  2,)  after  he  entered  the  land  of  Canaan,  which  was  thirty 
years  before  the  time  when  it  was  foretold  that  his  seed  should 
be  oppressed  and  afSicted  in  a  strange  land,  four  hundred 
years.  It  was  especially  commanded  that  *no  part  of  the  flesh 
should  be  carried  out  of  the  house  where  the  paschal  lamb  was 
eaten ;  and  a  more  important  regulation  was,  "  a  bone  of  him 
shall  not  be  broken." 

This  month  had  been  originally  called  Abib,  and  was  the 
seventh  of  the  civil  year  of  the  Hebrews,  but  its  name  was  now 
changed  to  Nisan;  and  they  were  directed  to  reckon  it  hence- 
forward, the  first  month  of  their  year. 

In  consequence  of  the  redemption  of  the  first-born  of  Israel 
as  above  related,  God  laid  claim  to  every  first-born  of  man  and 
beast,  among  the  Hebrews.  When  it  happened  to  be  of  clean 
animals,  appointed  to  be  used  in  sacrifice,  it  was  offered  as  a 
burnt-offering  to  the  Lord ;  but  when  it  was  an  unclean  animal, 
as  an  ass,  it  was  redeemed  by  a  lamb,  or  its  neck  was  directed 
to  be  broken.  And  all  the  first-born  of  the  children  of  Israel 
were  considered  as  consecrated  to  the  Lord,  and  must  be 
redeemed;  but,  afterwards,  the  Lord  took  the  whole  tribe  of 
Levi  as  a  substitute  for  the  first-born,  as  will  be  related  here- 
after. 

From  the  land  of  Egypt  to  Canaan,  there  was  a  direct  way, 
which  the  sons  of  Jacob  had  passed  with  ease,  several  times ; 
but  the  Lord  led  not  the  people  along  this  way,  which  led 
through  the  territory  of  the  Philistines,  although  that  was  near ; 
because  these  people  were  hostile  and  warlike ;  and  it  would 
have  discouraged  the  hearts  of  the  people  to  have  encountered 
such  enemies,  immediately  after  commencing  their  journey,  and 
they  might  have  been  disposed  to  return  again  to  Egypt ;  but 
"  God  led  the  people  through  the  way  of  the  wilderness  of  the 
Bed  Sea,"  which  was  a  circuitous  route. 


THE   ISRAELITES.  97 

The  people  were  not  forgetful  of  the  solemn  injunction  of 
Joseph  to  carry  his  bones  with  them,  when  God  should  visit 
them,  and  bring  them  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt. 

Succoth  has  been  mentioned  as  the  first  stage  which  they 
made  after  leaving  Egypt ;  their  next  was  Etham,  in  the  edge 
of  the  wilderness.  In  conducting  this  great  host,  God  was 
pleased  to  become  their  guide,  in  a  very  extraordinary  and 
miraculous  manner.  Before  the  armies  of  Israel,  in  the  day 
time,  there  appeared  a  bright  cloud  in  the  form  of  a  pillar,  and 
at  night  it  appeared  like  a  pillar  of  fire,  which  constantly  went 
before  them,  in  their  marches,  and  never  forsook  them,  during 
the  forty  years  that  they  wandered  in  the  wilderness.  From 
Etham  they  were  directed  to  take  their  route  by  Pihahiroth, 
between  Migdol  and  the  sea,  over  against  Baal  Zephon.  As 
far  as  can  be  judged  from  the  present  topography  of  the 
country,  this  route  led  them  in  a  southern  direction  along  the 
coast  of  the  Red  Sea,  until  they  could  in  that  direction  proceed 
no  further. 


SECTION  VIII. 

PHARAOH    PURSUES   THE   ISRAELITES,  AND   OVERTAKES    THEM    AT   THE    EDGE    OF   THE 

RED  SEA — ALARM  OF  THE  PEOPLE PROMISE  OF  DELIVERANCE — THE    SEA   DIVIDED 

BY  THE    ROD    OF    MOSES. 

As  soon  as  Pharaoh  and  his  people  had  time  to  recover  from 
their  consternation  on  account  of  the  death  of  the  first-born, 
and  it  was  told  to  the  king  that  the  people  fled,  he  began  to  re- 
pent that  he  had  let  them  go,  and  thus  was  deprived  of  the  ser- 
vices of  this  great  multitude,  who  had  been  treated  as  slaves. 
Pharaoh,  therefore,  quickly  summoned  an  army  of  chariots  of 
war,  and  of  horsemen,  to  pursue  after  the  Israelites,  and  over- 
took them  encamping  near  the  sea,  in  the  place  before  men- 
tioned. And  when  the  Israelites  saw  the  Egyptians  marching 
towards  them,  they  were  greatly  alarmed,  and  cried  unto  the 
Lord.  They  also  reproached  Moses  for  bringing  them  out  of 
Egypt,  and  said,  "Because  there  were  no  graves  in  Egypt 
hast  thou  taken  us  away  to  die  in  the  wilderness,  wherefore  hast 
thou  dealt  with  us  to  carry  us  out  of  Egypt  ?  It  had  been  bet- 
ter for  us  to  serve  the  Egyptians,  than  to  die  in  the  wilder- 
ness." And  Moses  said,  "Fear  ye  not,  stand  still,  and  see  the 
salvation  of  the  Lord,  which  he  will  show  you  to-day;  for 
the  Egyptians  whom  ye  have  seen  to  day,  ye  shall  see  them 
again  no  more  for  ever.  The  Lord  shall  fight  for  you,  and  ye 
shall  hold  your  peace.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  where- 
fore criest  thou  unto  me  ?  Speak  unto  the  children  of  Israel, 
7 


98  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

that  they  go  forward.  But  lift  thou  up  thy  rod,  and  stretch 
out  thy  hand  over  the  sea,  and  divide  it,  and  the  children  of 
Israel  shall  go  on  dry  land,  through  the  midst  of  the  sea.  And  I, 
behold  I  will  harden  the  hearts  of  the  Egyptians,  and  they  shall 
follow  them,  and  I  will  get  me  honour  on  Pharaoh  and  upon  all 
his  host,  and  upon  his  chariots,  and  upon  his  horsemen."  And 
now,  lest  the  Egyptians  should  make  a  sudden  assault  upon  this 
great  multitude  of  unprepared  people,  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
who  had  hitherto  gone  before  the  host  in  a  pillar  of  cloud  and 
fire,  removed,  and  went  behind  them ;  and  came  between  the 
camp  of  the  Egyptians  and  the  camp  of  Israel ;  and  while  it 
furnished  light  to  the  latter,  to  the  former  it  occasioned  dense 
darkness  ;  so  that  during  the  whole  night  they  did  not  approach 
near  to  the  Israelites.  And  when  Moses  stretched  his  rod  over 
the  sea,  the  waters  were  divided ;  for  "  the  Lord  caused  the  sea 
to  go  back  by  a  strong  east  wind,  all  that  night,  and  made  the 
sea  dry  land.  And  the  children  of  Israel  went  into  the  midst 
of  the  sea  on  dry  ground ;  and  the  waters  were  a  wall  unto 
them  on  their  right  hand,  and  on  their  left.  And  the  Egyptians 
pursued  and  went  in  after  them,  to  the  midst  of  the  sea."  And 
towards  the  morning  watch,  the  Lord  impeded  the  progress  of 
the  Egyptians,  and  took  off  their  chariot  wheels,  that  they  drew 
them  heavily ;  and  the  Egyptians  began  to  think  of  flight ;  for 
they  said,  "The  Lord  fighteth  for  them."  By  this  time  the 
Israelites  having  reached  the  opposite  shore — for  the  channel  of 
the  sea  at  this  place  was  narrow — Moses  was  directed  again  to 
reach  forth  his  hand  over  the  sea,  and  the  waters  immediately 
returned,  and  overwhelmed  the  flying  Egyptians,  their  chariots, 
and  their  horsemen,  and  all  their  host ;  so  that  of  this  powerful 
army  not  one  remained  alive.  "  Thus  the  Lord  saved  Israel 
that  day  out  of  the  hands  of  the  Egyptians  ;  and  Israel  saw  the 
Egyptians  dead  on  the  sea-shore ;  and  the  people  feared  the 
LORD,  and  believed  the  LORD,  and  his  servant  Moses." 

On  this  occasion,  Moses  composed  a  song,  the  oldest  poetic 
composition  in  existence,  unless  we  should  suppose  that  the 
book  of  Job  was  written  before  this  time.  "And  Miriam,  the 
prophetess,  the  sister  of  Aaron,  took  a  timbrel  in  her  hand,  and 
all  the  women  went  out  after  her  with  timbrels  and  with 
dances."  And  they  sung  the  song  which  Moses  had  composed, 
and  accompanied  it  with  their  instruments. 


THE   ISKAELITES.  99 


SECTION  IX. 

ISRAEL    IN   THE    WILDERNESS — WANT     OF     WATER — MARAH — ELIM WANT    OF    FOOD 

— MANNA     PROMISED — SABBATH — QUAILS DESCRIPTION     OF      THE     MANNA — REGU- 
LATIONS   FOR    COLLECTING    IT — POT   OF    MANNA   TO    BE   LAID   UP    FOR   A   MEMORIAL. 

THE  Israelites  were  now  delivered  from  this  formidable  enemy ; 
but  they  were  in  a  wide  and  howling  wilderness.  The  name  of 
that  part  of  the  wilderness  into  which  they  now  had  entered, 
was  Shur.  And  having  marched  three  days  without  finding 
water,  at  length  they  came  to  Marah,  where  they  found  water, 
but  it  was  bitter,  hence  the  name  given  to  the  place.  The  peo- 
ple began  now  to  manifest  their  rebellious  disposition,  for  they 
murmured  against  Moses  and  said,  "What  shall  we  drink?  And 
when  Moses  cried  unto  the  Lord,  he  showed  him  a  tree,  which 
when  he  had  cast  into  the  waters,  tbey  were  made  sweet.  And 
leaving  Marah  they  came  to  Elim,  where  were  twelve  wells  of 
water,  and  threescore  and  ten  palm  trees,  and  they  encamped 
there  by  the  waters." 

At  some  of  these  stages  they  must  have  continued  a  number 
of  days,  as  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  second  month  after  their 
departing  from  the  land  of  Egypt,  they  arrived  at  their  next 
resting  place,  which  was  in  the  wilderness  of  Sin,  on  the  way 
from  Elim  to  Sinai.  The  provisions  which  they  had  brought 
with  them  from  Egypt  being  exhausted,  the  people  began  to  be 
in  want ;  and  regretted  that  they  had  ever  left  the  flesh-pots  of 
Egypt,  where  they  did  eat  bread  to  the  full ;  and  they  mur- 
mured against  Moses,  who  constantly  had  recourse  to  the  Lord 
for  help.  And  he  said,  "  I  will  rain  bread  from  heaven  for  you, 
and  the  people  shall  go  out  and  gather  a  certain  rate  every  day ; 
that  I  may  prove  them,  whether  they  will  walk  in  my  law  or 
not.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  on  the  sixth  day,  that  they 
shall  prepare  that  which  they  bring  in ;  and  it  shall  be  twice  as 
much  as  they  gather  daily."  This  is  the  first  clear  intimation 
which  we  have  in  Scripture  of  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath 
after  its  institution ;  and  the  mention  of  it  is  made  in  that 
familiar  manner,  which  would  induce  us  to  think,  that  it  was  no 
new  thing :  and  there  was  nothing  in  the  circumstances  of  the 
people  which  could  be  a  reason  for  setting  apart  the  seventh  day 
of  the  week,  at  this  time,  as  a  day  of  rest.  To  overawe  the 
agitated  people,  and  to  reprove  their  wicked  murmurings,  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  appeared  in  the  cloud.  What  that  appear- 
ance was,  which  is  called  THE  GLORY  or  THE  LORD,  we  cannot 
certainly  tell ;  but  it  was  doubtless  a  very  bright  appearance ; 
but  whether  there  was  seen,  on  these  occasions,  any  person  in 
the  form  of  man,  cannot  be  gathered  from  the  sacred  record. 
But  the  Lord  not  only  promised  to  furnish  bread  for  this  great 


100  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

congregation,  but  flesh  also ;  the  latter  was  first  given :  "  For 
in  the  evening  the  quails  came  up,  and  covered  the  camp ;  and 
in  the  morning  the  dew  lay  round  about  the  host."  And  when 
the  dew  disappeared  the  people  saw  "a  small  round  thing,  as 
small  as  the  hoar-frost,  on  the  ground."  "And  when  they  saw 
it,  they  said,  manna — what  is  it?"  And  thus  this  extraordi- 
nary bread  received  its  name.  They  were  now  directed  by 
Moses  to  go  out  and  gather,  every  one  for  himself;  and  when 
they  brought  it  in  to  be  measured  with  an  omer,  "He  that 
gathered  much  had  nothing  over,  and  he  that  gathered  little 
had  no  lack :  they  gathered,  every  man  according  to  his  eat- 
ing." Moses  had  given  strict  orders,  that  no  portion  of  the 
manna  should  remain  until  the  morning,  but  the  people  dis- 
obeyed his  voice,  and  kept  of  it  until  the  morning,  and  it  bred 
worms  and  stank ;  and  he  was  much  displeased.  Every  morn- 
ing they  gathered  what  was.  necessary  for  that  day ;  except  that 
on  the  sixth  day,  they  collected  double  the  usual  quantity, 
namely,  two  omers  for  one  man.  And  Moses  said  unto  them, 
"  To-morrow  is  the  rest  of  the  holy  Sabbath  unto  the  Lord ; 
bake  that  which  ye  will  bake  to-day,  and  seethe  that  ye  will 
seethe ;  and  that  which  remaineth  over  lay  up  for  you,  to  be 
kept  until  the  morning ;  and  that  which  was  laid  up  on  the  sixth 
day  did  not  stink ;  neither  was  there  any  worm  therein.  And 
Moses  said,  eat  this  to-day,  for  to-day  is  a  Sabbath  unto  the 
Lord ;  to-day  ye  shall  not  find  it  in  the  field.  Six  days  ye 
shall  gather  it,  but  on  the  seventh  day,  which  is  the  Sabbath, 
in  it  there  shall  be  none."  Notwithstanding  these  plain  direc- 
tions, some  of  the  people  went  to  gather  on  the  seventh  day 
and  found  none.  This  perverseness  occasioned  another  exhor- 
tation respecting  the  observation  of  the  Sabbath,  "  See,  for  the 
Lord  hath  given  you  the  Sabbath,  therefore  he  giveth  you  on 
the  sixth  day  the  bread  of  two  days.  Abide  ye  every  man  in 
his  place,  let  no  man  go  out  of  his  place  on  the  seventh  day." 
That  is,  no  man  was  permitted  to  go  out  to  collect  food  on  the 
Sabbath;  but  this  did  not  prohibit  them  from  going  out  to 
worship;  or  even  to  lead  their  ox  or  ass  to  watering;  or  to 
relieve  the  sick  and  afflicted.  "  So  the  people  rested  on  the 
seventh  day."  The  appearance  of  the  manna  was  like  corian- 
der seed,  white  ;  and  its  taste  was  like  wafers  made  with  honey. 
In  order  that  future  generations  might  have  a  memorial  and 
sensible  evidence  of  this  extraordinary  and  long  continued 
miracle,  Moses  directed  the  people  to  fill  an  omer  with  the 
manna,  and  to  put  it  up  before  the  Lord.  This  command  seems 
to  have  been  anticipated,  here ;  for  it  is  said  that  Moses  and 
Aaron  laid  it  up  before  the  TESTIMONY  to  be  kept :  but  the  ark 
of  the  testimony  in  which  the  manna  was  deposited,  did  not  yet 
exist.  The  command,  however,  might  have  been  given  now, 


THE   ISRAELITES.  101 

and  the  execution  of  it  deferred  until  this  depository  was  pre- 
pared for  its  preservation. 


SECTION  X. 

REBELLION  OF  THE  PEOPLE  AT  REPHIDIM  FOR  WANT  OF  WATER THE  ROCK  SMITTEN 

THE   PEOPLE  ASSAILED  BY  THE  AMALEKITES — JOSHUA  DEFEATS  THEM. 

THIS  miraculous  bread  that  fell  from  heaven,  was  the  suste- 
nance of  this  great  multitude  of  people,  not  merely  for  a  day, 
or  a  week,  or  a  month,  or  a  single  year;  but  for  forty  years. 

From  the  wildernesss  of  Sin,  the  people  journeyed  again, 
and  came  to  Rephidim;  and  here  a  new  distress  began  to  be 
experienced.  They  were  supplied  with  bread,  and  had  received 
an  abundant  feast  of  flesh ;  but  now  water  failed.  Never  was 
there  a  more  rebellious,  discontented  people  than  those  whom 
Moses  was  now  conducting  through  the  wilderness ;  and  what- 
ever disaster  was  experienced,  the  blame  was  cast  upon  him, 
who  had  no  more  power  to  prevent  it,  than  any  other  man. 
Instead  of  humbly  crying  to  God  for  a  supply  of  water,  which 
they  had  every  encouragement  to  do,  with  confidence,  they 
began  to  chide  with  Moses ;  and  said,  "  Give  us  water  that  we 
may  drink.  And  Moses  said,  Why  chide  you  with  me? 
Wherefore  do  ye  tempt  the  Lord?"  But  they  continued  to 
murmur  against  him,  saying,  "Wherefore  is  this,  that  thou  hast 
brought  us  up  out  of  Egypt,  to  kill  us  and  our  children,  and 
our  cattle,  with  thirst?"  The  clamour  against  him,  on  this 
occasion,  was  so  violent,  that  when  Moses  cried  to  the  Lord  for 
help,  he  said,  "What  shall  I  do  unto  this  people?  They  be 
almost  ready  to  stone  me."  By  this  time,  the  host  of  Israel 
had  approached  the  mount  of  Horeb,  a  part  of  the  range  of 
Sinai ;  and  the  Lord  commanded  Moses  to  take  with  him  the 
elders  of  Israel,  and  go  and  stand  on  the  rock  of  Horeb,  and 
to  smite  the  rock  with  the  rod  with  which  he  at  first  smote  the 
river,  when  its  waters  were  turned  to  blood.  And  Moses  did 
according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord,  in  the  sight  of  the  elders  of 
Israel;  and  the  name  of  the  place  was  called  Massah  and 
Meribah,  because  of  the  chiding  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and 
because  they  tempted  the  Lord :  the  latter  of  these  names  sig- 
nifies chiding,  and  the  former,  temptation.  Among  other 
impious  things,  they  said,  "  Is  the  Lord  among  us  or  not?" 
And  now  a  new  calamity  befell  them.  "  Amalek  came  and 
fought  with  them  at  Rephidim."  And  Moses  said  to  Joshua, 
"  choose  out  men,  and  go  and  fight  with  Amalek.  To-morrow, 
I  will  stand  on  the  top  of  the  hill  with  the  rod  of  God  in  my 
hand.  So  Joshua  fought  with  Amalek;  and  Moses,  and 


102  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

Aaron,  and  Hur,  went  up  to  the  top  of  the  hill.  And  when 
Moses  held  up  his  hand,  then  Israel  prevailed;  and  when  he 
let  down  his  hand,  Amalek  prevailed.  But  Moses'  hands  were 
heavy;  and  they  took  a  stone  and  put  it  under  him,  and  he  sat 
thereon,  and  Aaron  and  Hur  stayed  up  his  hands,  the  one  on 
the  one  side,  and  the  one  on  the  other  side ;  and  his  hands 
were  steady  until  the  going  down  of  the  sun.  And  Joshua  dis- 
comfited Amalek  and  his  people  with  the  edge  of  the  sword." 
And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  "  Write  this  for  a  memorial  in 
a  book,  and  rehearse  it  in  the  ears  of  Joshua ;  for  I  will  utterly 
put  out  the  remembrance  of  Amalek  from  under  heaven.  And 
Moses  built  an  altar,  and  called  the  name  of  it  JEHOVAH-NISSI  ; 
that  is,  JEHOVAH  MY  BANNER.  Because  the  Lord  had  sworn 
that  he  would  have  war  with  Amalek  from  generation  to  gene- 
ration." 

Where  the  Amalekites  now  dwelt  is  unknown ;  long  after 
this  they  are  found  inhabiting  the  south  part  of  the  land  of 
Canaan.  Saul,  the  first  king  of  Israel,  lost  the  divine  favour 
by  neglecting  to  execute  the  divine  vengeance  on  this  nation. 

Here  also  we  have  the  first  notice  of  a  man  more  famous 
than  all  others  after  Moses,  for  the  frequent  and  familiar  inter- 
course which  he  had  with  God,  and  for  the  wonderful  works 
(which  he  was  enabled  to  perform.  It  may  be  asserted  that 
Joshua  was  the  witness  of  more  stupendous  miracles  than  any 
man  who  ever  lived  upon  earth.  At  this  time,  though  appoint- 
ed commander-in-chief  of  the  armies  of  Israel,  he'  must  have 
been  quite  a  young  man,  and  is  so  called,  after  this  time. 

Although  Moses  represented  to  Pharaoh  that  he  wished  to  go 
into  the  wilderness  to  offer  sacrifices  unto  Jehovah ;  yet  no  fa- 
vourable opportunity  seems  to  have  occurred  for  this  service, 
until  after  the  defeat  of  the  Amalekites.  Moses  then,  for  the 
first  time,  as  far  as  appears,  erected  an  altar ;  and  no  doubt 
offered  burnt-offerings  and  peace-offerings ;  for  an  altar  has  no 
other  use  than  for  sacrifices.  The  name  given  to  it  seems  to 
relate  to  the  victory  just  achieved,  by  the  help  of  the  Lord,  and 
to  the  oath  that  there  should  be  unceasing  war  with  Amalek. 
THE  LORD  is  MY  BANNER,  was  a  fit  device  to  be  inscribed  on 
the  standard  of  Joshua,  who  was  the  instrument  of  the  Almighty 
in  destroying  a  great  multitude  of  people. 


THE   ISRAELITES.  103 


SECTION  XI. 

JETHRO'S   VISIT   TO   MOSES — HIS   WISE    COUNSEL — INSTITUTION    OF    OFFICERS JETHRO 

RETURNS  HOME. 

WHILE  Israel  was  encamped  at  Mount  Horeb,  Jethro,  father- 
in-law  to  Moses,  having  heard  how  he  had  brought  the  people 
out  of  Egypt,  came  unto  him,  with  Zipporah  his  wife,  and  his 
two  sons,  Gershom  and  Eliezer,  whom  Moses,  after  starting  with 
them  to  Egypt,  sent  back  again,  as  has  already  been  related. 
This  must  have  been  a  most  gratifying  visit  to  Moses ;  and, 
therefore,  as  soon  as  it  was  announced  that  his  father-in-law 
had  arrived,  "  he  went  out  to  meet  him,  and  did  obeisance,  and 
kissed  him ;  and  they  asked  each  other  of  their  welfare ;  and 
they  came  into  the  tent.  And  Moses  told  his  father-in-law  all 
that  the  Lord  had  done  unto  Pharaoh  and  to  the  Egyptians  for 
Israel's  sake,  and  all  the  travail  that  had  come  upon  them  by 
the  way,  and  how  the  Lord  delivered  them.  And  Jethro  re- 
joiced for  all  the  goodness  which  the  Lord  had  done  to  Israel ; 
whom  he  had  delivered  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Egyptians. 
Jethro  appears  to  have  been  eminently  devout  as  well  as  wise ; 
for  on  hearing  the  narrative  of  Moses,  he  was  so  excited,  that 
he  burst  forth  in  praises  to  God,  saying,  "Blessed  be  the  Lord, 
who  hath  delivered  you  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Egyptians,  and 
out  of  the  hand  of  Pharaoh ;  who  hath  delivered  the  people 
from  under  the  hand  of  the  Egyptians.  Now  I  know  that 
Jehovah  is  greater  than  all  gods ;  for  in  the  thing  wherein  they 
dealt  proudly  he  was  above  them.  And  Jethro,"  who  was  a 
priest,  "took  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices  for  God;"  and  as  it 
was  customary  every  where,  to  feast  on  the  remains  of  such 
sacrifices,  as  were  not  entirely  consumed  upon  the  altar,  Aaron 
and  the  elders  of  Israel  came  and  "  eat  bread  with  Moses' 
father-in-law,  before  God ;"  that  is,  at  the  altar,  where  offerings 
had  just  been  made  to  God. 

When  Jethro  observed  how  the  people  came  to  Moses  with 
their  causes  and  disputes  from  morning  until  evening,  and  that 
he  had  no  assistance,  and  no  relaxation  from  the  severe  duties 
of  the  judgment-seat,  he  found  fault  with  his  arrangements,  and 
told  him  that  at  this  rate  he  would  wear  out  both  himself  and 
the  people ;  " For,"  said  he,  "this  thing  is  too  heavy  for  thee ; 
thou  art  not  able  to  perform  it  thyself  alone.  Hearken  now 
unto  my  voice,  and  I  will  give  thee  counsel,  and  God  shall  be 
with  thee.  Provide  out  of  all  the  people  able  men,  such  as  fear 
God,  men  of  truth,  hating  covetousness ;  and  place  such  over 
them,  to  be  rulers  of  thousands,  and  rulers  of  hundreds,  rulers 
of  fifties,  and  rulers  of  tens.  And  let  them  judge  the  people  at 
all  seasons.  And  it  shall  be  that  every  great  matter  they  shall 


104  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

bring  unto  thee,  but  every  small  matter  they  shall  judge ;  so 
shall  it  be  easier  for  thyself;  and  they  shall  bear  the  burden 
with  thee.  If  thou  shalt  do  this  thing,  and  God  command  thee 
so,  then  thou  shalt  be  able  to  endure,  and  all  this  people  shall 
go  to  their  place  in  peace."  And  Moses  perceived  at  once  the 
wisdom  of  the  counsel  of  his  father-in-law,  and  took  immediate 
measures  to  carry  this  convenient  plan  of  polity  into  effect. 
But  as  he  knew  the  importance  of  having  the  cordial  consent  of 
the  people  to  these  new  measures,  he  addressed  himself  unto 
them,  and  said,  "  I  am  not  able  to  bear  you  myself  alone.  The 
Lord  your  God  hath  multiplied  you,  and  behold,  ye  are  this 
day  as  the  stars  of  heaven  for  multitude.  The  Lord  God  of 
your  fathers  make  you  a  thousand  times  as  many  more  as  ye 
are,  and  bless  you,  as  he  hath  promised  you  !  How  can  I  my- 
self alone,  bear  your  cumbrance,  and  your  burden,  and  your 
strife.  Take  ye  wise  men  and  understanding,  and  known 
among  your  tribes,  and  I  will  make  them  rulers  over  you." 
Thus,  in  Deuteronomy,  we  read  that  Moses  left  the  choice  of 
rulers  to  the  people ;  but  in  Exodus  it  is  said,  "  Moses  chose 
able  men  out  of  all  Israel,  and  made  them  heads  over  the  peo- 
ple, rulers  of  thousands,  rulers  of  hundreds,  rulers  of  fifties, 
and  rulers  of  tens.  There  is,  however,  no  inconsistency  in  these 
accounts.  He  presided  over  the  whole  business  and  appointed 
to  office  such  persons  as  the  people  elected,  and  this  was  a  much 
safer  as  well  as  a  much  more  popular  method  of  making  a 
selection,  than  if  he  had  depended  on  his  own  judgment,  or  on  the 
opinion  of  a  few  ministers  about  his  person.  Here  then,  we^ 
have  the  commencement  of  a  genuine,  republican  government. 
The  idea  of  a  regular  gradation  of  rulers  or  officers,  was  sug- 
gested by  Jethro,  but  the  manner  of  choosing  them  by  the  free 
suffrage  of  the  people  at  large,  was  the  plan  of  Moses  himself. 
It  is  especially  worthy  of  remark,  in  the  counsel  of  Jethro,  that 
he  offers  it  on  condition  it  should  meet  the  approbation  of  God. 
"  If,"  said  he,  "God  command  thee."  No  doubt  Moses  received 
an  intimation  from  the  Lord  that  the  polity  recommended  was 
good ;  and  in  this  way  we  may  observe  how  God  makes  use  of 
the  wisdom  which  he  has  given  to  his  servants  to  devise  useful 
and  convenient  plans,  for  the  government  of  his  people,  even 
when  he  was  daily  making  revelations  of  his  laws  and  of  his 
will.  Jethro,  having  aided  his  son-in-law  in  forming  a  system 
for  the  government  of  this  nation,  took  his  leave,  and  departed 
into  his  own  land,  for  the  present ;  although,  as  we  shall  see  in 
the  sequel  of  the  history,  he  came  back  again,  and  probably 
accompanied  Israel  to  the  land  of  Canaan. 


THE   ISRAELITES.  105 


SECTION  XII. 

MOSES  CALLED  UP  INTO  THE  MOUNT — COMMUNICATES  THE  WORDS  OF  JEHOVAH  TO  THE 
PEOPLE — TREMENDOUS  EXHIBITION  ON  MOUNT  SINAI — THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS 
UTTERED  IN  A  VOICE  OF  THUNDER — VARIOUS  OTHER  LAWS. 

THREE  months  had  now  elapsed  from  the  time  the  children  of 
Israel  had  gone  out  from  Egypt ;  and  they  entered  the  wilder- 
ness of  Sinai;  for  they  had  left  Rephidim,  where  they  lay 
encamped  near  Horeb,  for  some  time,  and  had  proceeded  to  the 
desert  of  Sinai,  which  was  something  farther  to  the  east. 
Sometimes,  Horeb  and  Sinai  are  taken  for  the  same  mountain, 
as  they  belong  to  the  same  range ;  but  properly  they  are  distinct 
mountains,  at  no  great  distance  asunder.  Moses  had  now 
arrived  at  the  place  where  God  had  met  with  him  and  spoke  to 
him  from  the  midst  of  the  burning  bush.  This  was  a  sacred 
spot ;  and  surely  no  other  place  on  earth  was  ever  the  scene  of 
more  stupendous  miracles.  Moses  was  now  called  up  into  the 
mount,  and  the  Lord  charged  him  to  say  to  the  children  of 
Israel,  "  Ye  have  seen  what  I  did  unto  the  Egyptians,  and  how 
I  bare  you  on  eagle's  wings,  and  brought  you  unto  myself. 
Now,  therefore,  if  ye  will  obey  my  voice  indeed,  and  keep  my 
covenant,  then  ye  shall  be  a  peculiar  treasure  unto  me  above 
all  people ;  for  all  the  earth  is  mine.  And  ye  shall  be  unto 
me  a  kingdom  of  priests,  and  an  holy  nation."  And  Moses 
called  the  elders  of  Israel  and  laid  before  them  all  these  words. 
And  the  people  answered  with  one  accord,  and  said,  "  All  that 
the  Lord  hath  spoken  we  will  do."  So  easy  a  thing  is  it  to 
obtain  the  profession  of  obedience,  even  from  a  rebellious  peo- 
ple. In  all  communications  from  God  to  the  people,  and  from 
the  people  to  God,  Moses  acted  as  the  mediator  or  internuncius. 
Moses  now  received  orders  to  go  and  "  sanctify  the  people 
to-day  and  to-morrow,  and  let  them  wash  their  clothes."  We  /, 
have  already  had  occasion  to  remark  one  instance  of  this  kind\»^f 
of  ablution,  or  external  purification,  in  the  family  of  Jacob,  llf^j 
when  he  was  on  his  way  to  Bethel,  to  fulfil  his  vow,  in  the  his- ' 
tory  of  the  Patriarchs.  As  it  was  a  cleansing  with  water,  it 
seems  to  have  had  something  of  the  nature  of  a  baptism ;  and 
the  tradition  of  the  Jewish  rabbies,  that  the  custom  of  proselyte 
baptism  had  its  origin  in  this  ancient  manifestation  of  the  divine 
presence,  which  rite  of  sanctification  is  not  altogether  improba- 
ble. It  was  never  practised,  but  in  view  of  some  great  solem- 
nity, to  which  the  people  were  approaching:  and  thus  also, 
when  the  Lord  himself  came  to  sojourn  upon  earth,  John,  who 
was  sent  to  prepare  his  way,  called  the  whole  Jewish  nation  to 
repentance,  and  also  to  the  washing  of  baptism.  In  this  case, 
at  mount  Sinai,  the  prescribed  ablution  was  to  prepare  the 


106  HISTORY   OF  THE    ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

Israelites  for  the  extraordinary  descent  of  Jehovah  upon  the 
mountain  on  the  third  day,  in  the  sight  of  all  the  people.  And 
Moses  was  directed  to  set  bounds  around  the  mount,  and  to 
forewarn  the  people,  that  whoever  touched  the  mount  should 
die ;  and  whether  it  were  man  or  beast  it  should  either  be  stoned 
or  shot  through.  And  Moses  sanctified  the  people  according 
to  the  command  of  God;  "and  on  the  third  day,  in  the  morn- 
ing, there  were  thunderings  and  lightnings,  and  a  thick  cloud 
upon  the  mount ;  and  the  voice  of  the  trumpet  exceeding  loud ; 
so  that  all  the  people  that  were  in  the  camp  trembled.  And 
mount  Sinai  was  altogether  in  a  smoke  because  the  Lord  des- 
cended upon  it  in  fire,  and  the  smoke  thereof  ascended  as  the 
smoke  of  a  furnace,  and  the  whole  mount  quaked  greatly.  And 
when  the  voice  of  the  trumpet  sounded  long,  and  waxed  louder 
and  louder,  Moses  spake,  and  God  answered  him  by  a  voice. 
And  the  Lord  came  down  upon  mount  Sinai,  on  the  top  of  the 
mount."  Again,  God  gave  express  orders  that  the  people 
should  keep  themselves  within  the  prescribed  limits,  and  not 
break  through  to  gaze ;  otherwise,  they  would  bring  swift  des- 
truction upon  themselves;  "and  thou  shalt  come  up,  thou  and 
Aaron,  but  let  not  the  priests  and  the  people  break  through  to 
come  up  unto  the  Lord;  lest  he  break  through  upon  them."  It 
is  difficult  to  determine  who  are  to  be  understood  by  the  priests 
mentioned  here.  We  know  that  the  Aaronic  priests  were  not 
yet  consecrated,  and  we  never  read  of  any  other  priesthood 
among  the  Israelites.  It  may,  however,  be  argued  with  great 
probability,  that  wherever  there  are  sacrifices  there  must  be 
priests ;  and  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  there  existed  a 
set  of  men  appointed  to  this  service.  And  there  occurred  a  fact 
in  the  sequel  of  the  history  which  confirms  this  idea ;  where 
Moses  directed  the  young  men  to  offer  sacrifices,  before  Aaron 
was  consecrated. 

From  the  midst  of  the  darkness,  in  a  voice  of  thunder,  God 
now  spoke  all  the  words  of  the  ten  commandments  of  the  moral 
law.  When  the  people  heard  the  tremendous  voice  of  God 
speaking  to  them,  and  saw  the  thundering  and  the  lightnings, 
and  heard  the  voice  of  the  trumpet,  they  removed  and  stood 
afar  off:  and  they  said  unto  Moses,  "  Speak  thou  with  us,  and 
•we  will  hear;  but  let  not  God  speak  with  us  lest  we  die."  But 
Moses  encouraged  them  not  to  fear,  though  at  the  first  he  was 
himself  so  terrified,  that  he  said,  as  the  apostle  informs  us,  "  I 
exceedingly  fear  and  quake."  These  words  are  not  recorded 
here,  but  it  is  remarkable,  that  in  one  instance  it  is  said  that 
Moses  spake,  but  what  he  said  is  not  mentioned.  After  this 
the  Lord  spake  only  to  Moses,  and  he  communicated 'what  was 
said  to  the  people.  The  first  solemn  message  related  to  the 
worship  of  idols.  The  words  are  remarkable  as  showing  that 


THE   ISRAELITES.  107 

images  and  idols  were  first  used  as  a  means  of  worshipping 
Jehovah.  "  Ye  shall  not  make  with  me  gods  of  silver,  neither 
shall  ye  make  unto  you  gods  of  gold."  Directions  were  then 
given  to  make  an  altar  of  earth,  and  to  sacrifice  thereon  burnt- 
offerings,  and  peace-offerings,  sheep  and  oxen.  And  then  this 
important  promise  was  given,  which  is  in  force  to  this  day: 

"  IN  ALL  PLACES  WHERE  I  RECORD  MY  NAME,  I  WILL  COME  UNTO 

THEE,  AND  I  WILL  BLESS  THEE."  It  was  also  ordained,  that  for 
the  sake  of  decency,  they  should  not  ascend  the  altar  by  steps. 
From  what  is  here  said,  it  appears,  that  burnt-offerings  and 
peace-offerings,  were  the  two  kinds  of  sacrifices  in  use,  before 
the  institution  of  the  Levitical  ritual.  The  first  of  these  was 
entirely  consumed  by  fire  on  the  altar,  and  among  the  Greeks 
obtained  the  name  of  holocaust,  (entirely  consumed:)  the  peace- 
offerings  were  presented  on  the  altar,  but  only  a  small  part  of 
the  flesh  was  consumed,  and  the  remainder  furnished  a  feast 
for  the  worshipper  and  his  friends.  In  every  case,  however, 
the  blood  was  entirely  drawn  from  the  animal,  and  partly 
sprinkled  on  and  around  the  altar,  and  partly  poured  on  the 
ground,  at  its  foot. 

The  next  communication  related  to  Hebrew  servants ;  direct- 
ing, that  in  no  case,  should  they  be  obliged  to  serve  more  than 
six  years :  if  the  servant,  however,  preferred  his  master's  house 
to  liberty,  he  might  remain,  but  in  token  of  perpetual  servitude, 
he  was  to  have  his  ear  bored  to  the  door  post ;  but  this  transac- 
tion was  ordered  to  take  place  before  the  judges;  that  there 
might  be  no  injustice  done. 


SECTION  XIII. 

LAWS  RESPECTING  MURDER — LEX  TALIONIS — MISCHIEF    BY  AN  OX OPENING  A  PIT — 

PENALTY  FOR  STEALING  AN  OX  OH    A  SHEEP — THE  KILLING  OF   A  THIEF — GOODS    IN 
TRUST ANIMALS  BORROWED — SEDUCTION — IDOLATERS — WITCHES. 

IT  was  ordained,  that  in  all  cases,  wilful  murder  should  be  pun- 
ished with  death :  but  for  him  who  slew  a  man  unintentionally, 
a  refuge  from  the  avenger  of  blood  should  be  provided. 

It  was  also  capital  for  a  child  either  to  strike  or  to  curse  his 
parents ;  and  the  person  who  stole  a  man  and  sold  him  was 
also  punished  with  death.  The  man  who  inflicted  a  bodily 
injury  on  his  neighbour,  so  that  he  was  rendered  incapable  of 
work,  was  bound  to  pay  all  the  expenses  of  his  cure,  and  his 
wages  for  the  time  of  his  confinement. 

And  it  was  specially  ordained,  that  a  man  who  killed  a  ser- 
vant, by  striking  him  with  a  rod,  should  by  no  means  be  per- 
mitted to  escape  condign  punishment;  but  if  death  did  not  im- 
mediately ensue,  and  yet  the  servant  should  die  after  several 


108  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

days,  it  was  to  be  presumed,  that  the  death  was  owing  to  ano- 
ther cause,  since  men  would  not  be  apt  to  destroy  their  own 
property. 

The  rule  prescribed  to  the  judges  in  apportioning  punish- 
ments to  crimes,  was  the  most  just  that  could  be  conceived. 
It  was  what  has  been  called,  "the  law  of  retaliation."  "Life 
for  life  ;  eye  for  eye;  tooth  for  tooth;  hand  for  hand;  foot  for 
foot;  burning  for  burning ;  wound  for  wound ;  strife  for  strife." 
JBut  if  a  man  deprived  a  servant  of  his  eye  or  his  tooth,  he  was 
to  be  deprived  of  his  services,  and  the  servant  received  his 
freedom. 

An  ox  thai  gored  a  man  was  directed  to  be  slain ;  and  the 
owner  of  an  ox,  known  to  push  with  his  horns  in  time  past,  if 
being  forewarned  to  keep  him  up,  he  neglected  to  do  it,  and 
the  ox  kill  a  man,  the  ox  shall  be  put  to  death,  and  also  his 
owner :  but  in  this  case,  he  was  permitted  to  redeem  his  life  by 
paying  a  fine.  And  where  the  ox  killed  a  servant,  his  owner 
was  bound  to  pay  for  his  loss,  and  the  ox,  as  before,  was  to  be 
stoned. 

He  who  opened  a  pit  and  left  it  uncovered,  was  responsible 
for  all  the  injuries  which  might  ensue;  and  where  the  ox  of 
one  man  killed  that  of  another,  the  law  was,  that  both  should 
be  equally  divided,  the  living  ox  by  being  sold,  and  the  dead 
ox  also ;  but  if  the  offending  ox  was  known  to  push  in  time 
past,  and  his  owner  kept  him  not  in,  then  he  was  bound  to  pay 
for  the  slain  ox,  and  take  his  carcase  to  himself. 

For  the  stealing  an  ox,  the  penalty  was,  to  restore  five  for 
one ;  and  four  sheep  for  a  sheep. 

In  the  day  time,  it  was  reckoned  murder  to  put  the  thief  to 
death,  if  apprehended  in  the  act ;  but  not  so  in  the  night ; 
because  death  is  not  the  proper  punishment  for  theft,  but  resti- 
tution ;  and  yet  the  law  of  self-defence  will  exculpate  a  man 
for  killing  a  thief  when  found  breaking  into  his  house  in  the 
night. 

The  same  principle  of  responsibility  recognized  in  the  law 
respecting  a  noxious  ox,  is  applied  to  fire.  This  being  a  dan- 
gerous element,  when  not  carefully  guarded,  the  man  who  lets 
out  fire  which  destroys  his  neighbour's  property,  is  liable  for  all 
the  injury  suffered ;  so  also,  if  a  man  put  his  cattle  into  ano- 
ther man's  field;  out  of  the  best  of  his  own  he  was  bound  to 
make  restitution. 

If  money  or  other  property  were  committed  in  trust  to  any 
one,  and  was  stolen,  the  person  from  whom  it  was  stolen,  was 
required  to  take  an  oath  before  the  judges,  that  he  had  not  put 
his  hand  to  his  neighbour's  goods. 

An  animal  borrowed,  if  it  died  when  the  owner  was  present, 


THE   ISRAELITES.  109 

the  borrower  was  not  bound  to  make  it  good ;  but  if  he  was 
not  present,  then  the  borrower  was  responsible. 

It  was  a  law,  that  the  man  who  seduced  a  woman  should  cer- 
tainly marry  her;  unless  the  father  of  the  woman  utterly 
refused,  and  then  a  fine  was  imposed,  equal  to  the  dowry  of  a 
virgin. 

A  witch  was  not  to  be  suffered  to  live. 

Idolaters,  and  persons  guilty  of  unnatural  crimes,  were  to  be 
punished  with  death. 


SECTION  XIV. 

PROVISION  FOR   THE  POOR,  THE   STRANGER,  WIDOW,  AND    ORPHAN LOANS    TO  A  BRO- 
THER— PLEDGES — SPEAKING    EVIL    OF    RULERS — FIRST-FRUITS — ANIMALS   TORN    BY 

WILD    BEASTS — SLANDER    FORBIDDEN — DUTIES   TO    ENEMIES — SABBATICAL    YEAR 

ANNUAL     FESTIVALS — THE     PASSOVER — FEAST    OF    TABERNACLES — AND     FEAST    OF 
HARVEST  OF  PENTECOST LEAVEN  FORBIDDEN  IN  THE  SACRIFICES — OTHER  LAWS. 

A  SPECIAL  provision  was  made  for  relief  to  the  stranger,  the 
widow,  and  the  fatherless.  The  very  words  of  this  law  are 
worthy  of  our  consideration.  "  Thou  shalt  neither  vex  a 
stranger,  nor  oppress  him ;  for  ye  were  strangers  in  the  land 
of  Egypt.  Ye  shall  not  afflict  any  widow  nor  fatherless  child. 
If  thou  afflict  them  in  any  wise,  and  they  cry  at  all  unto  me,  I 
will  surely  hear  their  cry,  and  my  wrath  shall  wax  hot,  and  I 
will  kill  you  with  the  sword,  and  your  wives  shall  be  widows, 
and  your  children  fatherless." 

Money  lent  to  a  brother  who  was  poor,  was  to  be  without  in- 
terest or  usury. 

When  a  neighbour's  garment  was  taken  in  pledge,  the  law 
required,  that  it  should  be  restored  before  the  going  down  of 
the  sun. 

It  was  expressly  forbidden  to  speak  evil  of  judges  or  magis- 
trates. 

The  firstlings  of  the  flocks  and  herds,  the  first  fruits  of  the 
field,  the  garden,  and  the  wine-press,  were  the  Lord's. 

The  flesh  of  animals  torn  by  wild  beasts  was  forbidden  to  be 
eaten  by  the  Israelites. 

Slander  and  false  witness  are  expressly  prohibited. 

And  it  was  forbidden  to  follow  a  multitude  to  do  evil ;  and 
especially  not  to  advocate  an  unrighteous  cause,  to  decline  after 
a  multitude. 

Neither  were  they  permitted  to  countenance  a  poor  man  in 
his  cause  ;  that  is,  when  it  was  unjust ;  neither  might  they  wrest 
the  judgment  of  the  poor. 

No  enmity  of  another  can  exonerate  us  from  the  obligations 
of  neighbourly  conduct  towards  him  ;  therefore,  it  was  enjoined, 
that  if  a  man  met  the  ox  or  ass  of  his  enemy  going  astray,  he 


110  HISTORY   OF  THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

should  surely  bring  it  back  to  him ;  or  if  he  saw  his  ass  lying 
under  a  burden,  he  should  by  all  means  assist  him. 

Great  disapprobation  is  manifested  towards  all  partiality  and 
injustice  in  the  settling  of  disputes  between  man  and  man.  No 
gift  was  allowed  to  be  received  by  judges  from  either  party  con- 
cerned in  a  cause. 

As  the  people  were  commanded  to  do  all  their  secular  work 
in  six  days,  and  rest  the  seventh  day ;  so  they  were  directed  to 
sow  the  land  and  gather  in  the  fruits  for  six  years,  but  the 
seventh  year  they  were  to  let  it  lie  uncultivated.  The  reason 
here  assigned  for  the  rest  of  the  weekly  Sabbath,  is  a  political 
one,  and  still  of  as  great  force  as  at  first,  "  That  thine  ox  and 
thine  ass  may  rest,  and  the  son  of  thine  handmaid,  and  the 
stranger  may  be  refreshed  ;"  and  the  reason  assigned  for  a  sab- 
batical year  was,  "  that  the  poor  of  thy  people  may  eat ;  and 
what  they  leave  the  beasts  of  the  field  shall  eat?"  for  in  this 
year,  no  man  was  permitted  to  gather  into  his  barn  any  of  the 
spontaneous  productions  of  the  earth :  these  were  free  to  all, 
and  the  owner  of  the  field  had  no  peculiar  claim  to  them. 

Three  times  in  the  year,  all  the  males  were  required  to  ap- 
pear before  the  Lord.  At  the  feast  of  the  PASSOVER,  or  of  un- 
leavened bread,  on  the  fourteenth  of  Abib  or  Nisan,  of  the  institu- 
tion of  which,  a  particular  account  has  already  been  given ;  at  the 
feast  of  HARVEST,  which  was  to  be  celebrated  fifty  days  after 
the  passover,  and  was  therefore  called  by  the  Greeks,  PENTE- 
COST ;  and  the  feast  of  INGATHERING,  at  the  end  of  the  year, 
which  is  commonly  called,  the  feast  of  TABERNACLES  ;  because 
during  its  celebration,  the  people  cut  down  branches  of  trees 
and  made  themselves  booths,  in  commemoration  of  their  dwell- 
.ing  in  tents  in  the  wilderness.  This  feast  was  set  to  the  fifteenth 
day  of  the  seventh  month.  And  as  their  families  and  habita- 
tions would  be  peculiarly  exposed,  when  all  the  males  were  ab- 
sent, a  special  promise  was  given,  that  during  these  visits  of 
piety  to  the  place  where  the  Lord  should  record  his  name,  no 
one  should  desire  their  land,  or  molest  their  families.  Thus, 
also,  there  was  a  special  promise,  that  the  sixth  year  should  be 
so  abundantly  productive,  that  there  would  be  no  danger  of 
want  from  having  their  fields  untilled  on  the  seventh. 

Some  laws  were  given,  the  reason  of  which  does  not  clearly 
appear.  Of  this  sort  is  the  one  forbidding  leaven  to  be  offered 
with  any  of  their  sacrifices ;  and  that  none  of  the  fat  of  a  sacri- 
fice should  remain  until  the  morning.  Probably  many  such  re- 
gulations were  intended  to  guard  the  people  against  the  super- 
stitious rites  of  the  heathen  around  them.  Some  precepts,  how- 
ever, seem  to  have  had  no  other  end  than  to  cherish  humanity, 
and  kind  feelings  even  to  animals.  Such  as  this,  "Thou  shalt 
not  seethe  a  kid  in  his  mother's  milk." 


THE   ISRAELITES.  Ill 


SECTION  XV. 

THE    ANGEL    OF    GOD   PROMISED   TO    GO    BEFORE   THE   PEOPLE. 

To  encourage  the  people,  and  prevent  their  murmurings,  the 
Lord  said,  "Behold  I  send  an  Angel  before  thee  to  keep  thee 
in  the  way,  and  to  bring  thee  into  the  place  which  I  have  pre- 
pared. Beware  of  him,  and  obey  his  voice :  provoke  him  not ; 
for  he  will  not  pardon  your  transgressions ;  for  my  name  is  in 
him.  But  if  thou  shalt  indeed  obey  his  voice,  and  do  all  that  I 
speak,  then  I  will  be  an  enemy  unto  thine  enemies ;  and  an  ad- 
versary unto  thine  adversaries.  For  mine  Angel  shall  go  be- 
fore thee,  and  bring  thee  in  unto  the  Amorites,  and  the  Hittites, 
and  the  Perrizzites,  and  the  Canaanites,  and  the  Hivites,  and 
the  Jebusites ;  and  I  will  cut  them  off.  Thou  shalt  not  bow 
down  to  their  gods,  nor  serve  them ;  nor  do  after  their  works ; 
but  thou  shalt  utterly  overthrow  them,  and  quite  break  down 
their  images.  And  ye  shall  serve  the  Lord  your  God,  and  he 
shall  bless  thy  bread,  and  thy  water ;  and  I  will  take  sickness 
away  from  the  midst  of  thee.  There  shall  nothing  cast  their 
young,  nor  be  barren  in  thy  land :  the  number  of  thy  days  I 
will  fulfil.  I  will  send  my  fear  before  thee,  and  will  destroy 
the  people  to  whom  thou  shalt  come.  And  I  will  make  all 
thine  enemies  turn  their  backs  unto  thee.  And  I  will  send  hor- 
nets before  thee,  which  shall  drive  out  the  Hivite,  the  Canaan- 
ite,  and  the  Hittite,  from  before  thee.  I  will  not  drive  them 
out  before  thee  in  one  year,  lest  the  land  become  desolate,  and 
the  beast  of  the  field  multiply  against  thee.  By  little  and  little, 
will  I  drive  them  out  from  before  thee,  until  thou  be  increased 
and  inherit  the  land.  And  I  will  set  thy  bounds  from  the  Red 
Sea,  even  unto  the  sea  of  the  Philistines ;  and  from  the  desert 
unto  the  river ;  for  I  will  deliver  the  inhabitants  of  the  land 
into  your  hand,  and  thou  shalt  drive  them  out  before  thee. 
Thou  shalt  make  no  covenant  with  them,  nor  with  their  gods. 
They  shall  not  dwell  in  thy  land;  lest  they  make  thee  sin 
against  me;  for  if  thou  serve  their  gods  it  will  surely  be  a 
snare  to  thee." 


SECTION  XVI. 

MOSES,  AARON,  NADAE,  AND    ABIHU    CALLED    INTO   THE    MOUNT GLORIOUS    APPEAR- 
ANCE OF  GOD — TABLES  OF   THE  LAW. 

MOSES  was,  after  this,  called  up  into  the  mount,  and  directed 
to  bring  with  him  Aaron  and  his  two  oldest  sons,  Nadab  and 
Abihu,  and  seventy  of  the  elders  of  Israel :  but  these  were  to 
worship  afar  off,  and  Moses  alone  to  come  near  the  Lord.  And 


112  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

Moses  wrote  all  the  words  of  the  Lord.  And  early  in  the 
morning  he  builded  an  altar  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  and 
set  up  twelve  pillars,  according  to  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel. 
"And  he  sent  young  men  of  the  children  of  Israel  who  offered 
burnt-offerings,  and  sacrificed  peace-offerings  of  oxen  unto  the 
Lord."  Some  remarks  have  already  been  made  on  the  exist- 
ence of  priests  in  Israel,  before  the  consecration  of  Aaron,  and 
reference  was  made  to  what  is  here  stated.  We  have  also  here 
a  more  particular  account  than  occurs  before,  of  the  ceremonies 
in  relation  to  the  blood  of  the  sacrifices;  "And  Moses  took 
half  of  the  blood  and  put  it  into  a  basin ;  and  half  of  the  blood 
he  sprinkled  on  the  altar."  Having  committed  to  writing  the 
laws  which  had  been  committed  to  him  by  the  Lord,  and  which 
the  people  had  repeatedly  promised  that  they  would  obey,  he 
now  took  the  book  containing  this  covenant  and  read  it  in  the 
audience  of  the  people.  "And  they  said,  all  that  the  Lord 
hath  said  will  we  do,  and  be  obedient."  And  Moses  took  the 
blood  which  he  had  put  in  basins,  and  sprinkled  it  on  the 
people,  and  said,  "Behold  the  blood  of  the  covenant  which  the 
Lord  hath  made  with  you  concerning  all  these  words."  After 
this  solemn  ratification  of  the  covenant,  Moses,  Aaron,  Nadab, 
and  Abihu,  and  the  seventy  elders  of  Israel,  went  up  on  the 
mount.  "And  they  saw  the  God  of  Israel;  and  there  was 
under  his  feet  as  it  were  a  paved  work  of  a  sapphire-stone,  as 
it  were  the  body  of  heaven  in  its  clearness.  And  upon  the 
nobles  of  Israel  he  laid  not  his  hand :  also  they  saw  God,  and 
did  eat  and  drink."  The  visible  appearance,  on  this  occasion, 
must  have  been  that  of  the  Angel  of  the  Covenant,  the  Son  of 
God,  who  often  appeared  in  the  form  of  a  man ;  and  sometimes, 
as  in  this  instance,  surrounded  with  glory. 

It  was  not  sufficient  that  the  law  of  the  ten  commandments 
should  be  uttered  by  the  voice  of  God,  and  written  by  Moses  in 
the  book  of  the  law,  the  Lord  now  directed  Moses  to  come  up 
to  him  in  the  mount,  and  he  would  give  him  tables  of  stone, 
which  should  contain  the  law  and  commandments.  On  this 
occasion,  Moses  was  accompanied  only  by  Joshua.  "And  he 
said  unto  the  elders  of  Israel,  tarry  ye  here  for  us,  until  we 
come  again  unto  you.  And  behold,  Aaron  and  Hur  are  with 
you :  if  any  man  have  matters  to  do,  let  him  come  unto  them. 
And  Moses  went  up  into  the  mount,  and  a  cloud  covered  the 
mount.  And  the  glory  of  the  Lord  abode  upon  mount  Sinai, 
and  the  cloud  covered  it  six  days :  and  the  seventh  day  he 
called  unto  Moses  out  of  the  midst  of  the  cloud.  And  the 
sight  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord  was  like  devouring  fire  on  the  top 
of  the  mount  in  the  eyes  of  the  children  of  Israel.  And  Moses 
went  into  the  midst  of  the  cloud,  and  gat  him  up  into  the  mount. 
And  Moses  was  in  the  mount  forty  days  and  forty  nights." 


THE   ISRAELITES.  113 


SECTION  XVII. 

OFFERINGS     FOR     THE    TABERNACLE — PATTERN CURTAINS — ALTAR — LAYER — HOLY, 

AND    MOST  HOLY  PLACE,  AND  THEIR  FURNITURE. 

AT  this  time,  directions  were  given  to  Moses  in  relation  to 
offerings  of  gold,  and  silver,  and  brass ;  blue,  and  purpie,  and 
scarlet,  and  fine  linen,  and  goat's  hair,  and  ram's  skins  dyed 
red,  and  badger  skins,  and  shittim  wood;  oil  for  the  light; 
spices  for  anointing  oil,  and  for  sweet  incense,  onyx-stones,  and 
stones  to  be  set  in  the  ephod,  and  in  the  breast-plate,  for  the 
purpose  of  making  a  sanctuary,  or  house  of  worship,  in  which 
God  might,  as  it  were,  dwell  among  them.  The  exact  pattern 
of  this  structure  was  shown  to  Moses  in  the  mount ;  and  he  was 
ordered  to  be  careful  to  make  a  tabernacle,  and  the  instruments 
and  furniture  thereof,  exactly  according  to  the  pattern  which 
he  had  seen.  The  tabernacle  itself  was  directed  to  be  made 
with  boards,  plated  with  silver,  and  inserted  in  sockets;  and 
held  together  by  cross-bars,  and  by  braces  at  the  corners. 
Over  this  frame  several  sets  of  curtains  were  suspended.  The 
first  of  fine  twined  linen,  and  blue,  and  purple,  and  scarlet. 
And  above  these,  another  set  of  curtains,  of  goat's  hair,  eleven 
in  number ;  to  be  a  covering  on  the  tabernacle.  And  as  an 
outer  covering  of  the  whole,  there  was  a  canopy  of  ram  skins 
dyed  red,  and  skins  dyed  blue. 

The  tabernacle  was  to  be  divided  into  two  compartments,  the 
exterior  of  which  was  to  be  twenty  cubits  in  length,  and  ten 
cubits  wide ;  and  the  interior,  which  was  THE  MOST  HOLY  PLACE, 
ten  cubits  square.  The  entrance  into  the  outer  tabernacle,  or 
holy  place,  was  by  an  opening  covered  by  a  thick  impervious 
curtain ;  and  the  separation  between  the  holy  and  most  holy 
place,  was  by  another  curtain  of  most  precious  materials  and 
workmanship.  The  furniture  of  the  exterior  apartment  was, 
first,  the  golden  candlestick  of  pure  beaten  gold,  with  its  seven 
ornamented  branches,  or  stems,  with  their  respective  lamps  and 
oil  vessels.  2.  The  table  of  shew-bread  covered  with  plates  of 
gold,  on  which  twelve  loaves  were  placed  every  Sabbath  morn- 
ing; and  those  were  directed  to  be  eaten  by  the  priests  within 
the  sacred  precincts.  And,  3.  The  golden  altar,  or  altar  of 
incense.  Within  the  inner  veil,  in  the  interior  recess  of  the 
tabernacle,  called  the  most  holy  place,  was  the  ark  of  the  cove- 
nant, a  chest  covered  all  over  with  pure  gold,  the  lid  of  which, 
called  the  mercy-seat,  or  place  of  atonement,  was  a  piece  of 
gold  on  which,  at  each  end,  were  formed  cherubims,  whose  faces 
were  turned  inwards,  towards  the  mercy-seat.  Within  this 
sacred  chest  were  deposited  the  two  tables  of  the  law,  written 
8 


114  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

by  the  finger  of  God — the  pot  of  manna,  and  Aaron's  rod  that 
budded.  The  tabernacle  was  so  constructed,  that  it  could 
readily  be  taken  down,  and  carried  from  place  to  place.  It 
was  situated  within  a  court,  a  hundred  cubits  long,  and  fifty 
broad,  near  the  western  extremity.  This  court  was  every- 
where surrounded  *with  pillars,  'on  which  were  suspended  cur- 
tains, except  in  the  front,  where  was  a  wide  gate,  closed  by  a 
curtail*  In  this  court  was  also  placed  the  altar  of  burnt-offer- 
ings, at  no  great  distance  from  the  entrance  of  the  tabernacle, 
and  between  the  altar  and  the  tabernacle  stood  the  laver,  which 
was  continually  replenished  with  water,  where  the  priests 
washed  their  hands  and  feet,  and  the  pieces  of  the  victims, 
which  were  placed  on  the  altar. 


SECTION  XVIII. 

DESIGNATION  OF    AARON    AND  HIS    SONS  TO    THE  PRIEST'S   OFFICE SACERDOTAL    GAR 

MENTS — MATERIALS  OFFERED    FREELY — WISDOM  GIVEN   TO  EXECUTE   THE  WORK 

AMOUNT  OF  GOLD  AND  SILVER  CONTRIBUTED — WHENCE  OBTAINED. 

As  there  was  now  to  be  a  sacred  edifice  for  the  worship  of  God, 
and  a  great  increase  of  ritual  services,  it  became  necessary  to 
have  a  priesthood  entirely  consecrated  to  this  service.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  whole  tribe  of  Levi  was  selected  to  aid,  as  there 
might  be  occasion,  in  the  religious  services  of  the  tabernacle : 
but  the  family  of  Aaron  who  belonged  to  this  tribe,  were  sanc- 
tified to  be  priests,  of  whom  Aaron  was  chief  priest.  The 
priests  were  consecrated  with  many  ceremonies,  and  a  particu- 
lar costume  was  prescribed  to  them,  which  they  were  bound  to 
wear,  whilst  ministering  in  or  about  the  sanctuary.  The  robes 
of  the  high-priest  were  as  splendid  and  rich  as  the  most  pre- 
cious materials  and  costly  work  could  make  them.  No  prince 
or  potentate  ever  wore  habiliments  more  elegant  and  decorous. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  describe  the  several  parts  of  the  high- 
priest's  dress.  A  good  painting  or  print  will  give  the  reader  a 
clearer  idea  of  it,  than  any  description  which  we  could  give  in 
words.  It  may,  however,  be  satisfactory  to  specify  the  mitre 
and  the  breast-plate.  The  former  was  an  elegant  turban  encir- 
cled with  a  crown,  on  the  front  of  which  was  a  golden  plate, 
inscribed  with  the  words  "HOLINESS  TO  THE  LORD."  The 
breast-plate  was,  however,  the  richest,  most  splendid,  and  most 
important  part  of  the  whole.  In  it  were  inserted  twelve  precious 
stones,  each  of  a  different  species  from  the  rest ;  and  on  each  of 
these  was  inscribed  the  name  of  one  of  the  tribes  of  Israel ;  so 
that  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel  were  engraven  on  these  stones, 
which  were  set  in  ouches  of  gold.  And  on  the  shoulders  where 
the  breast-plate  was  fastened  to  the  other  parts  of  the  dress, 


THE   ISRAELITES.  115 

there  were  two  clasps  containing  two  very  large  stones  of  the 
most  valuable  kind,  on  which  also  were  inscribed  the  names  of 
the  twelve  tribes;  six  on  the  one,  and  six  on  the  other.  The 
high-priest  wore  this  precious  and  splendid  dress,  when  he  min- 
istered in  the  tabernacle,  except  when  he  officiated  on  the  day 
of  atonement,  on  which  occasion  he  put  on  what  were  called  the 
linen  garments,  which  he  wore  in  common  with  the  other 
priests. 

The  offerings  requisite  for  the  costly  edifice  now  erected, 
and  for  all  the  furniture  of  the  court,  and  the  tabernacle,  and 
for  the  garments  of  the  priests,  were  made  voluntarily  by  the 
people,  not  grudgingly,  but  willingly,  and  with  so  much  liberal- 
ity, that  it  became  necessary  for  Moses  to  make  proclamation, 
that  materials  sufficient  for  the  whole  work  were  already  in 
hand,  and  to  request  the  people  to  withhold  their  hands,  and 
bring  no  more  offerings. 

There  were  also  men  inspired  with  wisdom  and  ingenuity  by 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  to  know  how  to  work  all  manner  of 
work  for  the  service  of  the  sanctuary.  The  chief  of  these  wise- 
hearted  men  were  Bezaleel  and  Aholiab,  to  whom  the  execution 
of  the  whole  work  was  committed.  There  were  also  wise- 
hearted  women,  "  who  did  spin  with  their  hands,  and  brought 
that  which  they  had  spun  both  of  blue,  and  of  purple,  and  of 
scarlet,  and  of  fine  linen."  And  others  spun  goats'  hair;  and 
to  make  the  laver,  the  women  gave  up  their  brazen  mirrors. 
Thus  "  the  children  of  Israel  brought  a  willing  offering  unto 
the  Lord ;  every  man  and  woman  whose  heart  made  them  wil- 
ling to  bring  for  all  manner  of  work,  which  the  Lord  had  com- 
manded to  be  made  by  the  hand  of  Moses." 

The  whole  amount  of  gold  used  in  the  structure  of  the  taber- 
nacle was  twenty  and  nine  talents,  and  seven  hundred  and 
thirty  shekels :  and  the  silver,  an  hundred  talents,  and  a  thou- 
sand seven  hundred  and  seventy-five  shekels.  It  has  some- 
times been  inquired,  whence  had  the  Israelites,  who  had  just 
come  out  of  the  oppressive  bondage  of  Egypt,  resources  to  sup- 
ply so  much  gold  and  silver  and  other  precious  materials,  for 
the  building  of  the  tabernacle  ?  To  which  it  may  be  replied, 
that  some  of  them,  especially  the  descendants  of  Joseph,  were 
rich,  for  we  do  not  read  that  their  property  was  taken  away  by 
the  Egyptians.  Again,  they  received  large  quantities  of  gold 
and  silver  from  the  Egyptians  the  night  on  which  they  forsook 
Egypt,  as  has  been  before  related ;  and  it  is  exceedingly  pro- 
bable that  they  found  great  spoils  at  the  Red  Sea ;  for  the 
bodies  of  the  Egyptians  were  washed  on  shore ;  and  the  Israel- 
ites were  thus  enriched  by  their  enemies,  in  more  ways  than 
one. 


116  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 


SECTION  XIX. 

ERECTION  OF  THE  TABERNACLE LAWS  RESPECTING  SACRIFICES  AND  OFFERINGS — SIN- 
OFFERINGS — UNBLOODY  SACRIFICES — DRINK-OFFERINGS — FLOUR-OFFERINGS. 

THE  erection  of  the  tabernacle  took  place  in  the  first  month  of 
the  second  year,  and  first  day  of  the  month,  after  they  left 
Egypt.  When  the  tabernacle  was  reared  up,  and  all  its  furni- 
ture disposed  in  its  proper  place,  "  the  cloud  covered  the  tent 
of  the  congregation ;  AND  THE  GLORY  OF  THE  LORD  FILLED  THE 
TABERNACLE.  And  when  the  cloud  was  taken  up  from  over 
the  tabernacle,  the  children  of  Israel  went  onwards  in  all  their 
journeys.  But  if  the  cloud  were  not  taken  up,  then  they  jour- 
neyed not,  till  the  day  that  it  was  taken  up.  For  the  cloud  of 
the  Lord  was  upon  the  tabernacle  by  day,  and  a  fire  was  on  it 
by  night,  in  the  sight  of  all  the  house  of  Israel,  throughout  all 
their  journeys." 

The  laws  now  given  respecting  sacrifices,  offerings  and  various 
other  things,  were  exceedingly  numerous,  and  need  not  be  re- 
cited in  detail.  Some  general  remarks,  together  with  a  notice 
of  some  remarkable  statutes  and  ordinances,  will  be  sufficient 
for  our  purpose. 

The  earliest  kind  of  sacrifice  of  which  we  have  any  account, 
was  the  burnt-offering,  which  might  be  of  the  herd  or  of  the 
flock ;  or  in  case  of  poverty,  doves  or  pigeons.  The  ceremonies 
used  in  this  sacrifice,  were  the  following :  the  animal,  of  what- 
ever kind,  whether  of  the  herd  or  flock,  was  required  to  be  a 
male,  and  without  blemish.  The  place  of  making  the  offering 
was  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle.  The  person  making  it  did  it 
"of  his  own  voluntary  will,"  and  when  the  animal  was  pre- 
sented, the  offerer  put  his  hand  upon  the  head  of  the  burnt- 
offering,  and  it  was  accepted  from  him,  "to  make  an  atonement 
for  him."  When  the  bullock  or  the  lamb,  was  killed  by  the  per- 
son presenting  him,  and  the  officiating  priests  caught  the  blood, 
and  brought  it  and  sprinkled  it  round  the  altar.  The  animal 
was  then  skinned,  and  cut  in  pieces;  and  the  priests  having 
kindled  a  fire  on  the-  altar,  placed  the  pieces  in  order  on  the 
wood,  and  the  whole  was  consumed ;  the  inwards  and  legs  were, 
however,  first  carefully  washed  in  water.  This  was  called,  "  an 
offering  made  by  fire,  a  sweet  savour  unto  the  Lord."  The 
place  of  slaying  the  burnt-offering  was  on  the  north  side  of  the 
altar. 

The  next  sacrifice,  which  was  in  use  before  the  time  of  Moses, 
was  the  peace-offering.  Of  these,  the  only  part  burnt  on  the 
altar  was  the  fat ;  the  breast  and  the  right  shoulder  were  waved 
or  heaved  before  the  Lord,  and  belonged  to  the  officiating 


THE   ISKAELITES.  117 

priests,  by  means  of  which  they  received  a  large  part  of  their 
support.  The  remainder  of  the  peace-offering  was  for  the  use 
of  the  offerer,  who  made  a  feast  upon  the  same,  and  eat  it  within 
the  sacred  precincts  of  the  courts  of  the  Lord,  where  there  were 
conveniences  for  cooking,  and  rooms  in  which  families  and  select 
companies  might  meet.  The  peace-offering  might  be  male  or 
female,  of  the  flock  or  the  herd. 

The  sin-offering  and  trespass-offering  are  treated  of  distinctly 
in  the  law,  but  in  what  the  difference  between  them  consisted  it 
is  not  now  easy  to  say,  except  that  the  former  was  in  some  cases 
offered  for  the  whole  congregation ;  the  latter  only  for  private 
persons.  It  will  be  sufficient,  therefore,  to  give  a  brief  descrip- 
tion of  the  sin-offering. 

When  the  priest  himself  sinned,  he  was  required  to  offer  a 
young  bullock,  without  blemish,  for  a  sin-offering ;  and  he  was 
to  bring  the  animal  before  the  Lord,  that  is,  to  the  door  of  the 
tabernacle,  and  lay  his  hand  upon  his  head,  and  there  kill  him ; 
the  officiating  priest  then  received  the  blood,  and  dipped  his 
finger  into  it,  and  sprinkled  it  seven  times  before  the  Lord,  be- 
fore the  veil  of  the  sanctuary,  and  also  put  some  of  the  blood 
on  the  horns  of  the  altar  of  incense,  and  poured  the  remainder 
of  the  blood  at  the  bottom  of  the  altar.  The  fat  was  burnt 
upon  the  altar,  as  in  the  case  of  the  peace-offerings,  but  the 
skin  and  the  flesh,  and  other  appurtenances  of  the  bullock,  were 
not  burnt  upon  the  altar,  but  carried  out  to  a  clean  place,  en- 
tirely Avithout  the  camp,  and  there  burnt. 

When  a  sin-offering  was  made  for  the  whole  congregation,  the 
ceremonies  were  the  same  as  now  described,  except  that  the 
elders  of  the  congregation  laid  their  hands  on  the  head  of  the 
sacrifice. 

The  sin-offering  of  a  ruler  of  the  people  was  different.  He 
was  required  to  bring  before  the  Lord  a  kid  of  the  goats,  a  male, 
and  the  blood  was  put  on  the  horns  of  the  altar  of  burnt-offer- 
ings. And  the  sin-offering  of  one  of  the  common  people  differed 
in  nothing  from  that  of  the  ruler,  except  that  the  animal  offered 
was  to  be  a  female,  instead  of  a  male.  In  every  case,  this 
offering  was  made  on  account  of  some  sin  committed,  of  which 
the  offerer  was  conscious :  and  when  he  presented  his  sacrifice 
he  laid  his  hands  upon  its  head,  and  made  confession  of  his  sin ; 
and  the  priest  by  sprinkling  the  blood  on  the  altar,  made  an 
atonement  for  him,  and  his  sins  were  forgiven. 

In  regard  to  the  trespass-offering,  the  law  provided,  that  when 
the  offerer  was  too  poor  to  bring  a  lamb  or  a  kid,  he  might  pre- 
sent two  turtle  doves,  or  two  young  pigeons ;  or  if  he  was  un- 
able to  provide  even  these,  he  might  bring  the  tenth  part  of  an 
ephah  of  fine  flour,  on  which  no  oil  or  frankincense  was  to  be 


118  HISTORY  OF   THE    ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

placed :  and  the  priest  burned  a  portion  of  this  offering  on  the 
altar,  and  the  remainder  fell  to  him. 

But  when  a  man  sinned  in  relation  to  the  holy  things  of  the 
Lord,  he  was  required  to  make  amends  for  the  injury  in  the 
holy  thing,  and  to  add  a  fifth ;  and  to  make  an  atonement  for 
his  offence,  he  was  to  bring  a  ram  for  a  trespass-offering. 

Besides  these  bloody  sacrifices  there  were  prescribed  various 
offerings  of  the  fruits  of  the  earth.  These  commonly  consisted 
of  fine  flour,  on  which  frankincense  was  poured,  and  also  oil. 
The  officiating  priest  took  a  handful  of  this  flour,  thus  prepared, 
and  burnt  it  upon  the  altar,  for  a  memorial.  This  was  an  offer- 
ing made  by  fire,  of  a  sweet  savour  unto  the  Lord.  Every 
offering  of  flour  was  seasoned  with  salt ;  but  neither  leaven  nor 
honey  were  ever  permitted  to  be  mingled  with  these  offerings. 
Sometimes,  the  flour  was  baked  in  a  pan,  or  formed  into  cakes ; 
the  ceremonies  were  in  this  case  the  same  as  before.  The  priest 
burnt  a  handful  on  the  altar,  and  the  remainder  was  allotted  as 
a  compensation  unto  him.  These  offerings  of  flour  or  cakes 
often  accompanied  the  sacrifices,  epecially  the  peace-offering. 
The  offerings  of  flour,  baked  and  unbaked,  which  the  law  en- 
joined, are,  in  our  version,  called  meat-offerings,  which,  as  the 
word  meat  is  now  commonly  understood,  is  wrong ;  they  should 
be  denominated  bread-offerings,  flour-offerings,  or  grain-offer- 
ings. They  never  consisted  of  the  flesh  of  animals. 

Drink-offerings  of  wine,  also  accompanied  the  various  animal 
sacrifices;  the  quantity  poured  out  being  answerable  to  the 
size  of  the  sacrifice. 


SECTION  XX. 

CONSECRATION    OF    THE    PRIESTS    AND   LEVITES — HOLT  FIRE. 

AARON  and  his  sons  were  consecrated  to  the  priest's  office  with 
many  solemn  ceremonies.  The  whole  congregation  was  assem- 
bled at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle;  and  Moses  washed  Aaron 
and  his  sons  with  water;  and  put  on  them  their  sacerdotal 
robes ;  and  then  anointed  them  with  the  holy  oil ;  and  he  also 
anointed  with  the  same 'the  tabernacle  and  all  its  furniture,  and 
the  altar  and  all  its  vessels,  and  the  laver  and  its  foot,  and 
sprinkled  a  portion  of  it  on  the  altar  seven  times.  Then 
Aaron  and  his  sons  put  their  hands  on  the  head  of  the  bullock 
for  a  sin-offering,  and  slew  it ;  and  Moses  took  the  blood  and 
put  it  on  the  horns  of  the  altar,  and  poured  the  blood  at  the 
bottom  of  the  altar.  And  he  took  all  the  fat  of  the  inwards 
and  burned  it  on  the  altar,  with  the  liver  and  the  two  kidneys ; 
and  burnt  the  flesh  and  skin  and  other  appurtenances  without 
the  camp,  as  in  the  case  of  other  sin-offerings.  Then  Aaron 


THE   ISRAELITES.  119 

and  his  sons  put  their  hands  on  the  head  of  the  ram  for  the 
burnt-offering,  and  killed  it,  and  Moses  sprinkled  the  blood 
upon  the  altar,  round  about ;  and  he  burnt  the  head  and  the 
fat,  and  the  legs  upon  the  altar. 

Next,  Aaron  and  his  sons  laid  their  hands  upon  its  head, 
and  slew  it ;  and  Moses  took  of  the  blood  and  put  it  on  the  tip 
of  Aaron's  right  ear,  and  upon  the  thumb  of  his  right  hand, 
and  upon  the  great  toe  of  the  right  foot :  and  did  the  same  to 
his  sons.  Aaron  then  waved  the  shoulder  of  the  sacrifice, 
together  with  the  fat,  and  unleavened  bread,  which  when  it  was 
done,  Moses  received  them  from  the  hand  of  Aaron  and  his 
sons,  and  burnt  them  on  the  altar :  but  the  breast  he  waved 
before  the  Lord,  but  did  not  burn  it,  but  reserved  it  for  him- 
self, as  being  the  portion  of  the  officiating  minister.  And 
again,  Moses  took  of  the  blood  and  the  anointing  oil,  and 
sprinkled  it  on  Aaron  and  his  sons,  and  on  their  garments. 
After  these  solemn  ceremonies,  Aaron  and  his  sons  were  for- 
bidden to  go  out  of  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  for  seven  days, 
when  the  period  of  their  consecration  would  be  ended. 

On  the  eighth  day,  Aaron  and  his  sons  entered  on  the  public 
duties  of  the  sacerdotal  office,  by  sacrificing  a  young  calf  for  a 
sin-offering,  and  a  ram  for  a  burnt-offering.  And  the  people 
were  commanded  to  bring  a  kid  for  a  sin-offering,  and  a  calf 
and  lamb  for  a  burnt-offering ;  also  a  bullock  and  a  ram  for 
peace-offerings;  and  an  offering  of  flour  mingled  with  oil. 
These  sacrifices  were  intended  as  a  preparation  for  the  manifes- 
tation of  the  divine  presence  which  was  about  to  take  place. 
These  also  Aaron  offered  for  himself  and  sons,  and  for  the  peo- 
ple, and  put  the  blood  upon  the  horns  of  the  altar,  and  poured 
out  the  remainder  at  the  bottom  of  the  altar,  and  with  the 
other  ceremonies  appropriate  to  each  kind  of  sacrifice.  When 
these  offerings  were  completed,  Aaron,  as  being  now  fully 
invested  with  the  office  of  high-priest,  "lifted  up  his  hands 
towards  the  people,  and  blessed  them."  After  which  Moses 
and  Aaron  went  into  the  tabernacle,  and  when  they  came  out, 
they  again  blessed  the  people :  and  THE  GLORY  OF  THE  LORD 
appeared  unto  all  the  people.  And  fire  came  out  from  before 
the  Lord,  and  consumed  the  burnt-offering  on  the  altar,  and 
the  fat  of  the  other  sacrifices.  "And  when  the  people  saw  it, 
they  shouted  and  fell  on  their  faces." 

This  fire,  thus  kindled,  was  to  be  kept  alive,  and  never  to  be 
suffered  to  go  out ;  and  all  offerings  made  by  fire,  whether  on 
the  altar  of  burnt-offerings,  or  on  the  altar  of  incense,  must  be 
made  by  the  holy  fire  on  the  altar. 


120  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 


SECTION  XXI. 

THE   SIN    AND    FEARFUL   PUNISHMENT  OF    AARON'S  ELDEST  SONS. 

NADAB  and  Abihu,  the  oldest  sons  of  Aaron,  who  had  just  been 
•with  him  consecrated  to  the  priest's  office,  and  one  of  whom 
would  doubtless  have  been  his  successor  in  the  office  of  high- 
priest,  regardless  of  the  commandments  of  the  Lord,  and  pro- 
bably elated  with  the  distinction  which  they  had  received,  took 
their  censors,  and  put  common  fire  therein,  and  offered  strange 
fire  before  the  Lord,  instead  of  the  holy  fire  from  the  altar. 
"And  there  went  out  fire  from  the  Lord  and  devoured  them; 
and  they  died  before  the  Lord."  Moses,  upon  this  manifes- 
tation of  the  divine  displeasure,  spoke  to  Aaron  and  said,  "This 
is  that  the  Lord  spake,  saying,  I  will  be  sanctified  in  them  that 
come  nigh  me,  and  before  all  the  people  I  will  be  glorified." 
This  was  indeed  a  heavy  affliction  and  sore  trial  to  Aaron ;  but 
he  behaved  himself  as  became  a  saint,  for  he  "held  his  peace." 
Moses  directed  that  the  bodies  of  these  men  should  be  taken 
away  from  the  sanctuary,  out  of  the  camp.  He  then  forbid 
Aaron  and  his  remaining  sons,  Eleazar  and  Ithamar,  to  make 
any  of  the  usual  expressions  of  grief,  such  as  uncovering  or 
making  bald  the  head,  and  rending  their  garments,  lest  they 
should  die;  "but,"  said  he,  "let  your  brethren  the  whole  house 
of  Israel  bewail  the  burning  which  the  Lord  hath  kindled. 
And  ye  shall  not  go  out  from  the  door  of  the  tabernacle;  for 
the  anointing  oil  of  the  Lord  is  upon  you." 

It  is  not  an  improbable  conjecture,  that  these  young  men  had 
made  too  free  a  use  of  wine,  and  that  intoxication  might  have 
been  the  occasion  of  their  sin ;  for  in  the  very  next  precept 
which  was  delivered,  it  is  enjoined,  "Do  not  drink  wine  nor 
strong  drink,  thou,  nor  thy  sons  with  thee,  when  ye  go  into  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation,  lest  ye  die.  It  shall  be  a  sta- 
tute, for  ever,  throughout  your  generations ;  and  that  ye  may 
put  a  difference  between  holy  and  unholy;  and  between  unclean 
and  clean ;  and  that  ye  may  teach  the  children  of  Israel  all  the 
statutes  which  the  Lord  hath  spoken  unto  them." 

Moses  became  more  exact  in  looking  into  the  conduct  of 
Aaron  and  his  remaining  sons ;  and  gave  them  special  directions 
what  offerings  were  to  be  eaten  in  the  courts  of  the  Lord.  And 
after  scrutiny,  finding  that  the  kid  of  the  people  for  a  sin-offer- 
ing had  been  burnt,  instead  of  being  eaten  by  the  priests,  as 
had  been  commanded  in  regard  to  this  particular  sin-offering, 
contrary  to  the  custom  in  other  cases  of  the  sin-offering,  he  was 
displeased  with  Aaron,  Eleazar,  and  Ithamar,  and  said,  "  where- 
fore have  ye  not  eaten  the  sin-offering  in  the  holy  place  ?  Be- 


THE   ISRAELITES.  121 

hold  the  blood  of  it  was  not  brought  in  within  the  holy  place ; 
ye  should  indeed  have  eaten  it  in  the  holy  place."  But  Aaron 
excused  himself  on  account  of  some  impurity  contracted  by  ac- 
cident; which  rendered  it  unsuitable  that  he  should  partake  of 
what  was  so  holy.  When  Moses  heard  this  he  was  satisfied. 


SECTION  XXII. 

CLEAN   AND   UNCLEAN   ANIMALS — LEPROSY,    LAWS   EESPECTING    IT. 

THE  distinction  between  clean  and  unclean  animals  existed  an- 
terior to  the  deluge ;  for  we  find  it  made  the  ground  of  a  great 
difference  in  the  number  of  each  admitted  into  the  ark ;  and 
there  can  be  little  doubt,  but  that  this  distinction  originated 
with  the  divine  institution  of  sacrifices.  Those  animals  which, 
according  to  the  primitive  institute,  might  be  offered  in  sacri- 
fice, were  considered  clean,  and  all  others  unclean.  And  this 
does  not  exclude  the  idea  that  the  former  were  better  suited  for 
human  food  than  the  latter ;  for  the  selection  of  certain  species 
for  sacrifice  may  have  been  made  with  some  reference  to  this 
very  thing.  It  is  true,  that  sacrifices  were  only  offered  from 
the  herd  and  the  flock,  and  one  species  of  birds ;  but  the  ob- 
vious reason  was,  that  other  clean  animals  were  wild  and  could 
not  always  be  had,  when  any  particular  sacrifice  was  required 
to  be  offered. 

In  the  Levitical  law,  all  unclean  animals  are  prohibited  as 
articles  of  food ;  and  all  clean  animals  are  allowed.  In  regard 
to  quadrupeds,  the  rule  of  distinction  was,  that  all  animals,  both 
dividing  the  hoof  and  chewing  the  cud,  are  clean,  and  might  be 
used  as  food ;  all  other  quadrupeds  were  prohibited,  as  unclean. 
In  regard  to  birds,  there  were  no  clearly  marked  criteria,  where- 
by the  clean  and  unclean  were  distinguished,  the  law  therefore 
contains  an  enumeration  of  the  species  which  were  unclean. 

In  regard  to  fishes,  the  criteria  were  as  distinct  as  of  quadru- 
peds. Those  animals,  in  the  water,  which  were  furnished  both 
with  fins  and  scales  might  be  eaten,  but  all  others  were  unclean. 

Insects,  and  all  creeping  things,  in  general,  were  prohibited ; 
yet  some  few  species  were  allowed  to  be  used  as  food. 

As  this  distinction  of  clean  and  unclean  animals  originated 
with  the  institution  of  sacrifices,  it  ceased  when  they  were  ab- 
rogated; and  now  nothing  is  "common  or  unclean;"  although, 
some  animals  are  much  better  adapted  for  human  food  than 
others;  and  generally  those  animals  are  most  used  for  food, 
which,  according  to  the  ritual  law,  were  reckoned  clean.  Some 
animals  are  said  to  be  very  unsuitable  for  food  in  one  climate 
and  country,  which  may  be  eaten  without  inconvenience  in  an- 


122  HISTORY   OF  THE    ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

other  country,  where  the  climate  is  different.  Thus  in  the  hot 
countries  of  Asia,  particularly  in  the  sandy  regions  of  Arabia, 
where  cutaneous  diseases  are  frequent,  and  of  a  malignant  kind, 
it  has  been  thought,  that  the  flesh  of  swine  is  very  unfavour- 
able to  health. 

The  leprosy  was  a  disease  of  so  impure,  and  probably,  also 
contagious  a  nature,  that  persons  infected  with  it  were  carefully 
separated  from  the  rest  of  the  people ;  and  as  some  skill  was 
requisite  to  distinguish  this  foul  disease,  in  its  incipient  state, 
from  other  cutaneous  diseases  of  a  less  noxious  kind,  this  whole 
matter  was  committed  to  the  priests,  who  were  authorized  to  de- 
termine when  it  was  proper  for  any  one  to  be  sent  out  of  the 
camp,  on  the  account  of  the  leprosy ;  and  when  the  cure  was  so 
complete,  that  the  leper  might  be  again  restored  to  the  society 
of  his  friends.  And  when  a  leper  was  pronounced  clean,  there 
were  certain  things  required  of  him,  which  might  on  no  account 
be  neglected.  The  signs  by  which  the  leprosy  might  be  dis- 
tinguished are  particularly  laid  down  in  the  13th  chapter  of 
Leviticus ;  and  the  ceremonies  to  be  used  when  the  priest  pro- 
nounced a  leper  clean,  are  as  particularly  detailed  in  the  14th 
chapter  of  the  same  book. 

Rules  are  also  given  for  detecting  a  cankerous,  consuming  dis- 
order, analogous  to  the  leprosy  in  man,  which  invaded  and 
destroyed  garments  and  houses,  in  that  climate. 


SECTION  XXIII. 

LAWS   OF   PCKITY   AND   HEALTH. 

A  WOMAN,  after  childbirth,  was  reckoned  unclean  for  one  week, 
if  she  had  given  birth  to  a  male ;  for  two  weeks  when  a  female ; 
but  for  her  complete  purification,  one  month  must  elapse  in  the 
former,  and  two  months  in  the  latter  case.  After  which,  it  was 
prescribed,  that  she  should  offer  a  lamb  for  a  burnt-offering, 
and  a  young  pigeon  or  turtle  dove  for  a  sin-offering :  but  in 
case  of  such  poverty  as  rendered  the  offering  of  a  lamb  imprac- 
ticable or  inconvenient;  the  law  was  fulfilled  by  two  turtle 
doves,  or  two  young  pigeons ;  the  one  for  a  burnt-offering  and 
the  other  for  a  sin-offering.  It  may  not  be  improper  here  to 
remark,  that  the  Virgin  Mary,  the  blessed  mother  of  our  Lord, 
was  so  poor,  that  she  was  able  only  to  make  the  offering  of  two 
turtle-doves. 

Laws  were  also  ordained,  declaring  that  all  running  issues, 
and  impure  discharges,  rendered  the  subjects  of  them  unclean, 
and  showing  how  they  were  to  be  purified. 

No  ceremonial  uncleanness,  however,  was  so  great  as  that 


THE  ISRAELITES.  123 

contracted  by  touching  a  dead  body ;  or  a  bone,  or  the  grave  of 
a  human  being.  Whoever,  however  necessarily,  or  accidentally, 
touched  the  dead  body  of  a  man,  was  unclean  for  seven  days ; 
and  in  order  that  he  might  be  clean,  at  the  end  of  this  period 
he  was  required  to  purify  himself  on  the  third  day,  and  on  the 
seventh.  Whoever  was  defiled  by  the  touch  of  a  dead  body, 
and  entered  the  sacred  enclosure  without  purification,  defiled  the 
tabernacle  of  the  Lord,  and  exposed  himself  to  the  punishment 
of  excision.  The  death  of  any  person  in  a  tent  rendered  all 
who  were  present  unclean,  for  seven  days;  and  not  only  the 
persons  but  the  vessels  in  the  tent  were  unclean.  It  is  difficult 
to  account  for  the  rigour  of  this  ceremonial  law.  It  probably 
had  its  origin  in  the  necessity  of  counteracting  some  supersti- 
tion respecting  the  relics  of  the  deceased,  which  is  not  now 
known.  Certainly,  the  shameful  superstition  of  Christians  in. 
relation  to  relics,  would  render  any  regulation  important  which 
would  have  had  the  effect  of  putting  an  end  to  it. 

The  method  of  purifying  those  rendered  unclean  by  the  touch 
of  a  dead  body  was  singular.  A  red  heifer  on  whose  neck  the 
yoke  had  never  come,  was  slain  by  the  priest,  and  her  blood 
sprinkled  seven  times  towards  the  tabernacle.  Then  one  took 
the  heifer  and  burnt  her  wholly  in  the  presence  of  the  priests, 
who  took  cedar-wood,  and  hyssop,  and  scarlet,  and  cast  it  into  the 
midst  of  the  burning  of  the  heifer.  The  priest  then  washed  his 
clothes  and  bathed  his  flesh,  and  was  unclean  until  the  even. 
Next,  a  man  who  was  clean  gathered  up  the  ashes  of  the  heifer, 
and  laid  them  up  without  the  camp,  in  a  clean  place;  and  then 
it  was  to  be  kept  for  the  people,  as  "  a  water  of  separation,"  "a 
purification  from  sin."  Whoever  then  was  defiled  by  a  dead 
body  was  purified  by  putting  some  of  the  ashes  of  the  heifer 
into  a  vessel  of  running  water,  which  a  clean  person  sprinkled 
with  a  bunch  of  hyssop  on  the  unclean  person ;  or,  on  the  tent 
and  its  furniture ;  and  on  the  seventh  day  the  man  was  to  purify 
himself  and  wash  his  clothes,  and  bathe  himself  in  water,  and 
at  even  he  should  be  clean. 

Another  extraordinary  law  in  the  Mosaic  code  was  that  rela- 
tive to  the  woman  suspected  of  adultery  by  a  jealous  husband. 
A  potion,  called  bitter  water,  was,  after  much  solemn  ceremony, 
given  to  the  suspected  wife  to  drink,  by  the  priest ;  the  effect  of 
which,  if  she  was  guilty,  was,  that  her  body  swelled  in  an  extra- 
ordinary manner,  and  the  woman,  according  to  the  awful  de- 
nunciation of  the  priest,  became  a  curse  among  her  people. 
But  if  she  was  innocent,  no  such  effects  ensued.  The  whole 
ceremonial  of  this  appalling  transaction  may  be  read  in  the  5th 
chapter  of  Numbers;  but  these  ceremonies  the  Jewish  rabbies 
multiplied  tenfold. 


124  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 


SECTION  XXIV. 

THE   VOW   OF   THE   NAZAEITE. 

ANY  persons  who  chose  might  take  upon  themselves  the  vow  of 
the  Nazarite,  "to  separate  themselves  unto  the  Lord."  The 
person  thus  separated,  was  bound  to  drink  no  wine,  nor  strong 
drink,  nor  vinegar  of  wine,  or  of  strong  drink ;  nor  to  drink 
any  liquor  formed  from  grapes;  nor  to  eat  grapes,  moist  or 
dried;  nor,  indeed,  any  thing  from  the  vine  tree,  from  the  ker- 
nel to  the  husk.  All  the  days  of  his  separation,  no  razor  was 
to  come  upon  his  head,  but  he  was  to  let  the  locks  of  his  hair 
grow.  And  during  his  separation  he  was  carefully  to  avoid  the 
touch  of  a  dead  body ;  and  even  if  his  father,  mother,  brother, 
or  sister,  should  die  in  the  time,  he  was  not  to  touch  their 
bodies.  But  if  any  one  happened  to  die  suddenly  by  him,  then 
he  was  required  to  shave  his  head  on  the  seventh  day,  and  on 
the  eighth  day  to  offer  two  turtles  or  two  young  pigeons,  the 
one  for  a  burnt-oifering,  and  the  other  for  a  sin-offering,  and 
thus  make  an  atonement  for  him  that  had  sinned  by  the  dead, 
and  hallow  his  head  that  same  day.  And  he  shall  conse- 
crate unto  the  Lord  the  day  of  his  separation,  and  shall  bring 
a  lamb  for  a  trespass-offering ;  but  the  days  that  were  before 
shall  be  lost,  because  his  separation  was  defiled.  And  when 
the  days  of  his  separation  are  fulfilled,  he  shall  be  brought  unto 
the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation,  and  he  shall 
offer  one  male  lamb  for  a  burnt-offering,  and  a  female  lamb  for 
a  sin-offering ;  and  a  ram  for  a  peace-offering ;  and  the  usual 
offerings  of  flour,  oil,  and  wine,  the  accompaniments  of  the 
aforesaid  sacrifices;  "and  the  Nazarite  shall  shave  the  head  of 
his  separation  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation, 
and  shall  take  the  hair  of  the  head  of  his  separation,  and  put  it 
in  the  fire  which  is  under  the  sacrifice  of  the  peace-offerings." 
And  the  priest  took  the  shoulder  of  the  ram,  and  unleavened 
cakes,  and  put  them  on  the  head  of  the  Nazarite  after  his  hair 
was  shaven,  and  the  priest  waved  them  for  a  wave-offering 
before  the  Lord.  When  this  ceremony  was  ended,  then  the 
Nazarite  might  drink  wine. 

There  were,  however,  Nazarites  who  became  such  by  the  vow 
of  their  parents,  before  they  were  born,  as  Sampson.  These 
abstained  from  wine  and  strong  drink  all  their  lives,  and  suffered 
their  hair  to  grow,  without  being  shorn  or  shaven. 


THE   ISRAELITES.  125 


SECTION  XXV. 

GREAT  DAT   OF   ATONEMENT. 

THE  only  service  performed  in  the  interior  recess  of  the  taber- 
nacle, called  THE  MOST  HOLY  PLACE,  was  on  the  tenth  day  of  the 
seventh  month,  which  was,  "THE  DAY  OF  ATONEMENT,"  a  day  ot 
humiliation  and  fasting ;  for,  although  the  word  for  fasting  is 
not  found  here,  nor  in  the  whole  Pentateuch,  yet  the  Jews  have 
ever  understood,  that  this  "  afflicting  of  the  soul"  was  by  fasting ; 
and,  therefore,  this  day  obtained  the  name  of  THE  FAST;  as 
being  the  only  day  of  this  kind  prescribed  in  the  law.  On  this 
interesting  day,  the  high-priest  himself  officiated;  and  to  pre- 
pare himself  for  his  work,  which  was  not  only  solemn,  but  diffi- 
cult and  laborious,  he  prepared  himself  for  several  days  before ; 
and  in  the  morning  of  this  day,  he  put  on  his  linen  garments, 
after  bathing  himself  in  water.  Then  he  took  a  bullock  for  a 
sin-offering,  and  a  ram  for  a  burnt-offering.  He  took  also  two 
goats,  and  presented  them  before  the  Lord,  at  the  door  of  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation.  And  he  cast  lots  on  the  two 
goats;  one  lot  for  the  Lord,  and  the  other  for  azazel,  rendered 
scape-goat,  in  our  version.  The  goat  on  which  the  Lord's  lot 
fell,  was  to  be  offered  as  a  sin-offering  unto  the  Lord ;  but  the 
scape-goat  he  presented  alive  before  the  Lord,  to  make  an  atone- 
ment with  him,  and  to  let  him  go  for  a  scape-goat  into  the  wil- 
derness. And  the  high-priest  took  the  bullock  which  was  for  a 
sin-offering  for  himself  and  his  house,  and  slew  it.  And  he  took 
a  censor  full  of  burning  coals  of  fire,  from  off  the  altar  before 
before  the  Lord,  and  his  hands  full  of  sweet  incense  beaten 
small,  and  brought  it  within  the  inner  veil,  into  the  Most  Holy 
Place.  And  he  put  the  incense  on  the  coals  of  fire  on  the  cen- 
ser before  the  Lord,  that  the  cloud  of  incense  might  cover  the 
mercy-seat,  that  was  over  the  ark  of  the  testimony,  that  he 
might  not  die.  Then  the  high-priest  took  of  the  blood  of  the 
bullock,  and  sprinkled  it  with  his  finger  upon  the  mercy-seat 
eastward ;  and  before  the  mercy-seat  he  sprinkled  of  the  blood 
with  his  finger,  seven  times. 

Having  completed  this  solemn  service,  on  his  first  entering 
the  Most  Holy  Place,  he  returned  and  slew  the  goat  which  was 
for  a  sin-offering  for  the  people,  and  carried  its  blood  within  the 
vail,  and  sprinkled  that  after  the  same  manner,  as  the  blood  of 
the  bullock.  And  this  sin-offering  was  intended  to  be  "  an  atone- 
ment for  the  holy  place,  because  of  the  uncleanness  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  and  because  of  their  transgressions  in  all  their 
sins."  While  the  high-priest  entered  within  the  vail,  no  man 
was  permitted  to  be  in  the  other  part  of  the  tabernacle,  until  he 


126  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

returned.  When  this  part  of  the  service  was  finished,  he  went 
out,  and  sprinkled  of  the  blood  of  the  bullock  and  of  the  goat 
upon  the  horns  of  the  altar  seven  times,  "  to  hallow  and  cleanse 
it  from  the  uncleanness  of  the  children  of  Israel."  Then  the 
high-priest  took  the  live  goat,  and  laid  both  his  hands  upon  its 
head,  and  confessed  over  him  all  the  iniquities  of  the  children  of 
Israel,  and  all  their  transgressions  in  all  their  sins,  and  putting 
them  on  the  head  of  the  goat,  sent  him  away  by  a  fit  man  into 
the  wilderness.  "And  the  goat  shall  bear  upon  him  all  their  ini- 
quities, unto  a  land  not  inhabited.  And  he  shall  let  go  the  goat 
in  the  wilderness."  The  high-priest,  when  he  completed  the 
work  of  atonement,  changed  his  garments,  laying  aside  those  in 
which  he  had  administered  in  this  solemn  service,  he  washed  his 
flesh,  and  put  on  his  official  robes,  which  he  usually  wore  in  the 
tabernacle,  and  came  and  offered  the  burnt-offerings  for  himself 
and  for  the  people.  But  the  bodies  of  the  sin-offerings,  whose 
blood  had  been  carried  within  the  vail,  were  carried  without  the 
camp  and  burnt  there ;  and  both  he  who  carried  away  the  scape- 
goat, and  he  who  carried  the  bodies  of  the  sin-offerings  were 
required  to  wash  their  clothes  and  bathe  their  flesh,  after  which 
they  came  into  camp.  "And  this  shall  be  an  everlasting  statute 
unto  you,  to  make  an  atonement  for  the  children  of  Israel,  for 
all  their  sins,  once  a  year." 


SECTION  XXYI. 

LAWS   HESPECTING   THE   PRIESTS   AND   LEVITES — SACERDOTAL   BENEDICTION. 

No  man  could  be  admitted  to  the  priesthood  who  was  not  of  the 
family  of  Aaron :  Providence  stood  pledged  therefore  to  pre- 
serve this  family  from  extinction  as  long  as  the  Levitical  priest- 
hood continued;  and  the  event  corresponded  with  the  pledge; 
for  although  the  office  of  high-priest  was  transferred  from  one 
branch  of  Aaron's  family  to  another,  the  succession  continued 
without  interruption  until  the  destruction  of  the  second  temple. 
As  every  priest  must  be  a  legitimate  descendant  of  Aaron,  it 
was  necessary  that  every  one  claiming  a  participation  in  this 
sacred  office  should  be  able  to  show  by  undoubted  genealogical 
tables  his  regular  descent ;  hence  the  great  importance  of  such 
tables.  And  to  this  the  Apostle  refers  in  the  epistle  to  the 
Hebrews,  when  treating  of  Melchisedek,  whom,  says  he,  was 
"  without  father,  without  mother,  having  neither  beginning  of 
days  nor  end  of  life;"  which  was  as  much  as  to  say,  his  name 
is  no  where  found  in  the  genealogical  tables  of  the  priests. 

But  a  regular  descent  from  Aaron  was  not  sufficient  to  entitle 
a  man  to  this  office,  if  he  had  any  deformity  or  bodily  defect. 
Every  thing  of  this  kind  was  considered  a  complete  disqualifica- 


THE   ISRAELITES.  127 

tion  for  the  priesthood.  And  that  there  might  be  no  doubt 
respecting  the  kind  of  defects  which  were  intended,  a  particular 
enumeration  of  them  is  given  in  the  law,  which  the  curious 
reader  may  find  in  the  21st  chapter  of  Leviticus. 

As  the  priests,  when  on  service  at  the  tabernacle,  lived  upon 
the  holy  things  which  had  been  offered  on  the  altar,  it  became 
necessary  to  point  out  the  persons  who  might  partake  of  this 
sacred  food,  and  the  state  of  ceremonial  purity  requisite  in  the 
priest  himself,  to  qualify  him  to  eat  of  the  holy  things.  These 
regulations  may  be  found  in  the  22d  chapter  of  Leviticus. 

The  priests  were  not  required  to  lead  a  life  of  celibacy,  but 
there  were  some  restrictions  in  regard  to  their  marriage  which 
were  peculiar.  A  priest  was  required  to  marry  a  virgin,  or 
the  widow  of  a  brother  priest.  And  their  families  were  bound 
to  be  peculiarly  studious  of  purity ;  and  a  violation  of  chastity 
by  the  daughter  of  a  priest  was  visited  with  a  severity  of  pun- 
ishment unknown  to  the  Mosaic  law,  in  other  cases.  She  was 
ordered  to  be  burnt  with  fire. 

Besides  the  service  of  the  altar,  where  the  priests  officiated  by 
rotation,  and  by  lot,  it  belonged  to  them  to  instruct  the  people 
in  the  law  of  the  Lord.  "  The  priest's  lips  should  keep  know- 
ledge;" and  on  public  occasions  to  pronounce  a  solemn  bene- 
diction on  the  people;  which  was  in  the  following  form:  "  The 
Lord  bless  thee,  and  keep  thee!  The  Lord  make  his  face  to 
shine  upon  thee,  and  be  gracious  unto  thee:  The  Lord  lift  up 
his  countenance  upon  thee,  and  give  thee  peace!"  And  the 
Lord  said,  "  They  shall  put  my  name  upon  the  children  of 
Israel,  and  I  will  bless  them." 

The  remainder  of  the  tribe  of  Levi,  although  not  priests, 
were  solemnly  consecrated  to  the  service  of  God,  and  were 
given  to  the  family  of  Aaron  as  assistants  in  carrying  the 
tabernacle  and  its  furniture ;  and  in  keeping  guard  around  the 
sacred  precincts ;  and  in  conducting  the  music  used  in  the  pub- 
lic service  of  the  sanctuary.  This  tribe  received  no  allotment 
of  land  with  the  other  tribes,  but  had  forty-eight  cities  with 
their  suburbs,  assigned  to  them,  of  which  thirteen  were  appro- 
priated to  the  priests,  and  thirty-five  to  the  Levites.  They 
were  much  occupied  in  giving  instruction  through  the  tribes, 
and  in  administering  justice.  They  were  under  peculiar  obliga- 
tions to  be  holy  men,  "  Let  them  that  bear  the  vessels  of  the 
Lord  be  holy." 


128  HISTOKY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 


SECTION  XXVII. 

LAWS   HESPECTING   INCEST. 

ALTHOUGH  in  the  family  of  Adam,  brothers  and  sisters  must 
have  intermarried,  and  hence  it  is  evident  that  there  can  be 
nothing  simply  immoral,  or  repugnant  to  the  feelings  of  nature, 
prior  to  education,  in  such  a  connexion;  yet,  as  soon  as  the 
human  race  became  numerous,  reasons  both  moral  and  political 
would  readily  suggest  themselves,  against  marriages  between 
very  near  relatives.  It  would,  however,  have  remained  a  per- 
plexing and  difficult  subject,  and  much  corruption  and  con- 
fusion might  have  ensued,  had  not  positive  directions  been 
given  to  regulate  this  matter.  Some  rules  relative  to  this 
point  doubtless  were  in  force  before  the  time  of  Moses;  but 
now  it  seemed  good  to  the  great  Legislator,  to  draw  a  distinct 
and  definite  line  between  the  lawful  and  incestuous  intercourse 
of  the  sexes.  It  has,  indeed,  been  doubted  how  far  this  law 
extends  in  its  prohibitions;  and  it  has  also  been  questioned, 
whether  these  laws  are  now  in  force,  or  were  abrogated  with 
the  ceremonial  part  of  the  Levitical  economy.  On  this  subject 
it  may  be  sufficient  for  our  purpose  to  remark,  that  the  institu- 
tion of  marriage  is  not  one  which  can  be  considered  of  a  fluctu- 
ating or  variable  nature.  There  could  be  no  reason  why 
stricter  laws  should  be  prescribed  to  the  Jews,  than  are  now 
necessary.  It  may  be  presumed,  therefore,  that  if  we  can 
ascertain  what  the  divine  will  was,  under  one  dispensation 
relative  to  this  matter,  this  should  be  considered  as  still  obliga- 
tory ;  except  when  it  can  be  shown,  that  some  special  regula- 
tion had  relation  to  the  political  condition  of  a  people  pecu- 
liarly situated.  The  laws  in  Leviticus,  chap.  18,  respecting 
the  degrees  within  which  marriage  was  prohibited,  had  no  con- 
nexion with  the  ceremonies  instituted  by  Moses;  but  were 
given  to  preserve  the  people  of  Israel  from  conforming  to  the 
corrupt  customs  of  the  Egyptians,  and  Canaanites.  And,  if 
we  conclude  that  these  laws  are  not  now  in  force,  the  conse- 
quence will  be,  that  we  have  no  positive  laws  whatever,  in  the 
whole  Bible,  forbidding  incest ;  and  if  so,  marriages  are  lawful, 
so  far  as  the  Bible  is  the  rule,  between  the  nearest  relatives ; 
not  excepting  parents  and  children.  Some  are  willing  to  go  the 
full  length  of  the  law,  so  far  as  the  relationship  is  one  of  con- 
sanguinity, but  they  are  unwilling  to  admit,  that  persons  related 
by  affinity  only,  are  guilty  of  the  crime  of  incest,  when  they 
marry  within  the  limits  prohibited  to  blood  relations.  But  if 
we  take  the  law  as  a  rule,  we  must  take  it  as  a  whole,  and  sub- 


THE   ISRAELITES.  129 

mit  to  it  in  its  full  extent ;  and  if  we  deny  that  the  prohibition 
of  marriage  between  relations  by  affinity  extends  as  far  as  to 
those  of  consanguinity,  where  shall  we  draw  the  line  ?  Will  not 
the  consequence  be,  that  a  man  may  marry  his  father's  widow ; 
or  a  woman  marry  her  mother's  husband?  Either,  there  is  no 
incest  in  the  marriage  of  relations  by  affinity,  or  the  prohibition 
extends  as  far  in  regard  to  such  relationship,  as  to  that  of  con- 
sanguinity. It  may  still,  admitting  this  rule,  be  difficult  to 
decide  precisely  in  regard  to  some  degrees  of  kindred,  whether 
they  are  lawful  or  unlawful.  Then  it  is  best  to  keep  on  the 
safe  side.  No  man  is  liable  to  offend  by  avoiding  to  inter- 
marry with  a  near  relation,  but  he  may  offend  by  marrying 
within  the  prescribed  limits. 


SECTION    XXVIII. 

MISCELLANEOUS   LAWS. 

THE  poor  were  provided  for  by  having  the  privilege  of  glean- 
ing, after  the  reapers,  and  picking  up  what  they  dropped;  and 
so  also  in  regard  to  the  vintage,  and  olive-yards,  something  was 
to  be  left  for  the  poor  and  the  stranger. 

The  wages  of  a  hired  man  were  required  to  be  paid  on  the 
evening  of  the  same  day  in  which  the  work  was  performed. 
Regard  is  had,  in  the  law,  to  the  misfortunes  of  the  blind  and 
deaf;  and  a  prohibition  was  given,  not  to  place  a  stumbling- 
block  before  the  former,  nor  to  curse  the  latter.  There  must  be 
no  respect  of  persons  in  judgment;  neither  in  favour  to  the 
poor  or  the  rich.  Tale-bearing  is  particularly  and  expressly 
forbidden ;  and  officious  appearance  against  another  as  a  wit- 
ness, is  forbidden.  Fraternal  rebuke  is  enjoined;  and  the 
neglect  of  it  is  considered  in  the  law  a  species  of  hatred  of  our 
brother.  All  hatred  and  revenge  are  expressly  forbidden,  on 
the  ground  that  we  are  bound  to  love  our  neighbour  as  our- 
selves. Heterogeneous  mixtures  of  animals  in  breeding  or 
ploughing,  and  of  different  materials  in  weaving  garments,  and 
of  diverse  kinds  of  seed  in  sowing  the  ground,  are  prohibited, 
as  being  contrary  to  nature,  which  is  beautiful  in  its  simplicity. 

The  eating  of  blood  or  fat,  or  the  flesh  of  strangled  animals, 
is  repeatedly  forbidden. 

All  enchantments,  or  observance  of  times,  and  consulting  of 
wizards  or  witches,  is  forbidden  on  heavy  penalties.  Old  age 
was  to  be  specially  respected.  The  law  was,  "  Thou  shalt  rise 
up  before  the  hoary  head,  and  honour  the  face  of  the  old  man." 
Strangers  dwelling  among  them  were  not  to  be  oppressed,  but 
9 


130  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

treated  kindly,  for  they  were  never  to  forget  that  they  were 
once  strangers,  in  Egypt,  themselves. 

Strict  justice  and  equity  were  required  in  traffic;  "just  bal- 
ances, just  weights,  a  just  ephah,  and  a  just  hin."  All  unna- 
tural lust,  and  idolatrous  practices,  are  repeatedly  forbidden ; 
and  especially  the  cruel  practice  of  sacrificing  children  to  Mo- 
loch. 

An  Israelite  could  not  be  brought  with  his  family  into  per- 
petual bondage.  If,  through  the  pressure  of  poverty,  he  sold 
himself,  yet  at  the  year  of  Jubilee  he  had  the  privilege  of  going 
out  free  with  his  children.  But  of  the  heathen  round  about, 
they  were  permitted  to  buy  bond-men  and  bond-women;  and 
of  the  strangers  that  sojourned  among  them.  "And  ye  shall 
take  them  for  an  inheritance  to  your  children  after  you,  to 
inherit  them  for  a  possession ;  they  shall  be  your  bond-men  for 
ever."  And  an  Israelite,  who  through  poverty  had  been 
obliged  to  sell  himself  to  a  stranger  might  be  redeemed  by  any 
of  his  near  kindred;  and  the  price  of  redemption  was  made  to 
depend  on  the  number  of  years  between  the  time  and  the  return 
of  Jubilee,  when,  of  course,  every  Israelite  obtained  his  liberty, 
to  whomsoever  he  might  be  bound. 


SECTION  XXIX. 

DAILY  SERVICE  OF  THE  TABERNACLE. 

THE  fire  on  the  altar  was  to  be  kept  continually  burning ;  and, 
therefore,  several  fires  or  piles,  according  to  the  Jews,  were 
built  up.  As  the  offering  of  sacrifices  produced,  necessarily, 
much  defilement,  the  first  thing  in  the  morning  was  to  cleanse 
the  altar,  by  carrying  away  the  ashes,  and  the  fragments  of 
the  sacrifices  of  the  former  day  that  might  remain.  This  was 
done  by  the  person  to  whom  it  was  allotted,  very  early  in  the 
morning,  and  here,  it  may  be  proper  to  remark,  that  the  ser- 
vices of  the  altar,  especially  at  the  public  festivals,  requiring 
many  persons  to  be  employed,  to  prevent  confusion,  the  several 
parts  were  apportioned ,  by  lot ;  so  that  every  man  knew  pre- 
cisely what  duty  he  was  to  perform. 

The  prescribed  daily  service,  consisted  of  the  sacrifice  of  two 
lambs,  as  a  burnt-offering;  the  one  in  the  morning,  the  other 
in  the  afternoon.  These  sacrifices  were  accompanied  with 
prayers,  and  hymns  of  praise,  sung  by  the  choir  of  Levites  in 
attendance.  The  blowing  of  trumpets  when  the  sacrifice  was 
laid  on  the  altar,  was  a  part  of  the  ceremony  observed.  The 
offering  in  the  afternoon  was  about  the  hour  of  nine ;  or,  three 
o'clock,  according  to  our  computation  of  time. 


THE   ISRAELITES.  131 

The  burning  of  incense  within  the  sanctuary  took  place  at 
the  same  time  that  the  morning  and  evening  sacrifices  were 
laid  upon  the  altar  without.  It  was  also  a  part  of  the  daily 
service  to  trim  the  lamps  of  the  golden  candlestick.  From  our 
version,  it  would  seem,  that  the  lamps  were  put  out  in  the  day 
time,  and  burnt  all  night ;  but  it  may  well  be  questioned  whe- 
ther this  is  correct.  The  original  word  means  "  to  cause  to 
ascend,"  that  is,  to  trim  the  lamps  so  as  to  cause  the  light  to 
rise.  And  as  the  tabernacle  had  no  window,  the  light  of  the 
lamps  was  as  much  needed  in  the  clay  as  in  the  night,  and  more, 
because  the  service  performed  in  the  sanctuary  was  all  required 
to  be  done  during  the  day. 


SECTION  XXX. 

TABLES    OF     THE     LAW. 

MOSES  having  been  called  up  to  the  sacred  mount,  was  kept 
there  for  no  less  than  thirty  days,  during  which  time  he  did 
neither  eat  nor  drink.  Here  God  communed  with  him  face  to 
face,  as  a  man  with  his  friend.  "And  he  gave  unto  Moses, 
when  he  had  made  an  end  of  communing  with  him,  upon  mount 
Sinai,  two  tables  of  testimony,  tables  of  stone,  written  with  the 
finger  of  God."  "  The  tables  were  written  on  both  their  sides; 
on  the  one  side  and  on  the  other  were  they  written.  And  the 
tables  were  the  work  of  God,  and  the  writing  was  the  writing 
of  God,  graven  upon  the  tables." 

The  people  becoming  impatient  at  the  long  delay  of  Moses 
on  the  mount,  insisted  on  it  that  Aaron  should  make  them 
gods  to  go  before  them.  To  this  impious  proposal,  Aaron, 
through  fear,  too  readily  acceded,  and  directed  them  to  bring 
him  their  ear-rings,  out  of  which  he  made  a  golden  calf;  which 
when  they  saw,  they  exclaimed,  "  These  be  thy  gods,  0  Israel, 
which  brought  thee  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt."  Aaron  di- 
rected an  altar  to  be  built  for  it,  and  proclaimed  a  feast  to  the 
Lord,  for  the  ensuing  day.  "And  they  rose  up  early  and 
offered  burnt-offerings,  and  brought  peace-offerings;  and  the 
people  sat  down  to  eat  and  drink  and  rose  up  to  play."  The 
Lord  now  commanded  Moses  to  go  down,  as  the  people  had 
grossly  corrupted  themselves,  and  had  made  themselves  a  calf 
and  worshipped  it ;  and  the  Lord  proposed  to  Moses  that  he 
would  destroy  this  stiff-necked  people,  and  make  a  great  nation 
of  him  ;  but  this  disinterested  man  preferred  the  glory  of  God 
to  his  own  advantage.  "  And  Moses  besought  the  Lord  his 
God,  and  said,  Lord,  why  doth  thy  wrath  wax  hot  against  thy 
people,  which  thou  hast  brought  forth  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 


132  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

with  great  power  and  with  a  mighty  hand  ?  Wherefore  should 
the  Egyptians  speak  and  say,  For  mischief  did  he  bring  them 
out,  to  slay  them  in  the  mountains,  and  to  consume  them  from 
the  face  of  the  earth  ?  Turn  from  thy  fierce  wrath,  and  repent 
of  this  evil  against  thy  people.  Remember  Abraham,  Isaac, 
and  Israel,  thy  servants,  to  whom  thou  swarest  by  thine  own 
self,  and  saidst  unto  them,  I  will  multiply  your  seed  as  the  stars 
of  heaven,  and  all  this  land  that  I  have  spoken  of,  will  I  give 
unto  your  seed,  and  they  shall  inherit  it  for  ever."  This  ear- 
nest prayer  and  expostulation  had  the  desired  effect,  "  for  the 
Lord  repented  of  the  evil  which  he  thought  to  do  unto  his  peo- 
ple." And  Moses  went  down  unto  the  people  with  the  two 
tables  of  testimony  in  his  hand.  And  Joshua,  who  was  with 
him  said,  "There  is  the  voice  of  war  in  the  camp."  "And  he 
said,  It  is  not  the  voice  of  them  that  shout  for  mastery,  nor  the 
cry  of  those  that  are  overcome."  And  when  Moses  drew  near, 
he  saw  the  calf,  and  the  people  dancing  around  it;  "and  his 
anger  waxed  hot,  and  he  cast  the  tables  out  of  his  hands,  and 
brake  them  beneath  the  mount.  And  he  took  the  calf  which 
they  had  made  and  burnt  it  in  the  fire,  and  ground  it  to  pow- 
der, and  strewed  it  upon  the  water,  and  made  the  children  of 
Israel  drink  of  it."  Moses  then  upbraided  Aaron  for  what  he 
had  done ;  who  excused  himself  by  alleging  the  perverseness  of 
the  people.  He  then  stood  in  the  gate  of  the  camp  and  said, 
"  Who  is  on  the  Lord's  side  ?  let  him  come  unto  me.  And  all 
the  sons  of  Levi  gathered  themselves  together  unto  him." 
Moses  commanded -them  to  gird  on  their  swords,  and  to  pass 
through  the  camp,  "and  slay  every  man  his  brother,  and  every 
man  his  neighbour,  and  every  man  his  companion."  And  the 
sons  of  Levi  did  so;  "and  there  fell  of  the  people  that  day 
about  three  thousand  men.  For  Moses  had  said,  Consecrate 
yourselves  to  day  to  the  Lord,  even  every  man  upon  his  son, 
and  upon  his  brother,  that  he  may  bestow  upon  you  a  blessing 
this  day."  Moses  after  this  expression  of  holy  indignation, 
went  to  the  Lord  and  entreated  him  to  pardon  the  sin  of  the 
people;  and  in  the  disinterested  fervency  of  his  spirit,  he  went 
so  far  as  to  say,  "  If  thou  wilt  not  forgive  their  sin,  blot  me,  I 
pray  thee,  out  of  thy  book,  which  thou  hast  written.  And  the 
Lord  said  unto  Moses,  Whoever  sinned  against  me,  him  will  I 
blot  out  of  my  book.  And  the  Lord  plagued  the  people 
because  they  made  the  calf  which  Aaron  made." 

And  the  Lord  directed  Moses  to  hew  two  tables  of  stone  like 
unto  the  first,  and  said,  "I  will  write  upon  these  tables  the 
words  that  were  in  the  first  tables  which  thou  brakest.  And 
be  ready  in  the  morning,  and  come  up  to  mount  Sinai,  and  pre- 
sent thyself  there  to  me  in  the  top  of  the  mount.  And  no  man 
shall  come  up  with  thee ;  neither  let  any  man  be  seen  through 


THE   ISRAELITES.  133 

all  the  mount;  neither  let  the  flocks  nor  herds  feed  before  the 
mount."  And  Moses  did  as  he  was  commanded.  "And  the 
Lord  descended  in  the  cloud,  and  stood  with  him  there,  and 
proclaimed  the  name  of  the  Lord.  And  the  Lord  passed  by 
before  him,  and  proclaimed,  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord  (rod,  merci- 
ful and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and 
truth.  Keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity  and 
transgression  and  sin,  and  that  will  by  no  means  clear  the 
guilty :  visiting  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children, 
and  upon  the  children's  children,  unto  the  third,  and  to  the 
fourth  generation."  "And  Moses  made  haste  and  bowed  his 
head  toward  the  earth  and  worshipped." 

And  the  Lord  communed  with  Moses  on  the  mount;  and 
repeated  to  him  some  of  the  laws  which  had  before  been  given ; 
"  and  he  was  there  with  the  Lord  forty  days  and  forty  nights ; 
he  did  neither  eat  bread  nor  drink  water."  And  when  Moses 
came  down  from  the  mount,  with  the  tables  of  testimony  in  his 
hand,  he  was  not  aware  that  the  skin  of  his  face  shone ;  but 
when  Aaron  and  all  the  people  saw  him,  they  were  afraid  to 
come  nigh  him.  Moses  called  unto  them ;  and  he  put  a  veil  on 
his  face  while  he  talked  with  them :  "  And  he  gave  them  in 
commandment,  all  that  the  Lord  had  spoken  with  him  in  mount 
Sinai."  When  Moses  went  in  before  the  Lord,  he  took  the 
veil  off  until  he  came  out.  And  when  he  spake  to  the  people, 
he  put  the  veil  again  upon  his  face,  "  And  the  children  of  Israel 
saw  the  face  of  Moses,  that  the  skin  of  Moses'  face  shone." 


SECTION   XXXI. 

DEPARTURE    FROM   MOUNT   SINAI ORDER   OF   MARCH. 

BEFORE  they  began  their  march,  Moses  received  orders  to  make 
two  silver  trumpets,  for  the  calling  of  the  assembly,  and  for  the 
journeying  of  the  camps.  When  they  sounded  both  trumpets 
it  was  a  signal  for  the  assembling  of  the  whole  congregation ; 
but  when  the  princes  only  were  to  be  convened,  they  blew  upon 
one  of  the  trumpets  only.  When  they  blew  an  alarm,  or  made 
a  broken  sound  with  the  trumpets,  the  eastern  part  of  the  camp 
was  to  go  forward;  upon  a  second  alarm,  the  southern  part  of 
the  camp  were  to  put  themselves  in  motion.  The  blowing  on 
these  trumpets  was  at  all  times  made  the  duty  of  the  priests ; 
and  they  were  to  be  sounded  when  the  people  went  to  war ;  and 
also  in  days  of  rejoicing;  and  particularly,  at  the  commence- 
ment of  every  month,  when  the  priests  were  commanded  to 
blow  the  trumpets  over  the  sacrifices  which  were  then  offered. 
It  was  on  the  twentieth  day  of  the  second  month,  in  the 


134  HISTORY   OF    THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

second  year,  that  the  signal  for  marching  was  given,  by  the 
taking  up  the  cloud  from  off  the  tabernacle  of  the  testimony. 
"And  the  children  of  Israel  took  their  journeys  out  of  the  wil- 
derness of  Sinai;  and  the  cloud  rested  in  the  wilderness  of 
Paran." 

In  the  first  rank  marched  the  tribe  of  Judah  with  Nahshon, 
the  son  of  Amminadab,  as  their  leader. 

Then  Issachar,  whose  chief  captain  was  Nathaneel,  the  son 
of  Zuar. 

Then  Zebulun,  whose  leader  was  Eliab,  the  son  of  Helon. 

These  three  tribes  marched  in  the  front,  before  the  taberna- 
cle, which  was  borne  after  them  by  the  sons  of  Gershon  and 
Merari. 

Then  marched  the  tribe  of  Reuben,  led  on  by  Elizur,  the  son 
of  Shedeur. 

After  him  came  the  tribe  of  Simeon,  whose  captain  was  She- 
lumiel,  the  son  of  Zurishaddai. 

And  next  the  tribe  of  Gad,  over  which  was  Eliasaph,  the  son 
of  Deuel. 

Then  came  the  Kohathites  bearing  the  ark  and  other  holy 
vessels  of  the  sanctuary,  in  the  centre  of  the  camp. 

Behind  the  Kohathites,  and  next  in  order,  marched  the  tribe 
of  Ephraim,  over  which  was  Elishama,  the  son  of  Ammihud. 
And  Manasseh  led  on  by  Gamaliel,  the  son  of  Pedahzur. 

Next  marched  Benjamin,  whose  leader  was  Abidan,  the  son 
of  Gideoni. 

Then  followed  the  tribe  of  Dan,  over  which  was  Ahiezer,  the 
son  of  Ammishaddai. 

And  Asher,  whose  leader  was  Pagiel,  the  son  of  Ocran. 

And  Naphtali  brought  up  the  rear,  whose  leader  was  Ahira, 
the  son  of  Enan. 

This  order  of  march  was  uniformly  observed  at  all  times ; 
during  all  their  journeyings  through  the  wilderness. 


SECTION  XXXII. 

MOSES'    INVITATION   TO    HOBAB. 

"AND  Moses  said  unto  Hobab,  the  son  of  Hague],  the  Mid- 
ianite,  Moses'  father-in-law,  We  are  journeying  unto  a  place, 
of  which  the  Lord  said,  I  will  give  it  you:  come  thou  with  us, 
and  we  will  do  thee  good ;  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  good  con- 
cerning Israel.  And  he  said  unto  him,  I  will  not  go,  but  I  will 
depart  to  mine  own  land,  and  to  my  kindred.  And  he  said, 
leave  us  not,  I  pray  thee ;  forasmuch  as  thou  knowest,  we  are 
to  encamp  in  the  wilderness,  and  thou  mayest  be  to  us  instead 


THE   ISRAELITES.  135 

of  eyes.  And  it  shall  be,  if  thou  go  with  us,  yea,  it  shall  be, 
that  what  goodness  the  Lord  shall  do  unto  us,  the  same  will 
we  do  unto  thee."  Although  it  is  not  said  here  whether  Hobab, 
which  seems  to  be  another  name  for  Jethro,  went  along  with 
his  son-in-law  or  not,  yet  his  offering  no  further  objection  gives 
ground  for  the  inference,  that  he  did.  And  that  this  was  the 
fact,  can  be  ascertained  from  what  is  said  in  the  first  chapter 
of  Judges,  where  we  read,  "And  the  children  of  the  Kenite, 
Moses'  father-in-law,  went  up  out  of  the  city  of  palm  trees,  with 
the  children  of  Judah,  into  the  wilderness  of  Judah,  which  lieth 
in  the  south  of  Arad :  and  they  went  and  dwelt  among  the 
people." 

After  leaving  Sinai,  the  Israelites  marched  three  days  before 
they  came  to  a  resting-place;  "And  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of 
the  Lord  went  before  them,  to  search  out  a  resting  place  for 
them.  And  the  cloud  of  the  Lord  was  upon  them  by  day  when 
they  went  out  of  the  camp.  When  the  ark  set  forward,  Moses 
was  accustomed  to  employ  the  following  solemn  prayer,  "Rise 
up,  Lord,  and  let  thine  enemies  be  scattered,  and  let  them  that 
hate  thee  flee  before  thee."  And  when  it  rested,  he  used  the 
following,  "Return,  0  Lord,  unto  the  many  thousands  of 
Israel." 

The  prospect  was  now,  that  in  a  short  time  the  Israelites 
would  have  been  at  the  end  of  their  journey;  and  doubtless  this 
would  have  been  the  event,  if  they  had  not  rebelled  against  the 
Lord.  So,  when  the  time  came  for  their  departure  from  Horeb, 
the  Lord  said,  "Ye  have  dwelt  long  enough  in  this  mount. 
Turn  ye,  and  take  your  journey,  and  go  to  the  mount  of  the 
Amorites,  and  unto  all  the  places  nigh  thereto,  in  the  plains,  in 
the  hills,  and  in  the  vale,  and  in  the  south,  and  by  the  sea-side, 
to  the  land  of  the  Canaanites,  and  unto  Lebanon,  and  unto  the 
great  river,  the  river  Euphrates.  Behold,  I  have  set  the  land 
before  you,  go  in  and  possess  the  land,  which  the  Lord  sware 
unto  your  fathers,  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  to  give  it  to 
them  and  to  their  seed  after  them." 


SECTION  XXXIII. 

THE    PEOPLE    REBEL   AGAINST   HOSES — A    BURNING     SENT     AMONG     THEM — THE    LORD 
PUTS   HIS    SPIRIT    ON    THE    ELDERS. 

NOTWITHSTANDING  all  the  miracles  which  they  had  witnessed, 
and  all  the  wonderful  deliverances  which  they  had  experienced, 
the  people  continued  to  murmur  and  complain ;  and  the  anger 
of  the  Lord  was  again  kindled  against  them;  "and  the  fire 
of  the  Lord  burnt  among  them,  and  consumed  them  that 
were  in  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  camp."  And  when  the  peo- 


136  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

pie  cried  unto  Moses,  he  prayed  unto  the  Lord,  and  the  fire  was 
quenched.  On  account  of  this  burning,  the  name  of  the  place 
was  called,  Taberah. 

But  soon  the  perverseness  of  this  stiff-necked  people  disco- 
vered itself  again.  They  remembered  the  fish,  the  cucumbers, 
and  melons,  which  they  enjoyed  abundantly  in  Egypt;  and  also 
the  leeks,  onions,  and  garlick,  of  which  they  were  very  fond : 
and  they  had  become  weary  of  the  manna,  which  was  dry  and 
always  the  same ;  for  when  they  gathered  it,  it  had  the  appear- 
ance of  coriander  seed,  or  bdellium ;  but  before  it  was  eaten,  it 
was  ground  in  mills,  and  then  baked  into  cakes,  in  pans ;  and 
when  thus  prepared,  its  taste  resembled  that  of  fresh  olive  oil. 
This  spirit  of  murmuring  revived  so  frequently,  and  was  now  so 
general — for  all  the  people  wept  throughout  their  families, 
standing  in  the  door  of  their  tents,  and  was  so  unreasonable, 
since  they  were  well  supplied,  every  day,  with  nutritious  and 
pleasant  food — that  Moses  was  much  disturbed  in  mind,  and 
poured  out  the  following  bitter  complaint  before  the  Lord: 
"Wherefore  hast  thou  afflicted  thy  servant,  and  wherefore  have 
I  not  found  favour  in  thy  sight,  that  thou  layest  the  burden  of 
all  this  people  upon  me  ?  Have  I  conceived  all  this  people  ? 
Have  I  begotten  them,  that  thou  shouldst  say  unto  me,  Carry 
them  in  thy  bosom  (as  a  nursing  father  beareth  the  sucking 
child)  unto  the  land  which  thou  swarest  unto  their  fathers? 
Whence  should  I  have  flesh  to  give  unto  all  this  people?  For 
they  weep  unto  me,  saying,  Give  us  flesh,  that  we  may  eat.  I 
am  not  able  to  bear  all  this  people  alone,  because  it  is  too  heavy 
for  me.  And  if  thou  deal  thus  with  me,  kill  me,  I  pray  thee, 
out  of  hand,  if  I  have  found  favour  in  thy  sight;  and  let  me 
not  see  my  wretchedness."  The  Lord,  therefore,  directed  Moses 
to  assemble  to  him  the  seventy  elders  of  Israel,  who  had  already 
been  appointed  judges  and  elders  over  the  people,  and  when 
they  were  convened  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle,  the  Lord 
took  of  the  spirit  that  was  upon  Moses,  and  gave  it  unto  the 
seventy  elders;  and  when  the  Spirit  rested  upon  them  they 
prophesied,  and  did  not  cease.  But  two  of  the  elders,  Eldad 
and  Medad,  remained  in  the  camp,  and  the  Spirit  rested  upon 
them  also ;  for  they  were  of  the  number  that  were  written,  but 
went  not  up  to  the  tabernacle.  And  a  young  man  ran  and  told 
Moses  that  Eldad  and  Medad  were  prophesying  in  the  camp. 
And  Joshua  said,  My  Lord,  Moses,  forbid  them.  And  Moses 
said,  enviest  thou  for  my  sake  ?  Would  God,  that  all  the  Lord's 
people  were  prophets ;  and  that  the  Lord  would  put  his  Spirit 
upon  them."  Then  Moses  and  the  elders  of  Israel  returned  to 
the  camp. 

But  as  the  people  had  complained  so  bitterly  of  the  want  of 
flesh,  the  Lord  promised  that  they  should  have  it,  not  for  one  or 


THE   ISRAELITES.  137 

a  few  days,  as  on  the  former  occasion,  but  for  a  whole  month, 
until  it  came  out  at  their  nostrils,  and  became  loathsome.  Thus 
did  God  in  righteous  judgment  grant  the  requests  of  this  discon- 
tented people.  As  it  is  said  in  the  Psalms,  "He  gave  them, 
their  request,  but  sent  leanness  into  their  souls."  And  there 
went  forth  a  wind  from  the  Lord,  and  brought  quails  from  the 
sea,  and  let  them  fall  by  the  camp  on  every  side.  And  the 
people  gathered  the  quails  all  that  day  and  night,  and  next  day ; 
so  that  he  that  gathered  least  had  ten  homers.  "And  while  the 
flesh  was  yet  between  their  teeth,  ere  it  was  chewed,  the  wrath 
of  the  Lord  was  kindled  against  the  people ;  and  the  Lord  smote 
the  people  with  a  very  great  plague."  The  name  of  this  place 
was,  therefore,  called  Kibroth-hattaavah,  (the  graves  of  the 
lusters;}  "because  there  they  buried  the  people  that  lusted." 
It  is  altogether  probable,  that  this  pestilence  was  produced  by 
the  quails;  in  that  hot  region,  so  much  flesh  was  unwholesome; 
and  so  much  animal  matter  putrifying  about  the  camp,  must 
have  greatly  infected  the  air. 


SECTION  XXXIV. 

NEW   TROUBLES   ARISE    FROM   AN   UNEXPECTED   QUARTER. 

MOSES,  as  we  have  seen,  had  married  Zipporah,  the  daughter 
of  Jethro,  prince  of  Midian,  in  Arabia.  This  is  the  country 
which  was  originally  called  Ethiopia,  (Gush,)  which  name  was 
afterwards  transferred  to  the  country  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Red  Sea.  Miriam  and  Aaron,  it  would  seem,  were  not  well 
pleased  with  this  woman  ;  or  they  felt  the  prejudices  which  are 
common  against  people  of  a  foreign  nation ;  and  as  marrying 
among  strangers  had  met  with  the  disapprobation  of  the 
patriarchs,  they  took  occasion,  at  this  late  hour,  to  find 
fault  with  their  brother  for  bringing  an  Ethiopean  woman 
into  their  family.  But  the  real  spring  of  this  behaviour 
appears  to  have  been  spiritual  pride.  They  both  had  received, 
in  some  degree,  the  gift  of  inspiration;  and  Aaron  had  been 
highly  honoured  by  being  made  high-priest,  and  also  the  instru- 
ment of  God  and  Moses,  in  the  wonderful  works  wrought  in 
Egypt ;  and  they  envied  the  authority  which  Moses  exercised, 
and  thought  that  he  took  too  much  upon  him,  and  did  not 
bring  them  forward  before  the  people,  as  much  as  they  wished. 
Therefore,  they  said,  "Hath  the  Lord  indeed  spoken  only  by 
Moses?  hath  he  not  also  spoken  by  us?"  Now,  there  never 
lived  a  man  upon  earth,  who  was  less  ambitious  of  power  and 
authority  than  Moses ;  or  who  was  less  disposed  to  arrogate  to 
himself  what  did  not  belong  to  him,  or  to  deprive  others  of 


138  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

their  just  rights.  On  this  occasion,  he  seems  to  have  remained 
entirely  passive,  as  there  is  not  a  word  recorded,  as  having 
been  spoken  by  him.  But  the  Lord  espouses  the 'cause  of  the 
meek,  and  quickly  vindicates  their  rights,  and  their  character. 
"And  the  Lord  spoke  suddenly  unto  Moses,  and  unto  Aaron, 
and  unto  Miriam,  come  out  ye  three  unto  the  tabernacle  of  the 
congregation.  And  they  came  out.  And  the  Lord  came 
down  in  the  pillar  of  the  cloud,  and  stood  in  the  door  of  the 
tabernacle,  and  called  Aaron  and  Miriam,  and  they  both  came 
forth.  And  he  said,  Hear  now  my  words.  If  there  be  a 
prophet  among  you,  the  Lord  will  make  himself  known  unto 
him  in  a  vision,  and  speak  unto  him  in  a  dream.  My  servant 
Moses  is  not  so,  who  is  faithful  in  all  his  house.  With  him 
will  I  speak  mouth  to  mouth,  even  apparently,  and  not  in  dark 
speeches ;  and  the  similitude  of  the  Lord  shall  he  behold ;  where- 
fore then  were  ye  not  afraid  to  speak  against  my  servant 
Moses?  And  the  anger  of  the  Lord  was  enkindled  against 
them,  and  he  departed.  And  the  cloud  departed  from  off  the 
tabernacle ;  and  behold  Miriam  became  leprous  white  as  snow ; 
and  Aaron  looked  upon  Miriam,  and  behold  she  was  leprous. 
And  Aaron  said  unto  Moses,  Alas,  my  lord,  I  beseech  thee, 
lay  not  the  sin  upon  us  wherein  we  have  done  foolishly  and 
have  sinned.  Let  her  not  be  as  one  dead,  of  whom  the  flesh  is 
half  consumed,  when  he  cometh  out  of  his  mother's  womb." 
"And  Moses,"  whose  spirit  of  forgiveness  and  forbearance 
knew  no  bounds,  "  cried  unto  the  Lord,  saying,  Heal  her  now, 
0  God,  I  beseech  thee.  And  the  Lord  said,  If  her  father  had 
but  spit  in  her  face,  should  she  not  be  ashamed  seven  days? 
Let  her  be  shut  out  from  the  camp  seven  days,  and  after  that 
let  her  be  received  in  again.  And  Miriam  was  shut  out  from 
the  camp  seven  days;  and  the  people  journeyed  not  till  Miriam 
was  brought  in  again.  And  afterward  the  people  removed 
from  Hazaroth  and  pitched  in  the  wilderness  of  Paran." 

Why  Miriam  only  was  punished  for  this  offence,  in  which 
Aaron  was  engaged  with  her,  must  be  left  to  conjecture.  Pro- 
bably, the  discontent  originated  with  her,  and  her  brother  had 
been  influenced  by  her  to  join  in  the  complaint  against  Moses: 
or  the  sacerdotal  character  of  Aaron  rendered  it  unsuitable 
that  he  should  be  visited  by  a  judgment  of  this  sort,  which 
would  have  utterly  disqualified  him  for  the  duties  of  his  sacred 
office. 


THE   ISRAELITES.  139 


SECTION  XXXV.' 

MEN   SENT  TO    EXPLORE   THE    PROMISED    LAND. 

HAVING  passed  through  the  terrible  wilderness  of  Paran,  the 
children  of  Israel  came  to  Kadesh-barnea,  which  is  near  the 
mountain  of  the  Amorites,  on  the  border  of  the  land  of  Canaan. 
And  Moses  now  exhorted  the  people  to  go  up  immediately,  and 
possess  the  land  which  lay  before  them ;  and  told  them  not  to 
be  afraid  nor  discouraged.  But  the  whole  of  the  people  united 
in  a  petition  that  they  might  be  permitted,  in  the  first  place,  to 
send  men,  to  search  out  the  land,  and  bring  them  word  by  what 
way  they  must  go  up,  and  into  what  cities  they  should  first 
come.  This  proposal  was  entirely  pleasing  to  Moses ;  and  also 
met  with  the  approbation  of  God;  for  we  read  in  Numbers,  that 
"  God  spake  unto  Moses,  saying,  Send  thou  men  that  they  may 
search  out  the  land  of  Canaan  which  I  give  unto  the  children 
of  Israel ;  of  every  tribe  of  their  fathers  shall  ye  send  a  man, 
every  one  a  ruler  among  them.  And  Moses,  by  the  command 
of  the  Lord,  sent  them  from  the  wilderness  of  Paran.  And 
these  were  the  names  of  the  men.  Of  the  tribe  of  Reuben, 
Shammua,  the  son  of  Zachur ;  of  the  tribe  of  Simeon,  Shaphat, 
the  son  of  Hosi;  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  Caleb,  the  son  of  Jeph- 
unneh ;  of  the  tribe  of  Issachar,  Igal,  the  son  of  Joseph ;  of  the 
tribe  of  Ephraim,  Oshea,  the  son  of  Nun ;  of  the  tribe  of  Ben- 
jamin, Palti,  the  son  of  Raphu;  of  the  tribe  of  Zebulun,  Gadiel, 
the  son  of  Sodi ;  of  the  tribe  of  Manasseh,  Gaddi,  the  son  of 
Susi;  of  the  tribe  of  Dan,  Ammiel,  the  son  of  Gemalli;  of  the 
tribe  of  Asher,  Jethur,  the  son  of  Michael;  of  the  tribe  of 
Naphtali,  Nahbi,  the  son  of  Vophsi;  and  of  the  tribe  of  Gad, 
Geuel,  the  son  of  Machi.  In  catalogues  of  the  tribes,  Levi  was 
no  longer  numbered,  as  being  consecrated  to  the  service  of  the 
sanctuary;  and  by  means  of  Joseph's  two  sons,  the  number  of 
the  twelve  tribes  was  kept  up,  without  counting  Levi. 

The  orders  given  to  these  men  were,  that  they  should  go  up 
and  "spy  out  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  see  what  it  is;  and  the 
people  that  dwell  therein,  whether  they  be  weak  or  strong,  few 
or  many;  and  what  sort  of  land  they  inhabit,  whether  it  be 
good  or  bad;  and  what  kind  of  cities  they  have;  whether  they 
dwell  in  tents,  or  in  strong  holds;  and  whether  the  country 
was  covered  with  wood,  or  was  bare ;  and  finally,  they  were 
directed  to  bring  back  with  them  some  of  the  fruits  of  the  land, 
as  the  season  was  that  of  the  first  ripe  grapes.  So  these  men 
explored  the  country  from  the  south,  where  they  entered  it, 
even  unto  Hameth.  Among  the  places  which  they  visited,  was 
Hebron,  one  of  the  oldest  towns  in  the  world,  for  it  was  built 


140  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

seven  years  before  Zoan,  in  Egypt.  Near  this  spot  their  fore- 
fathers, Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  had  been  accustomed  to 
pitch  their  tents;  and  here  also  was  the  cave,  where  these 
patriarchs  lay  sleeping  in  the  dust.  But,  at  this  time,  it  was 
in  the  possession  of  the  sons  of  Anak,  three  of  whom,  Ahiman, 
Sheshai,  and  Talmai,  the  spies  saw  with  terror  and  dismay ; 
for  they  were  men  of  gigantic  stature.  And  in  passing  through 
the  country,  they  came  to  a  certain  ralley  of  extraordinary  fer- 
tility, where  they  found  clusters  of  grapes  of  such  enormous 
size,  that  they  resolved  to  cut  down  a  branch,  and  suspend  it 
on  a  staff  or  pole,  so  that  the  grapes  might  not  be  crushed,  and 
carry  it  back  to  the  camp,  in  compliance  with  the  orders  which 
they  had  received.  This  valley  and  the  brook  which  passed 
through  it,  received  the  name  of  Eshcol,  on  account  of  the  clus- 
ter of  grapes,  which  the  children  of  Israel  did  cut  down  from 
thence.  And  they  returned,  after  having  spent  forty  days  in 
exploring  the  land.  And  they  came  to  Moses  at  Kadesh,  in 
the  wilderness  of  Paran,  and  reported  what  they  had  seen,  and 
showed  the  fruit  of  the  land.  And  they  all  testified  that  the 
country  was  exceeding  good,  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and 
honey :  nevertheless,  the  majority  said,  "  The  people  be  strong 
that  dwell  in  the  land;  and  the  cities  are  walled  and  very 
great;"  and  above  all  they  said,  "We  saw  the  children  of  Anak 
there."  They  also  reported  that  the  Amalekites  dwelt  in  the 
south,  and  the  Hittites,  Jebusites,  and  Amorites  in  the  moun- 
tains, and  the  Canaanites  along  the  sea  coast,  and  along  the 
valley  of  Jordan.  This  report  of  the  majority  of  the  spies 
greatly  intimidated  the  people,  and  a  fearful  state  of  commotion 
was  produced  in  the  camp;  but  Caleb  and  Joshua  endeavoured 
to  compose  and  encourage  the  people ;  and  exhorted  them  to  go 
up  at  once  and  take  possession  of  the  land;  for  said  they,  "We 
are  well  able  to  overcome  it."  But  the  men  who  went  up  with 
them  said,  "  We  be  not  able  to  go  up  against  the  people ;  for 
they  are  stronger  than  we."  And  thus  they  brought  up  an 
evil  report  of  the  land  which  they  had  searched,  saying,  "The 
land  eateth  up  the  inhabitants  thereof;  and  all  the  people  that 
we  saw  in  it  are  men  of  stature ;  and  there  we  saw  the  giants ; 
and  we  were  in  our  own  sight  as  grasshoppers,  and  so  we  were 
in  their  sight." 


THE   ISRAELITES.  141 


SECTION   XXXVI. 

THE  PEOPLE  REBEL  AGAINST  MOSES  AGAIN — GOD'S  DISPLEASURE — DECLARES  WITH 
AN  OATH  THAT  NONE  BUT  CALEB  AND  JOSHUA  OF  ALL  THAT  GENERATION  SHOULD 
EVER  POSSESS  THE  PROMISED  LAND. 

THE  people  became  more  and  more  agitated;  and  "the  whole 
congregation  lifted  up  their  voice  and  cried ;  and  the  people  wept 
that  night.     And  all  the  congregation  murmured  against  Moses 
and  against  Aaron,  and  said  unto  them,  would  God  that  we  had 
died  in  the  land  of  Egypt !    Or,  would  God  we  had  died  in  this 
wilderness !     And  wherefore  hath  the  Lord  brought  us  into  this 
land  to  fall  by  the  sword,  that  our  wives  and  our  children  should 
be  a  prey?     Were  it  not  better  for  us  to  return  into  Egypt? 
And  they  said  one  to  another,  Let  us  make  a  captain,  and  let  us 
return  into  Egypt.     Then  Moses  and  Aaron  fell  on  their  faces 
before  all  the  assembly;  and  Caleb  the  son  of  Jephunneh,  and 
Joshua  the  son  of  Nun,  who  were  of  the  number  of  those  that 
went  to  spy  out  the  land,  rent  their  clothes,  and  addressed  the 
multitude,  saying,  "  The  land  which  we  passed  through  to  search 
it,  is  an  exceeding  good  land.  If  the  Lord  delight  in  us,  then  he 
will  bring  us  into  this  land  and  give  it  us ;  a  land  flowing  with 
milk  and  honey.     Only  rebel  not  ye  against  the  Lord ;  neither 
fear  ye  the  people  of  the  land ;  for  they  are  bread  for  us :  their 
defence  is  departed  from  them,  and  the  Lord  is  with  us,  fear 
them  not."     But  the  spirit  of  rebellion  had  become  too  violent 
to  be  quelled  with  words,  however  reasonable  or  persuasive. 
Therefore,  instead  of  yielding  to  Caleb  and  Joshua,  they  resolved 
to  put  them  to  death  by  stoning ;  and  would  instantly  have  exe- 
cuted their  purpose,  had  not  THE  GLORY  OF  THE  LORD  appeared 
in  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation,  before  all  the  children  of 
Israel.     "And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  How  long  will  this 
people  provoke  me;  and  how  long  will  it  be  ere  they  believe  me, 
for  all  the  signs  which  I  have  showed  among  them?     I  will 
smite  them  with  the  pestilence,  and  disinherit  them,  and  will 
make  of  thee  a  greater  nation,  and  mightier  than  they.     And 
Moses  said  unto  the  Lord,    The  Egyptians  shall  hear  it,  for 
thou  broughtest  up  this  people  in  thy  might  from  among  them; 
and  they  will  tell  it  to  the  inhabitants  of  this  land ;  for  they 
have  heard,  that  thou,  Lord  art  among  this  people ;  that  thou 
Lord,  art  seen  face  to  face,  and  that  thy  cloud  standeth  over 
them;  and  that  thou  goest  before  them,  by  day-time  in  a  pillar 
of  cloud,  and  in  a  pillar  of  fire  by  night.    Now,  if  thou  shalt  kill 
all  this  people  as  one  man,  then  the  nations  which  have  heard 
the  fame  of  thee,  will  speak,  saying,  Because  the  Lord  was  not 
able  to  bring  this  people  into  the  land  which  he  sware  unto  them, 
therefore  he  hath  slain  them  in  the  wilderness.     And  now,  I 


142  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISEAELITISH  NATION. 

beseech  thee,  let  the  power  of  my  Lord  be  great,  according  as 
thou  hast  spoken,  saying,  The  Lord  is  long-suffering  and  of  great 
mercy,  forgiving  iniquity,  and  transgression,  and  by  no  means 
clearing  the  guilty ;  visiting  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the 
children,  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation.  Pardon,  I  be- 
seech thee,  the  iniquity  of  this  people,  according  unto  the  great- 
ness of  thy  mercy ;  and  as  thou  hast  forgiven  this  people  from 
Egypt,  even  until  now.  And  the  Lord  said,  I  have  pardoned 
according  to  thy  word.  But  as  truly  as  I  live,  all  the  earth 
shall  be  filled  with  THE  GLORY  OF  THE  LORD.  Because  all  those 
men  which  have  seen  my  glory,  and  my  miracles  which  I  did  in 
Egypt,  and  in  the  wilderness,  and  have  tempted  me  now  these 
ten  times,  and  have  not  hearkened  unto  my  voice ;  surely  they 
shall  not  see  the  land,  which  I  sware  unto  their  fathers ;  neither 
shall  any  of  them  that  have  provoked  me  see  it :  but  my  servant 
Caleb,  because  he  had  another  spirit  with  him,  and  hath  followed 
me  fully,  him  will  I  bring  into  the  land,  whereinto  he  went ;  and 
his  seed  shall  possess  it.  To-morrow,  turn  ye,  get  ye  into  the 
wilderness,  by  the  way  of  the  Red  Sea."  "Your  carcasses  shall 
fall  in  this  wilderness,  and  all  that  were  numbered  of  you,  from 
twenty  years  old  and  upward,  which  have  murmured  against  me. 
Doubtless,  ye  shall  not  come  into  the  land,  concerning  which  I 
sware,  to  make  you  dwell  therein,  save  Caleb,  the  son  of  Jephun- 
neh,  and  Joshua,  the  son  of  Nun.  But  your  little  ones,  which 
ye  said  should  be  a  prey,  them  will  I  bring  in,  and  they  shall 
know  the  land  which  ye  have  despised.  But  as  for  you,  your 
carcasses  shall  fall  in  this  wilderness.  And  your  children  shall 
wander  in  the  wilderness  forty  years,  and  bear  your  whoredoms, 
until  your  carcasses  be  wasted  in  the  wilderness.  After  the  num- 
ber of  the  days  in  which  ye  searched  the  land,  even  forty  days, 
each  day  for  a  year,  shall  ye  bear  your  iniquities,  even  forty 
years,  and  ye  shall  know  my  breach  of  promise.  I,  the  Lord, 
have  said,  I  will  surely  do  it  unto  all  this  evil  congregation,  that 
are  gathered  together  against  me :  in  this  wilderness  they  shall 
be  consumed,  and  there  they  shall  die."  Accordingly,  "the  men 
which  Moses  sent  to  search  out  the  land,  who  returned  and  made 
all  the  congregation  to  murmur  against  him,  by  bringing  up  a 
slander  upon  the  land,  ,died  by  the  plague  before  the  Lord.  But 
Joshua,  the  son  of  Nun,  and  Caleb,  the  son  of  Jephunneh, 
which  were  of  the  men  that  went  to  search  the  land,  lived  still." 
And  when  Moses  told  all  the  words  of  the  Lord  unto  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  they  mourned  greatly.  "And  they  rose  up  early 
in  the  morning,  and  gat  them  up  into  the  top  of  the  mountain, 
saying,  Lo  we  be  here,  and  will  go  up  unto  the  place  which  the 
Lord  hath  promised;  for  we  have  sinned."  But  Moses  com- 
manded them  not  to  go  up,  for  the  Lord  was  not  among  them ; 
and  told  them  they  would  be  smitten  by  their  enemies.  "But 


THE  ISRAELITES.  143 

they  presumed  to  go  up  to  the  hill-top ;  nevertheless  the  ark  of 
the  covenant  of  the  Lord,  and  Moses,  departed  not  out  of  the 
camp.  Then  the  Amalekites  came  down,  and  the  Canaanites 
which  dwelt  in  that  hill,  and  smote  them,  and  discomfited  them, 
even  unto  Hormah." 


SECTION  XXXVII. 

THE   REBELLION   OF    KORAH,  DATHAN,   ABIRAM   AND   ON,    WITH   TWO    HUNDRED   AND 
FIFTY  PRINCES  OF  THE  CONGREGATION. 

THE  great  rebellion  mentioned  in  the  last  section,  and  the 
heavy  punishment  incurred,  did  not  terminate  the  perverse  con- 
duct of  this  stiff-necked  people ;  nor  relieve  Moses  from  further 
and  even  greater  troubles.  For  now,  certain  leading  men  of 
the  tribes  of  Levi  and  Reuben,  formed  a  combination  with  two 
hundred  and  fifty  princes  of  the  congregation,  men  of  celebrity 
and  influence,  against  Moses  and  Aaron.  Their  pretext  was, 
that  Moses  and  Aaron  took  too  much  upon  them,  and  lorded  it 
over  God's  heritage.  They  said,  "  Ye  take  too  much  upon 
you,  seeing  all  the  congregation  are  holy,  every  one  of  them, 
and  the  Lord  is  among  them :  wherefore  then  lift  ye  up  your- 
selves above  the  congregation  of  the  Lord?"  And  when  Moses 
heard  their  allegation,  he  fell  on  his  face.  But  he  simply 
referred  the  whole  matter  to  the  proper  tribunal,  to  the  decision 
of  God.  "To-morrow,"  said  he,  "the  Lord  will  show  who  are 
his,  and  who  is  holy,  and  will  cause  him  to  come  near  unto  him ; 
even  him  whom  he  hath  chosen  will  he  cause  to  come  near  unto 
him.  This  do;  take  you  censers,  Korah  and  all  his  company, 
and  put  fire  therein,  and  put  incense  in  them  before  the  Lord 
to-morrow :  and  it  shall  be,  that  the  man  whom  the  Lord  doth 
choose,  he  shall  be  holy ;  ye  take  too  much  upon  you,  ye  sons 
of  Levi.  And  Moses  said  unto  Korah,  Hear,  I  pray  you,  ye 
sons  of  Levi.  Seemeth  it  but  a  small  thing  unto  you,  that  the 
God  of  Israel  hath  separated  you  from  the  congregation  of 
Israel,  to  bring  you  near  to  himself,  to  do  the  service  of  the 
tabernacle  of  the  Lord;  and  to  stand  before  the  congregation, 
to  minister  unto  them.  And  he  hath  brought  thee  near  to  him, 
and  all  thy  brethren,  the  sons  of  Levi  with  thee,  and  seek  ye 
the  priesthood  also?  for  which  cause  both  thou,  and  all  thy 
company  are  gathered  together  against  the  Lord :  and  what  is 
Aaron,  that  ye  murmur  against  him?"  It  is  evident  from  this 
cutting  reproof  and  expostulation,  that  this  rebellion  was  insti- 
gated by  Korah,  who  was  the  cousin  of  Moses  and  Aaron ;  and 
who  envied  the  latter  the  honour  conferred  upon  him  in  being 
invested  with  the  office  of  the  high-priest.  And  by  his  artful 
representations  he  had  brought  over  almost  all  the  leading  men 


144  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

of  Israel  to  be  on  his  side,  and  to  join  with  him  in  his  com- 
plaint against  Moses  and  Aaron,  for  usurping  an  undue  share 
of  power  over  the  people.  It  seems  that  Dathan  and  Abiram 
were  not  present  at  this  altercation  between  Moses  and  Korah; 
and  when  they  were  summoned  to  make  their  appearance,  they 
said,  "  We  will  not  come.  Is  it  a  small  thing  that  thou  hast 
brought  us  up  out  of  a  land  that  floweth  with  milk  and  honey, 
to  kill  us  in  the  wilderness,  except  thou  make  thyself  altogether 
a  prince  over  us  ?  Moreover,  thou  hast  not  brought  us  into  a 
land  that  floweth  with  milk  and  honey,  or  given  us  inheritance 
of  fields  and  vineyards.  Wilt  thou  put  out  the  eyes  of  these 
men?  We  will  not  come  up."  Upon  hearing  this  accusation, 
Moses  was  exceedingly  angry,  and  said  unto  the  Lord,  "  Res- 
pect not  their  offering.  I  have  not  taken  one  ass  from  them ; 
neither  have  I  hurt  one  of  them."  As  is  usual  in  such  cases, 
different  persons  entered  into  this  rebellion  with  different 
motives.  Dathan  and  Abiram  were  dissatisfied  that  the  people 
were  kept  so  long  in  the  wilderness ;  and  especially,  since  the 
prospect  was,  that  they  would  continue  wandering  there  for 
many  years  to  come. 

On  the  next  day  appeared  Korah  and  all  his  company,  two 
hundred  and  fifty  princes,  with  their  censers,  before  the  taber- 
nacle ;  and  Aaron  stood  also  with  his  censer ;  and  the  whole 
congregation  were  assembled;  and  they  took  every  man  his 
censer  and  put  fire  in  them,  and  laid  incense  therein,  and  stood 
in  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  with  Moses  and  Aaron ;  and  THE 
GLORY  OF  THE  LORD  appeared  unto  all  the  congregation.  "And 
the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses  and  Aaron,  saying,  Separate  your- 
selves from  the  congregation,  that  I  may  consume  them  in  a 
moment." 

But  Moses  and  Aaron  entreated  for  the  people,  and  said, 
"  0  God,  the  God  of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh,  shall  one  man  sin 
and  wilt  thou  be  wroth  with  the  whole  congregation  ?  And  the 
Lord  said,  Speak  unto  the  congregation,  saying,  get  you  up 
from  out  of  the  tabernacles  of  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram. 
And  Moses  rose  up  and  went  to  Dathan  and  Abiram,  and  the 
elders  of  Israel  followed  him.  And  he  spake  unto  the  congre- 
gation, saying,  Depart  I  pray  you,  from  the  tents  of  these 
wicked  men,  and  touch  nothing  of  theirs  lest  ye  be  consumed  in 
all  their  sins.  So  they  gat  up  from  the  tabernacle  of  Korah, 
Dathan,  and  Abiram,  on  every  side;  and  Dathan  and  Abiram 
came  out,  and  stood  in  the  door  of  their  tents ;  and  their  wives 
and  their  sons  and  their  little  children.  And  Moses  said, 
Hereby  shall  ye  know  that  the  Lord  hath  sent  me  to  do  all 
these  works,  for  I  have  not  done  them  of  my  own  mind.  If 
these  men  die  the  common  death  of  all  men,  or  if  they  be  visited 
after  the  visitation  of  all  men,  then  the  Lord  hath  not  sent  me. 


THE   ISRAELITES.  145 

But  if  the  Lord  make  a  new  thing,  and  the  earth  open  her 
mouth,  and  swallow  them  up  with  all  that  appertain  unto  them, 
and  they  go  down  quick  into  the  pit;  then  ye  shall  understand 
that  these  men  have  provoked  the  Lord."  And  he  had  no 
sooner  finished  speaking,  "than  the  ground  clave  asunder  that 
was  under  them.  And  the  earth  opened  her  mouth,  and  swal- 
lowed them  up,  and  their  houses,  and  all  the  men  that  apper- 
tained unto  Korah,  and  all  their  goods.  They  and  all  that 
appertained  to  them,  went  down  alive  into  the  pit,  and  the 
earth  closed  upon  them ;  and  they  perished  from  among  the 
congregation.  And  all  Israel  that  was  round  about  them  fled 
at  the  cry  of  them ;  for  they  said,  Lest  the  earth  swallow  us  up 
also.  And  there  came  out  a  fire  from  the  Lord,  and  consumed 
the  two  hundred  and  fifty  men  that  offered  incense."  By  the 
command  of  God  the  censers  of  these  men  were  made  into 
broad  plates,  for  the  covering  of  the  altar,  because  by  being 
offered  before  the  Lord,  they  had,  as  it  were,  been  hallowed. 

But  on  the  succeeding  day,  the  children  of  Israel,  whose 
rebellious  spirit  nothing  could  subdue,  began  again  to  murmur 
against  Moses  and  Aaron,  saying,  "Ye  have  killed  the  people 
of  the  Lord."  And  the  congregation  assembled  against  Moses 
and  Aaron;  but  when  they  looked  toward  the  tabernacle, 
behold  the  cloud  covered  it,  and  THE  GLORY  OF  THE  LORD 
appeared.  And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  saying,  "  Get  you 
up  from  among  this  congregation,  that  I  may  consume  them,  as 
in  a  moment;  and  Moses  and  Aaron  fell  upon  their  faces. 
And  Moses  said  to  Aaron,  "take  a  censer,  and  put  fire  therein 
from  off  the  altar  and  put  on  incense,  and  go  quickly  into  the 
congregation,  and  make  an  atonement  for  them,  for  there  is 
wrath  gone  out  from  the  Lord;  the  plague  is  begun.  And 
Aaron  ran  into  the  midst  of  the  congregation,  and  behold  the 
plague  was  begun  among  the  people ;  and  he  put  on  incense  and 
made  an  atonement  for  the  people.  And  he  stood  between  the 
dead  and  the  living,  and  the  plague  was  stayed."  The  number 
who  died  of  the  plague,  on  this  occasion,  was  fourteen  thousand 
seven  hundred,  beside  them  that  fell  with  Korah,  Dathan,  and 
Abiram. 

To  prevent  all  future  contests  about  the  right  to  the  priest- 
hood, all  the  tribes  were  commanded  of  God,  each  to  bring  a 
rod ;  and  on  every  rod  was  written  the  name  of  the  chief  of  the 
tribe  who  brought  it;  and  Aaron's  name  upon  the  rod  of  Levi. 
These  rods  were  directed  to  be  laid  up  before  the  testimony, 
and  it  was  declared,  that  the  man's  rod  whom  the  Lord  had 
chosen,  should  blossom.  And  when  an  examination  was  made 
of  the  rods,  the  rod  of  Aaron,  for  the  house  of  Levi,  had  budded 
and  blossomed.  And  Moses  was  directed  to  lay  up  Aaron's 
10 


146  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

rod  for  a  memorial,  and  it  was  preserved  for  generations  in  the 
ark,  with  the  pot  of  manna. 


SECTION  XXXVIII. 

SECOND   MURMURING   ON   ACCOUNT  OF   THE    WANT    OF    WATER. 

WHILE  Israel  remained  encamped  at  Kadesh,  Miriam  who  was 
several  years  older  than  either  Moses  or  Aaron,  died,  and  was 
buried  there.  "And  there  was  no  water  for  the  congregation; 
and  the  people  chode  with  Moses  and  Aaron,  saving,  Would 
God  we  had  died  when  our  brethren  died  before  the  Lord.  And 
why  have  ye  brought  the  congregation  of  the  Lord  into  this  wil- 
derness, that  we  and  our  cattle  should  die  there?  And  where- 
fore have  you  made  us  to  come  up  out  of  Egypt,  to  bring  us 
into  this  evil  place  ?  It  is  no  place  of  seed,  or  of  figs  or  vines, 
or  of  pomegranates;  neither  is  there  any  water  to  drink." 
Upon  this  trying  occasion,  as  before,  Moses  and  Aaron  fell  on 
their  faces,  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle;  and  THE  GLORY  OP 
THE  LORD  appeared  unto  them.  And  the  Lord  directed  Moses 
to  take  the  rod,  and  collect  the  congregation,  and  to  speak  to 
the  rock,  and  it  should  bring  forth  water.  But  Moses,  chafed 
and  provoked  with  the  unceasing  rebellion  of  the  people,  instead 
of  simply  doing  what  the  Lord  commanded,  said  to  them,  "Hear 
now,  ye  rebels,  must  we  fetch  water  out  of  this  rock?  And 
Moses  lifted  up  his  hand  and  smote  the  rock  twice;  and  the 
water  came  out  abundantly,  and  the  congregation  drank  and 
their  beasts  also."  But  this  conduct  of  Moses  greatly  displeased 
the  Lord,  therefore  he  said,  "  Because  ye  believed  me  not  to 
sanctify  me  in  the  eyes  of  the  children  of  Israel,  therefore  ye 
shall  not  bring  the  congregation  into  the  land  which  I  have 
given  them."  This  place  also,  like  the  former,  received  the 
name  of  Meribah,  because  there  the  children  of  Israel  strove 
with  the  Lord. 


SECTION  XXXIX. 

MESSAGE    TO    THE    KING    OF    EDOM — DEATH  OF  AARON. 

FROM  Kadesh,  the  direct  way  for  the  march  of  the  children  of 
Israel  was  through  the  country  of  Edom.  Moses  therefore  sent 
messengers  to  the  king  of  Edom,  to  solicit  a  peaceable  passage 
through  his  territory;  and  they  were  commissioned  to  say, 
"  Thus  saith  thy  brother  Israel,  thou  knowest  all  the  travail  that 
hath  befallen  us ;  how  our  fathers  went  down  into  Egypt,  and 
we  have  dwelt  in  Egypt,  a  long  time,  and  the  Egyptians  vexed 


THE  ISRAELITES.  147 

ns  and  our  fathers ;  and  when  we  cried  unto  the  Lord,  he  heard 
our  voice,  and  sent  an  angel  and  hath  brought  us  forth  out  of 
Egypt,  and  behold  we  are  in  Cadesh,  a  city  in  the  uttermost  of 
thy  borders.  Let  us  pass,  I  pray  thee,  through  thy  country. 
We  will  not  pass  through  the  fields,  or  through  the  vineyards, 
neither  will  we  drink  of  the  water  of  the  wells.  We  will  go  by 
the  king's  highway,  we  will  not  turn  to  the  right  hand  nor  to 
the  left  until  we  have  passed  thy  borders."  But  the  king  of 
Edom  would  not  grant  this  favour  to  Israel;  and  threatened 
them  with  a  hostile  attack  if  they  should  attempt  to  enter  his 
country.  And  when  they  repeated  their  request,  offering  to 
pay  for  the  water  which  their  cattle  might  need,  still  they  met 
with  a  positive  refusal.  They  were,  therefore,  under  the  neces- 
sity of  turning  their  march  another  way ;  endeavouring  to  pass 
around  the  land  of  Edom ;  and  in  their  progress  they  came  to 
mount  Hor,  which  became  famous  on  account  of  the  death  of 
Aaron;  for  he  having  been  a  partaker  of  the  sin  of  Moses 
which  excluded  him  from  the  land  of  promise,  was  also  prevented 
from  entering  Canaan.  The  circumstances  of  Aaron's  death 
were  unusual  and  solemn.  Moses  was  directed  to  take  him  and 
Eleazar,  and  bring  them  up  unto  mount  Hor ;  and  they  went  up 
in  the  sight  of  all  the  congregation.  And  then  Moses  stripped 
off  Aaron's  sacerdotal  robes,  and  put  them  upon  Eleazar  his  son. 
And  Aaron  died  there,  in  the  top  of  the  mountain ;  and  Moses 
and  Eleazar  came  down  from  the  mount.  And  all  the  house  of 
Israel  mourned  for  Aaron  thirty  days. 

While  Israel  was  endeavouring  to  encompass  the  land  of 
Edom,  where  they  found  the  way  exceeding  difficult,  so  that 
the  hearts  of  the  people  were  much  discouraged,  they  were 
attacked  by  Arad,  the  Canaanite,  who  dwelt  in  the  south.  At 
first  he  had  some  success  against  Israel,  and  took  some  of  the 
people  prisoners,  but  they  vowed  a  vow,  that  if  the  Lord  would 
deliver  their  enemies  into  their  hand,  they  would  utterly  destroy 
their  cities ;  and  the  Lord  heard  them,  and  gave  them  the  vic- 
tory :  and  accordingly  they  utterly  destroyed  them  and  their 
cities,  and  called  the  name  of  the  place,  Hormah. 


SECTION  XL. 

FIEKY   SERPENTS   INFEST  THE   PEOPLE    ON    ACCOUNT   OF   THEIR   REBELLION. 

THE  people  having  again  sinned  against  God  and  Moses  his  ser- 
vant, saying,  "Wherefore  have  ye  brought  us  up  out  of  Egypt, 
to  die  in  the  wilderness  ?  for  there  is  no  bread,  neither  is  there 
any  water ;  and  our  soul  loatheth  this  light  bread ;  therefore, 
the  Lord  sent  fiery  serpents  among  the  people,  and  they  bit  the 


148  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

people;  and  much  people  of  Israel  died."  They  now  began  as 
usual  to  repent,  and  came  to  Moses  and  said,  "  We  have  sinned, 
for  we  have  spoken  against  the  Lord  and  thee.  Pray  unto  the 
Lord,  that  he  take  away  the  serpents  from  us."  And  again 
Moses  prayed  for  the  people.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses, 
Make  thee  a  fiery  serpent,  and  set  it  on  a  pole;  and  it  shall 
come  to  pass,  that  every  one  that  is  bitten,  when  he  looketh 
upon  it  shall  live.  And  Moses  made  a  serpent  of  brass,  and 
put  it  on  a  pole,  and  whoever  that  was  bitten  of  the  fiery  ser- 
pents, when  they  looked  upon  it,  lived."  From  our  Lord's  dis- 
course with  Nicodemus,  we  learn,  that  the  erection  of  this  bra- 
zen serpent  on  a  pole  for  the  healing  of  the  dying  Israelites, 
was  a  type  of  the  lifting  up  of  the  Son  of  man  on  the  cross,  for 
the  salvation  of  sinners;  and  that  the  manner  of  obtaining  the 
cure  was  the  same.  "For  as  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in 
the  wilderness,  so  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up,  that  who- 
soever believeth  in  him  should  not  perish  but  have  everlasting 
life." 

The  armies  of  Israel  continued  their  march  and  came  suc- 
cessively to  Oboth,  Ije-Abarim,  which  is  on  the  coast  of  Moab, 
Zared,  and  Arnon,  which  river  is  the  boundary  between  the 
territory  of  Moab  and  of  Ammon ;  and  thence  they  journeyed 
to  Beer,  or  the  ivell,  where  the  Lord  gave  water  to  the  people ; 
on  which  occasion  Moses  composed  a  hymn  which  the  people 
sang.  "  Spring  up,  0  well,  sing  ye  unto  it.  The  princes  dig- 
ged the  well ;  the  nobles  of  the  people  digged  it,  by  the  direc- 
tion of  the  lawgiver,  with  their  staves."  Their  next  stage  was 
Mattanah;  then  Nahaliel;  then  Bamoth,  in  the  valley,  which 
is  in  the  country  of  Moab,  and  from  thence  to  the  top  of  Pis- 
gah.  Having  now  reached  the  borders  of  the  Amorites,  Moses 
sent  messengers  to  Sihon,  the  king  of  the  country,  to  obtain 
permission  to  pass  through  his  country,  promising  not  to  turn 
aside  from  the  highway  into  the  fields  or  vineyards,  nor  to  drink 
the  water  of  his  wells,  but  to  march  directly  through  the  land, 
until  they  had  passed  his  borders.  But  Sihon  would  not  suffer 
Israel  to  pass  through  his  borders,  and  not  content  with  a  re- 
fusal of  this  reasonable  request,  he  collected  an  army  and  went 
forth  to  attack  Israel,  in  the  wilderness.  And  at  a  place  called 
Johaz,  a  battle  was  fought,  in  which  Sihon  was  completely  over- 
thrown. And  Israel  took  possession  of  the  country  of  the 
Amorites,  from  Arnon  to  Jabbok  on  the  borders  of  Ammon, 
and  dwelt  in  their  cities ;  and  they  took  Heshbon  the  royal  city, 
which  Sihon  had  built  and  ornamented  with  much  pains. 

After  vanquishing  the  Amorites,  and  taking  possession  of 
their  country,  they  went  up  by  the  way  of  Bashan ;  and  Og, 
king  of  Bashan,  came  out  and  fought  with  them  at  Edrei ;  but 
was  utterly  overthrown,  and  all  his  people  destroyed. 


THE   ISRAELITES.  149 


SECTION  XLI. 

BALAK    SENDS   FOR    BALAAM   TO    CURSE   ISRAEL. 

THE  children  of  Israel  having  conquered  the  Amorites  who 
dwelt  on  the  east  side  of  Jordan,  had  nearly  reached  the  end  of 
their  journey ;  for  they  were  now  encamped  on  the  plains  of 
Moab,  over  against  Jericho.  And  it  does  not  appear  that  they 
had  the  least  intention  of  attacking  Moab ;  indeed  they  were 
prohibited  to  meddle  with  the  children  of  Lot.  But  Balak  the 
son  of  Zippor,  who  was  at  this  time  the  king  of  the  Moabites, 
was  greatly  alarmed  at  seeing  so  great  a  multitude  of  people  on 
his  borders;  and  especially  after  he  had  witnessed  the  utter 
overthrow  of  the  Amorites,  by  the  armies  of  Israel.  He  was 
convinced  that  in  the  usual  course  of  war,  he  had  no  prospect  of 
success  against  such  a  host,  now  accustomed  to  the  use  of  arms. 
After  consultation,  therefore,  he  sent  messengers  to  Pethor,  on 
the  Euphrates,  to  bring  from  thence,  Balaam,  the  son  of  Beor, 
to  curse  the  people  of  Israel,  because  they  were  too  mighty  for 
him.  The  fame  of  Balaam  must  have  been  very  great  in  the 
east,  when  it  was  believed  in  remote  lands,  that  he  had  power 
to  destroy  whom  he  would,  and  to  render  whom  he  would  pros- 
perous. 

At  this  time  it  would  seem  that  Moab  and  Midian  formed  one 
nation,  or  were  confederate,  for  Balak  at  first,  consulted  the 
elders  of  Midian,  and  then  joined  them  in  the  embassy  with  the 
elders  of  Moab,  to  Balaam.  They  carried  with  them  "the  re- 
wards of  divination;"  no  doubt,  a  royal  present;  and  delivered 
to  Balaam  the  message  of  Balak.  Balaam,  although  a  bad  man 
at  heart,  was  really  a  prophet,  and  had  been  accustomed  to 
receive  by  inspiration  communications  from  God.  He  hoped 
that  in  this  case  he  might  receive  a  permission  to  engage  in  a 
work  which  promised  him  so  much  profit.  He  did  not,  therefore, 
give  an  immediate  answer  to  the  messengers,  but  detained  them 
that  night  that  he  might  know  the  mind  of  God.  And,  accord- 
ingly, God  did  come  to  him  and  inquired,  who  they  were  whom 
he  had  with  him  in  the  house.  And  then  said,  "  Thou  shalt  not 
go  with  them :  thou  shalt  not  curse  the  people,  for  they  are 
blessed."  In  the  morning,  therefore,  Balaam  sent  back  the 
messengers,  saying,  "  The  Lord  refuseth  to  give  me  leave  to  go 
with  you."  It  is  probable  from  the  turn  of  this  answer,  and 
from  other  circumstances,  these  ambassadors  were  convinced, 
that  the  inclination  of  the  prophet  was  to  accompany  them ;  and 
this  may  account  for  Balak's  sending  another  embassy  of  princes, 
more  in  number  and  more  honourable  than  the  first,  who  were 
authorized  to  promise  the  highest  honours  and  rewards  which 


150  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

he  could  ask,  if  he  would  go  and  curse  the  people  of  Israel. 
But  Balaam  assured  them,  that  if  they  were  to  give  him  a  house 
full  of  gold,  he  could  not  go  beyond  the  word  of  the  Lord  to  do 
less  or  more.  But  instead  of  giving  a  prompt  and  decisive 
refusal,  which  he  should  have  done,  he  detains  them,  that  he 
might  again  inquire  of  the  Lord.  Well,  in  the  night,  "God 
came  to  Balaam,  and  said,  If  the  men  come  to  call  thee,  rise  up 
and  go  with  them ;  but  yet  the  word  which  I  say  unto  thee, 
that  shalt  thou  do.  And  Balaam  rose  up  in  the  morning  and 
saddled  his  ass,  and  went  with  the  princes  of  Moab." 

God  sometimes  grants  the  earnest  requests  of  his  creatures 
in  judgment  for  their  wickedness  in  entertaining  such  desires. 
This  was  evidently  the  case  in  regard  to  Balaam ;  for  although 
he  now  directed  him  to  go  with  the  men,  in  direct  opposition  to 
what  he  had  at  first  commanded,  yet  "  God's  anger  was  enkin- 
dled, because  he  went."  Perhaps  what  was  said  by  way  of  per- 
mission, was  merely  meant  for  trial,  to  see  whether  the  avarice 
of  the  prophet  would  lead  him  to  embrace  the  opportunity  of 
going.  And  now  when  he  was  on  his  journey,  the  princes  of 
Moab  had  probably  gone  on  before,  "the  angel  of  the  Lord 
stood  in  the  way,  an  adversary  against  him."  Balaam  was 
riding  on  his  ass,  accompanied  by  his  two  servants,  "and  the 
ass  saw  the  angel  of  the  Lord  standing  in  the  way ;  and  his 
sword  drawn  in  his  hand,  and  the  ass  turned  aside  out  of  the 
way  and  went  into  the  field.  And  Balaam  smote  the  ass  to 
turn  her  into  the  way.  But  the  road  here  passing  between  two 
walls,  the  angel  placed  himself  so  exactly  before  her,  that  the 
ass  in  avoiding  him  turned  to  the  wall  and  pressed  Balaam's 
foot  against  the  wall,  and  he  smote  her  again.  The  angel  then 
removed  forward  to  a  place,  where  the  passage  was  still  nar- 
rower, so  that  the  ass  had  no  way  to  turn ;  and  when  she  saw 
the  angel  she  fell  down  under  Balaam ;  and  his  anger  was  kin- 
dled and  he  smote  the  ass  with  a  staff.  And  the  Lord  opened 
the  mouth  of  the  ass,  and  she  said  unto  Balaam,  What  have  I 
done  unto  thee,  that  thou  hast  smitten  me  these  three  times? 
And  Balaam  said  unto  the  ass,  Because  thou  hast  mocked  me: 
I  would  there  were  a  sword  in  mine  hand,  for  then  would  I  kill 
thee.  And  the  ass  said  unto  Balaam,  Am  I  not  thine  ass,  upon 
which  thou  hast  ridden  ever  since  I  was  thine,  unto  this  day?  Was 
I  ever  wont  to  do  so  unto  thee  ?  And  he  said,  Nay.  Then  the  Lord 
opened  the  eyes  of  Balaam,  and  he  saw  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
standing  in  the  way,  and  his  sword  drawn  in  his  hand :  and  he 
bowed  down  his  head  and  fell  flat  on  his  face.  And  the  angel 
of  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Wherefore  hast  thou  smitten  thine 
ass  these  three  times;  behold  I  went  out  to  withstand  thee, 
because  thy  way  is  perverse  before  me.  And  the  ass  saw  me 
and  turned  from  me,  these  three  times ;  unless  she  had  turned 


THE   ISRAELITES.  151 

from  me  surely  I  would  have  slain  thee  and  saved  her  alive. 
And  Balaam  said  unto  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  I  have  sinned ; 
for  I  knew  not  that  thou  stoodest  in  the  way  against  me. 
Now,  therefore,  if  it  displease  thee,  I  will  get  me  back  again. 
But  the  angel  of  the  Lord  said,  Go  with  the  men ;  but  only 
the  word  that  I  speak  unto  thee,  that  thou  shalt  speak.  So 
Balaam  went  with  the  princes  of  Balak."  As  he  was  so  intent 
on  going,  the  Lord  permits  him  to  follow  the  bent  of  his  inclina- 
tion; but  lets  him  know  how  much  he  was  displeased  with  him 
for  entertaining  such  a  wish,  after  what  he  had  said  to  him  at 
the  first;  and  although  he  permits  him  to  go;  yet  he  places  him 
under  such  a  restraint,  that  he  would  be  able  to  say  or  do  noth- 
ing of  what  Balak  wished.  Balak,  however,  was  greatly 
pleased  when  he  found  that  Balaam  had  come,  and  went  out  to 
meet  him  to  the  extreme  border  of  his  coast.  And  when  he 
saw  him,  he  gently  upbraided  him  for  not  coming  at  once,  since 
it  was  in  his  power  to  advance  him  to  honour.  But  Balaam 
assured  him  that  although  he  had  come,  it  was  not  in  his  power 
to  say  any  thing,  but  that  word  which  God  should  put  into  his 
mouth.  And  Balak  invited  him  to  a  rich  feast  at  Kirjath- 
huzoth. 


SECTION  XLII. 

BALAAM   BLESSES   ISRAEL. 

BALAK,  with  raised  expectations,  took  Balaam  up  into  the  high 
places  of  Baal,  that  thence  he  might  take  a  view  of  the  hosts  of 
Israel,  who  were  encamped  on  the  plains  of  Moab.  Balaam 
directed  that  seven  altars  should  be  erected  on  the  elevated 
spot  to  which  he  had  been  conducted;  and  a  bullock  and  a 
ram  for  each  altar,  should  be  prepared  for  burnt-offerings. 
And  leaving  Balak  by  the  sacrifices,  he  went  himself  to  another 
place  alone,  in  the  hope  of  receiving  a  message  from  God,  and 
in  this  expectation  he  was  not  disappointed;  for  God  met 
Balaam,  and  put  a  word  in  his  mouth,  and  said,  "  Return  unto 
Balak  and  thus  shalt  thou  speak.  And  he  returned  unto  him ; 
and  lo,  he  stood  by  his  burnt-sacrifice,  and  all  the  princes  of 
Moab.  And  he  took  up  his  parable,  and  said,  Balak  the  king 
of  Moab  hath  brought  me  from  Aram,  out  of  the  mountains  of 
the  east,  saying,  Come,  curse  me  Jacob ;  and  come,  defy  Israel. 
How  shall  I  curse  whom  God  hath  not  cursed  ?  or  how  shall  I 
defy  whom  the  Lord  hath  not  defied  ?  For  from  the  top  of  the 
rocks  I  see  him,  and  from  the  hills  I  behold  him ;  lo  the  people 
shall  dwell  alone,  and  shall  not  be  reckoned  among  the  nations. 
"Who  can  count  the  dust  of  Jacob,  and  the  number  of  the 
fourth  part  of  Israel  ?  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous, 


152  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his.  And  Balak  said  unto  Balaam, 
What  hast  thou  done  unto  me  ?  I  took  thee  to  curse  mine  ene- 
mies, and  behold  thou  hast  blessed  them  altogether.  And  he 
answered  and  said,  Must  I  not  take  heed  to  speak  that  which 
the  Lord  hath  put  in  my  mouth?  And  Balak  said  unto  him, 
Come,  I  pray  thee,  with  me  into  another  place,  from  whence  thou 
mayest  see  them ;  thou  shalt  see  but  the  utmost  part  of  them, 
and  shall  not  see  them  all;  and  curse  me  them  from  thence. 
And  he  brought  him  into  the  field  of  Zophim,  to  the  top  of 
Pisgah ;  and  built  seven  altars,  and  offered  a  bullock  and  a 
ram  on  every  altar.  And  he  said  unto  Balak,  Stand  here  by 
the  burnt- offering,  while  I  meet  the  Lord  yonder.  And  the 
Lord  met  Balaam  and  put  a  word  in  his  mouth."  And  when 
he  returned,  "Balak  said  unto  him,  what  hath  the  Lord  spo- 
ken? And  he  took  up  his  parable  and  said,  Rise  up  Balak 
and  hear,  hearken  unto  me  thou  son  of  Zippor.  God  is  not  a 
man  that  he  should  lie;  nor  the  son  of  man,  that  he  should 
repent ;  hath  he  said,  and  shall  he  not  do  it  ?  or  hath  he  spo- 
ken, and  shall  he  not  make  it  good?  Behold,  I  have  received 
commandment  to  bless,  and  he  hath  blessed,  and  I  cannot 
reverse  it.  He  hath  not  beheld  iniquity  in  Jacob,  neither 
hath  he  seen  perverseness  in  Israel.  The  Lord  his  God  is  with 
him,  and  the  shout  of  a  king  is  among  them.  God  brought 
them  out  of  Egypt ;  he  hath,  as  it  were,  the  strength  of  a  uni- 
corn. Surely,  there  is  no  enchantment  against  Jacob,  neither 
is  there  any  divination  against  Israel.  According  to  this  time 
it  shall  be  said  of  Jacob  and  of  Israel,  What  hath  God 
wrought  ?  Behold,  the  people  shall  rise  up  as  a  great  lion,  and 
lift  up  himself  as  a  young  lion ;  he  shall  not  lie  down  until  he 
eat  of  the  prey,  and  drink  the  blood  of  the  slain.  And  Balak  said 
unto  Balaam,  Neither  curse  them  at  all,  nor  bless  them  at  all. 
But  Balaam  answered,  Told  not  I  thee,  saying,  All  that  the  Lord 
speaketh,  that  must  I  do.  And  Balak  said  unto  Balaam,  Come, 
I  pray  thee,  I  will  bring  thee  to  another  place ;  peradventure  it 
will  please  God  that  thou  mayest  curse  me  them  from  thence." 
And  he  brought  him  to  the  top  of  Peor,  that  looketh  toward 
Jeshimon;  and  there  he  builded  seven  altars  and  offered  a 
bullock  and  a  ram  on  each,  as  before.  "And  when  Balaam 
saw  that  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  bless  Israel,  he  went  not,  as  at 
other  times,  to  seek  for  enchantments,  but  he  set  his  face 
towards  the  wilderness.  And  Balaam  lifted  up  his  eyes  and 
saw  Israel  abiding  in  his  tents,  according  to  their  tribes;  and 
the  Spirit  of  God  came  upon  him,  and  he  took  up  his  parable, 
and  said,  Balaam  the  son  of  Beor  hath  said,  and  the  man  whose 
eyes  are  open  hath  said :  He  hath  said,  which  heard  the  words 
of  God,  which  saw  the  vision  of  the  Almighty,  falling  into  a 
trance,  but  having  his  eyes  open:  How  goodly  are  thy  tents,  0 


THE   ISRAELITES.  153 

Jacob !  and  thy  tabernacles,  0  Israel !  As  the  valleys  are  they 
spread  forth,  as  gardens  by  the  river's  side ;  as  the  trees  of  lign- 
aloes,  which  the  Lord  hath  planted,  and  as  cedar-trees  beside 
the  waters.  He  shall  pour  the  water  out  of  his  buckets,  and 
his  seed  shall  be  in  many  waters ;  and  his  king  shall  be  higher 
than  Agag,  and  his  kingdom  shall  be  exalted.  God  brought 
him  forth  out  of  Egypt :  he  hath,  as  it  were,  the  strength  of  an 
unicorn;  he  shall  eat  up  the  nations  his  enemies,  and  shall 
break  their  bones,  and  pierce  them  through  with  his  arrows. 
He  couched,  he  lay  down  as  a  lion,  and  as  a  great  lion ;  who 
shall  stir  him  up  ?  Blessed  is  he  that  blesseth  thee ;  and  cursed 
is  he  that  curseth  thee.  And  Balak's  anger  was  kindled  against 
Balaam,  and  he  smote  his  hands  together  and  said,  I  called  thee 
to  curse  mine  enemies,  and  behold  thou  hast  altogether  blessed 
them  these  three  times.  Therefore,  flee  now  to  thy  place.  I 
thought  to  promote  thee  unto  great  honour;  but  lo,  the  Lord 
hath  kept  thee  back  from  honour.  And  Balaam  said  unto 
Balak,  Spake  I  not  to  thy  messengers  which  thou  sentest  unto 
me,  saying,  If  Balak  would  give  me  his  house  full  of  silver  and 
gold,  I  could  not  go  beyond  the  commandment  of  the  Lord,  to 
do  either  good  or  bad  of  mine  own  mind ;  but  what  the  Lord 
saith,  that  will  I  speak.  And  now,  behold,  I  go  unto  my  peo- 
ple; come  therefore,  and  I  will  advertise  thee  what  this  people 
shall  do  to  thy  people  in  the  latter  days.  And  he  took  up  his 
parable,  and  said,  I  shall  see  him,  but  not  now;  I  shall  behold 
nim,  but  not  nigh;  there  shall  come  a  star  out  of  Jacob,  and  a 
Sceptre  shall  rise  out  of  Israel;  and  shall  smite  the  corners  of 
Moab ;  and  destroy  all  the  children  of  Sheth.  And  Edom  shall 
be  a  possession ;  Seir  also  shall  be  a  possession  for  his  enemies ; 
and  Israel  shall  do  valiantly.  Out  of  Jacob  shall  come  He  that 
shall  have  dominion ;  and  shall  destroy  him  that  remaineth  of 
the  city.  And  when  he  looked  on  Amalek,  he  took  up  his 
parable,  and  said,  Amalek  was  the  first  of  the  nations ;  but  his 
latter  end  shall  be  that  he  perish  for  ever.  And  he  looked  on 
the  Kenites,  and  took  up  his  parable  and  said,  Strong  is  thy 
dwelling-place,  and  thou  puttest  thy  nest  in  a  rock;  neverthe- 
less, the  Kenite  shall  be  wasted,  until  Asshur  shall  carry  thee 
away  captive.  And  he  took  up  his  parable  and  said,  Alas,  who 
shall  live,  when  God  doeth  this  ?  And  ships  shall  come  from 
the  coast  of  Chittim,  and  shall  afflict  Asshur;  and  shall  afflict 
Eber,  and  he  also  shall  perish  for  ever.  And  Balaam  rose  up 
and  returned  to  his  place;  and  Balak  also  went  his  way." 


154  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 


SECTION  XLIII. 

SEDUCTION  OF   THE   ISRAELITES    BY  THE    DAUGHTERS   OF   HOAB. 

BUT  although  Balaam  now  returned  home,  it  was  not  long 
before  he  was  recalled ;  for  we  learn  from  an  apostle,  that  the 
plan  of  enticing  the  children  of  Israel  to  sin,  by  means  of  the 
daughters  of  Moab,  was  of  his  devising.  For  we  not  only  read 
that  he  fell  into  error,  and  loved  the  wages  of  unrighteousness ; 
and  that  his  going  after  the  messengers  of  Balak,  was  a  mad- 
ness, which  was  rebuked  by  the  speaking  of  the  dumb  ass ;  but 
in  the  book  of  Revelation,  we  read  of  some  at  Pergamos,  who 
held  the  doctrines  of  Balaam,  who  taught  Balak  to  cast  a  stum- 
bling-block before  the  children  of  Israel,  to  eat  things  sacrificed 
to  idols,  and  to  commit  fornication.  This  extraordinary  man 
and  inspired  prophet,  although  he  was  not  permitted  to  curse 
Israel,  yet  could  devise  a  plan  by  which  they  might  be  seduced 
into  idolatry  and  fornication,  by  which  means  a  multitude  of  the 
people  perished. 


SECTION  XLIV. 

PUNISHMENT  OF  THE  ISRAELITES. 

THE  plan  of  seduction  recommended  to  Balak  by  Balaam,  seems 
to  have  been  to  invite  Israel  to  the  sacrifices  of  their  gods.  At 
these  sacrifices,  luxurious  feasts  were  celebrated;  and  where 
licentious  indulgences  were  not  only  tolerated,  but  formed  a 
part  of  the  service  required  of  them,  by  their  impure  religion. 
The  principal  deity  of  the  Moabites,  was  Baal-peor,  one  of  the 
most  abominable  of  the  heathen  gods ;  wh*ose  rites  were  a  mix- 
ture of  cruelty  and  obscenity.  To  this  strange  god,  the  Israel- 
ites invited  to  the  sacrificial  feasts,  bowed  down  ;  so  that  "  Israel 
was  joined  to  Baal-peor;  and  the  anger  of  the  Lord  was  kindled 
against  them.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  Take  all  the 
heads  of  the  people  and  hang  them  up  before  the  Lord,  against 
the  sun,  that  the  fierce  anger  of  the  Lord  may  be  turned  away 
from  Israel.  And  slay  ye  every  one  his  man  that  were  joined 
unto  Baal-peor."  And  while  the  children  of  Israel  were  weeping 
before  the  door  of  the  tabernacle,  one  of  the  children  of  Israel 
brought  into  the  camp  a  Midianitish  woman,  in  the  sight  of 
Moses  and  all  the  congregation.  Upon  which  Phinehas,  the 
son  of  Eleazar  the  chief-priest,  seized  with  a  holy  zeal,  rose  up 
from  among  the  congregation,  and  took  a  javelin  in  his  hand ; 
and  went  after  the  man  into  his  tent ;  and  thrust  both  of  them 
through  the  body  with  the  javelin.  And  the  act,  though  vio- 


THE   ISRAELITES.  155 

lent,  was  pleasing  to  God;  so  that  from  this  time,  the  plague 
which  had  commenced  its  ravages  among  the  children  of  Israel 
was  stayed.  "  And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  saying,  Phine- 
has,  the  son  of  Eleazar,  the  son  of  Aaron  the  priest,  hath  turned 
away  my  wrath  from  the  children  of  Israel,  while  he  was  zealous 
for  my  sake  among  them,  that  I  consumed  not  the  children  of 
Israel  in  my  jealousy.  Wherefore,  say,  Behold  I  give  unto  him 
my  covenant  of  peace ;  and  he  shall  have  it  and  his  seed  after 
him;  even  the  covenant  of  an  everlasting  priesthood;  because 
he  was  zealous  for  his  God,  and  made  an  atonement  for  the 
children  of  Israel."  The  person  who  was  thus  made  the  victim 
of  a  holy  indignation  was  no  common  man;  but  a  prince  of  a 
chief  house  among  the  Simeonites ;  whose  name  was  Zimri,  the 
son  of  Salu.  And  the  Midianitish  woman  also  was  of  a  chief 
house  in  Midian.  Her  name  was  Cozbi,  the  daughter  of  Zur. 
The  Lord  now  commandeth  Moses  henceforth  to  treat  the  Mid- 
ianites  as  enemies,  "for,"  said  he,  "they  have  vexed  you  with 
their  wiles,  wherewith  they  have  beguiled  you  in  the  matter  of 
Peor;  and  in  the  matter  of  Cozbi,  the  daughter  of  a  prince  of 
Midian,  their  sister,  which  was  slain  in  the  day  of  the  plague 
for  Peor's  sake."  Whether  these  Midianites,  who  now  seem  to 
have  been  incorporated  with  Moab,  were  of  the  same  nation  as 
Jethro,  Moses'  father-in-law,  it  is  difficult  to  determine.  The 
identity  of  the  name  renders  it  probable  that  they  were  a  part 
of  the  same  tribe ;  for  the  Arabs  then,  as  now,  were  a  migratory 
race,  often  shifting  their  place  of  abode,  but  still  delighting  in 
the  wilderness ;  thus  exhibiting  in  all  ages,  the  justness  of  the 
description  of  sacred  writ,  in  which  they  are  represented  by  "  a 
wild  ass." 


SECTION  XLV. 

SECOND    CENSUS   OF   THE    PEOPLE. 

IT  is  an  inevitable  inference  from  the  result  of  the  enumeration, 
which  was  now  ordered,  that  the  tribe  of  Simeon  were  chief  in 
the  transgression  and  in  the  punishment;  for  it  will  appear  by 
a  comparison  with  the  former  census,  that  this  tribe  had  lost 
more  than  half  its  number. 

And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses  and  Eleazar  the  priest,  saying, 
"  Take  the  sum  of  all  the  congregation  of  the  children  of  Israel, 
from  twenty  years  old  and  upward." 

Upon  a  comparison  of  this  census  with  the  one  taken  after 
the  people  came  out  of  Egypt,  the  result  will  be  as  follows: 
The  tribe  of  Reuben  had  decreased,  during  their  wandering  in 
the  wilderness,  by  the  number  of  2770.  The  decrease  of  the 
tribe  of  Simeon  was  37,100,  nearly  two-thirds  of  the  whole  num- 


156  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

ber.  The  tribe  of  Gad  had  diminished  by  5150.  Judah  had 
increased  1900.  Zebulun  had  increased  by  3100.  The  increase 
of  Manasseh  was  20,500.  The  decrease  of  Ephraim  was  8000. 
The  increase  of  Benjamin  was  10,200.  The  increase  of  Dan 
was  1700.  The  increase  of  Asher,  11,000.  And  the  decrease 
of  Napthali,  8000.  Taking  all  the  tribes  together,  there  was  a 
decrease  of  1820.  This  census,  however,  does  not  include  the 
tribe  of  Levi;  but  they  were  numbered  by  themselves;  and 
their  increase  during  the  forty  years  of  their  sojourning  in  the 
wilderness  was  1000.  The  reason  why  this  tribe  was  not  num- 
bered with  the  others,  was,  that  they  had  no  inheritance  among 
the  children  of  Israel;  and  the  intention  of  taking  an  accurate 
census  of  the  tribes  was,  to  prepare  the  way  for  an  equitable 
distribution  of  the  land  of  Canaan  among  them.  For  the  Lord 
said  unto  Moses,  "unto  these  shall  the  land  be  divided  for  an 
inheritance,  according  to  the  number  of  names.  To  many  thou 
shalt  give  the  more  inheritance,  and  to  few  the  less  inheritance. 
To  every  one  shall  his  inheritance  be  given  according  to  those 
that  were  numbered  of  him." 

By  the  census  now  taken  in  the  plains  of  Moab,  by  Jordan, 
near  Jericho,  the  fulfilment  of  God's  threatening  against  the 
rebellious  Israelites  was  most  manifest ;  for  among  those  now 
numbered,  there  was  not  a  man  whom  Moses  and  Aaron  the 
priest  had  before  numbered,  when  they  took  the  census  of  the 
children  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness  of  Sinai.  For  the  Lord  had 
said  of  them,  "  they  shall  surely  die  in  the  wilderness,  and  there 
was  not  left  a  man  of  them,  save  Caleb  the  son  of  Jephunneh, 
and  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun." 

But  as  the  males  alone  were  numbered,  and  the  inheritances 
were  to  be  distributed  according  to  the  enumeration,  it  is 
obvious,  that  if  in  any  family  the  male  line  should  fail,  and 
females  only  remain,  they  would  be  deprived  of  their  just  share 
of  property.  A  striking  instance  of  this  kind  actually  occurred. 
For  the  children  of  Zelophehad,  of  the  tribe  of  Manasseh,  were 
all  daughters,  five  in  number;  and  finding,  that  by  the  opera- 
tion of  the  general  law  they  would  be  deprived  of  their  share  of 
the  inheritance,  stood  before  Moses  and  Eleazar  and  the  princes 
of  the  congregation  by  the  door  of  the  tabernacle,  saying,  "  our 
father  died  in  the  wilderness,  and  he  was  not  of  the  company  of 
Korah;  but  died  in  his  own  sin,  and  .had  no  sons,  why  should 
the  name  of  our  father  be  done  away  from  among  his  family, 
because  he  hath  no  son?  Give  unto  us  therefore,  a  possession 
among  the  brethren  of  our  father.  And  Moses  brought  the 
case  before  the  Lord;  and  the  Lord  said,  "The  daughters  of 
Zelophehad  speak  right ;  thou  shalt  surely  give  them  an  inheri- 
tance among  their  father's  brethren ;  and  cause  the  inheritance 
of  their  father  to  pass  unto  them.  And  this  became  a  statute 


THE  ISRAELITES.  157 

in  Israel,  that  where  there  were  no  sons,  daughters  should 
inherit;  only  they  were  required  to  marry  within  their  own 
tribe,  that  the  possession  of  one  tribe  might  not  be  transferred 
to  another. 


SECTION  XLVI. 

OVERTHROW   OF   THE    MIDIANITES. 

As  the  Midianites,  had  a  chief  hand  in  seducing  the  Israelites 
from  their  duty,  God  commanded  Moses,  to  avenge  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  on  the  Midianites,  before  he  was  gathered  to  his 
people.  Moses,  therefore,  directed  that  each  tribe  should  fur- 
nish a  thousand  men  for  the  war;  and  Phinehas  the  son  of 
Eleazar  the  priest  was  sent  with  the  army,  with  the  holy  instru- 
ments, and  the  trumpets  to  blow  in  his  hand.  And  they 
warred  against  the  Midianites,  and  slew  all  the  males.  And 
they  slew  the  five  kings  of  Midian ;  and  also  Balaam  the  son  of 
Beor  they  slew  with  the  sword.  And  they  burnt  all  their  cities 
and  their  goodly  castles,  and  took  the  women  and  children  cap- 
tives; and  took  possession  of  all  their  flocks,  and  all  their 
goods.  But  when  they  returned  to  the  congregation,  Moses 
expressed  strong  displeasure  with  the  officers  of  the  army 
because  they  had  saved  the  women  alive;  for  these,  said  he, 
caused  the  children  of  Israel,  through  the  counsel  of  Balaam, 
to  commit  trespass  against  the  Lord  in  the  matter  of  Peor ;  on 
which  account  there  was  a  plague  sent  among  the  people.  The 
order  was  therefore  given  to  slay  all  the  male  children  and  all 
the  women,  except  virgins  who  had  not  been  contaminated. 
But  the  men  who  went  on  this  military  expedition,  as  having 
been  stained  with  blood,  and  as  having  necessarily  touched  the 
dead  bodies  of  the  slain,  were  not  permitted  to  come  into  the 
camp  for  seven  days ;  and  all  their  raiment,  and  all  their  vessels 
were  required  to  be  purified;  and  all  the  metallic  substances 
were  ordered  to  be  made  to  go  through  the  fire ;  the  purification 
of  other  things  to  be  by  water. 

And  on  the  seventh  day  they  were  all  required  to  wash 
their  clothes,  and  then  to  come  into  the  camp. 

As  a  very  rich  prey  had  been  taken,  Moses,  by  the  command 
of  God,  directed  that  it  should  be  divided  into  two  equal  parts ; 
the  one  moiety  to  be  given  to  the  men  of  war  who  went  out  to 
the  battle ;  and  the  other  to  the  congregation ;  and  from  the 
part  allotted  to  the  army  one  five-hundredth  part  was  to  be 
levied,  and  given  to  Eleazar  the  priest;  and  of  the  part 
assigned  to  the  people,  a  levy  of  one-fiftieth  to  be  given  to  the 
Levites.  The  number  of  sheep  taken  was  six  hundred  thou- 
sand and  seventy  thousand.  And  the  beeves  seventy-two 


158  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH    NATION. 

thousand;  sixty-one  thousand  asses;  and  of  human  persons, 
thirty-two  thousand  virgins.  These  females,  it  is  highly  proba- 
ble were  all  children ;  and  therefore  unpolluted  with  the  vices 
"which  were  prevalent  among  the  adult  women.  According  to 
this  calculation,  the  number  of  persons  slain  must  have  been 
very  considerable.  It  was  remarkable  evidence  of  an  extraor- 
dinary protection,  that  when  the  officers  mustered  their  men, 
on  their  return,  there  was  not  one  man  missing.  And  the 
officers  who  went  out  on  this  expedition,  having  been  so  remark- 
ably preserved  and  prospered,  "brought  an  oblation  for  the 
Lord,  what  every  man  had  gotten,  of  jewels  of  gold,  chains, 
and  bracelets,  ear-rings,  and  tablets,  to  make  an  atonement  for 
their  souls  before  the  Lord."  And  the  sum  of  their  offering 
•was  sixteen  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty  shekels,  which 
Moses  and  Eleazar  brought  into  the  tabernacle,  for  a  memorial 
of  the  children  of  Israel  before  the  Lord. 


SECTION  XLVII. 

THE   TRIBES    OF    BEUBEN   AND    GAD   ASK   PERMISSION    TO      TAKE   THEIR   INHERITANCE 

ON   THE   EAST    OF   JORDAN ALSO  THE  HALF  TRIBE  OF  MANASSEH — THEIR  REQUEST 

IS    GRANTED. 

THE  children  of  Reuben  and  of  Gad  had  a  very  great  multi- 
tude of  cattle ;  and  seeing  that  the  land  of  Jazar  and  the  land 
of  Gilead  was  a  place  for  cattle,  they  came  to  Moses  and  Ele- 
azar, saying,  "If  we  have  found  grace  in  thy  sight,  let  this 
land  be  given  unto  thy  servants  for  a  possession,  and  bring  us 
not  over  Jordan."  To  which  Moses  answered  with  displeasure, 
"  Shall  your  brethren  go  to  war,  and  shall  you  sit  here  ?  And 
wherefore  discourage  you  the  heart  of  the  children  of  Israel 
from  going  over  into  the  land,  which  the  Lord  hath  given  them  ? 
Thus  did  your  fathers,  when  I  sent  them  from  Kadesh-barnea 
to  see  the  land.  For  when  they  came  up  into  the  valley  of 
Eshcol,  and  saw  the  land,  they  discouraged  the  heart  of  the 
children  of  Israel,  that  they  should  not  go  into  the  land  which 
the  Lord  had  given  them.  And  the  Lord's  anger  was  kindled 
the  same  time;  and  he  sware,  saying,  Surely  none  of  the  men 
that  came  up  out  of  Egypt,  from  twenty  years  old  and  upward, 
shall  see  the  land  which  I  sware  unto  Abraham,  unto  Isaac,  and 
unto  Jacob,  because  they  have  not  followed  me  fully,  save 
Caleb,  the  son  of  Jephunneh,  and  Joshua,  the  son  of  Nun,  for 
they  have  wholly  followed  the  Lord.  And  the  Lord's  anger 
was  kindled  against  Israel,  and  he  made  them  wander  in  the 
wilderness  forty  years,  until  all  the  generation  that  had  done 
evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  was  consumed.  And  behold  ye 
are  risen  up  in  your  father's  stead,  an  increase  of  sinful  men, 


THE   ISRAELITES.  159 

to  augment  yet  the  fierce  anger  of  the  Lord  toward  Israel.  For 
if  ye  turn  away  from  after  him,  he  will  yet  again  leave  them 
in  the  wilderness;  and  ye  shall  destroy  all  this  people."  And 
they  came  near  to  him  and  said,  "We  will  build  sheepfolds  here 
for  our  cattle,  and  cities  for  our  little  ones.  But  we  ourselves 
will  go  ready  armed  before  the  children  of  Israel,  until  we  have 
brought  them  unto  their  place.  We  will  not  return  unto  our 
houses,  until  the  children  of  Israel  have  inherited  every  man 
his  inheritance.  For  we  will  not  inherit  with  them  on  yonder 
side  of  Jordan,  because  our  inheritance  is  fallen  to  us,  on  this 
side  Jordan,  eastward.  And  Moses  said  unto  them,  If  ye  will 
do  this  thing,  if  ye  will  go  armed  before  the  Lord  to  war,  until 
he  hath  driven  out  his  enemies  from  before  him,  and  the  land 
be  sudued  before  the  Lord,  and  before  Israel,  then  afterwards 
ye  shall  return,  and  be  guiltless  before  the  Lord  and  before 
Israel,  and  this  land  shall  be  your  possession  before  the  Lord. 
But  if  ye  will  not  do  so,  ye  have  sinned  against  the  Lord ;  and 
be  sure  your  sin  will  find  you  out."  So  the  children  of  Reuben 
and  Gad  fully  assented  to  the  proposal  of  Moses,  and  answered, 
"as  the  Lord  hath  said  unto  thy  servants,  so  will  we  do." 

And  Moses  gave  unto  the  tribe  of  Reuben  and  the  tribe  of 
Gad,  (and  now  the  half  tribe  of  Manasseh  had  united  with 
them,)  the  kingdom  of  Sihon,  the  king  of  the  Amorites,  and 
the  kingdom  of  Og,  king  of  Bashan,  the  land  with  the  cities 
thereof,  and  all  the  coasts  round  about. 

And  they  immediately  began  to  build  cities,  and  prepare 
places  for  their  families,  and  for  their  flocks ;  or  rather,  they 
repaired  the  cities  which  already  existed  in  that  country,  and 
changed  their  names.  In  this  distribution,  Gilead  fell  to  Ma- 
chir,  the  son  of  Manasseh;  and  Heshbon,  Elealeh,  and  Kirja- 
thaim,  to  Reuben ;  and  Dibon  and  Aroer  and  Ataroth,  to  Gad. 

Thus  two  tribes  and  a  half,  out  of  the  twelve,  were  already 
provided  for;  and  their  armed  men  were  in  a  much  better  con- 
dition to  carry  on  the  war  against  the  Canaanites,  than  those 
who  were  accompanied  by  their  families. 


SECTION  XLVIII. 

A   RETROSPECT   OF   THE  JOURNEYINGS   OF   ISRAEL   IN   THE   WILDERNESS. 

FOR  forty  years  this  whole  nation  were  made  to  wander  in 
the  wilderness,  on  account  of  their  sins  and  rebellion  against 
God,  and  against  his  servant  Moses.  Where  they  spent  the 
greater  part  of  their  time,  or  how  they  were  occupied,  during 
this  long  period,  we  have  no  means  of  knowing.  It  is  not 
improbable,  that  they  remained  years  in  the  same  place; 


160  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

but  in  all  their  movements  they  were  guided  by  the  pillar  of 
cloud  in  the  day,  and  of  fire  by  night ;  so  that  they  were  never 
at  a  loss  when  they  should  march,  or  where  they  should  encamp. 
And  during  all  this  time  they  were  regularly  supplied  with 
"angel's  food;"  and  with  water  from  the  rock,  which  followed 
them.  But  respecting  a  large  portion  of  the  incidents  which 
befell  them  in  their  journeying,  we  have  no  record;  and  we 
may  be  sure  therefore,  that  the  knowledge  of  these  things  is  no 
how  necessary  for  the  edification  of  the  Church.  As  it  is,  we 
have  a  number  of  striking  facts,  well  suited  to  furnish  admoni- 
tion and  warning  to  all  who  seriously  consider  them.  And  in  a 
country  so  barren,  and  to  a  people  who  had  no  occupation  but 
marching  from  station  to  station,  there  must  have  been  great 
sameness  in  the  transactions  of  every  day. 

Moses,  it  is  true,  has  given  us,  in  the  33d  chapter  of  Num- 
bers, forty-two  stations,  where  the  Israelites  successively  en- 
camped; but  we  are  not  informed  of  the  distances  between  these 
stations ;  nor  of  the  time  spent  at  any  one  of  them ;  and  it  is 
now  impossible  to  ascertain  where  they  were  situated;  or  in 
what  direction  they  were  journeying  when  passing  from  one  to 
another. 

There  are  some  difficulties  attending  this  long  residence  in 
the  wilderness,  which  we  know  not  how  to  solve ;  as,  for  exam- 
ple, how  the  numerous  flocks  and  herds  were  supplied  with  pas- 
turage ;  but  we  need  not  perplex  ourselves  about  such  matters, 
because  He  who  could  provide  food  for  more  than  two  millions 
of  human  beings  for  forty  years,  could  easily  provide  provender 
for  the  sheep  and  cattle  also.  Indeed,  it  is  probable,  that  the 
same  manna  which  furnished  sustenance  to  the  men,  was  made 
use  of  to  feed  the  beasts  which  accompanied  them.  A  greater 
difficulty  would  be  to  understand,  how  so  great  multitude  of 
people  could  be  furnished  with  decent  clothing  during  their 
residence  in  this  inhospitable  region,  if  we  were  not  expressly 
informed  that  their  shoes  and  raiment  did  not  wear  out  during 
the  whole  journey.  As,  at  the  end  of  their  march,  Moses  says, 
"  And  I  have  led  you  forty  years  in  the  wilderness,  your  clothes 
are  not  waxen  old  upon  you,  and  thy  shoe  is  not  waxen  old 
upon  thy  feet."  Deut.  xxix.  5. 

The  whole  distance  from  Mount  Horeb  to  Kadesh-barnea, 
which  was  on  the  borders  of  the  wilderness  next  to  Canaan,  was 
no  more  than  a  journey  of  eleven  days.  And  from  the  time 
of  leaving  Kadesh-barnea,  until  they  crossed  the  brook  Zered, 
was  no  less  than  thirty-eight  years.  Thus  long  did  they  remain 
in  the  wilderness  after  they  once  came  almost  in  sight  of  the 
promised  land. 


THE   ISRAELITES.  161 


SECTION  XLXIX. 

DEUTERONOMY,   OR   RECATITULATION   OF    THE    LAW. 

MOSES  having  been  expressly  informed  that  he  should  not  go 
into  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  the  people  having  now  arrived 
near  to  Jordan,  in  the  plains  of  Moab  over  against  Jericho,  he 
was  aware  that  he  was  approaching  the  close  of  his  earthly  pil- 
grimage ;  and  was  therefore  desirous  of  putting  the  people  in 
remembrance  of  the  various  divine  laws  and  institutions  which 
he  by  the  command  of  God  had  delivered  to  them.  He  recounts 
to  them  therefore,  how  he  had  appointed  judges  by  taking 
"wise  and  understanding  men  from  among  themselves,  and 
made  them  officers  of  different  ranks,  to  assist  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  affairs.  He  then  relates  how  he  had,  at  the  sugges- 
tion of  the  people,  selected  twelve  men  to  explore  the  land ;  and 
how  on  account  of  the  murmuring  and  rebellion  of  the  people  they 
were  then  prevented  from  taking  possession  of  the  country ;  and 
how  the  Lord  declared  that  none  of  those  then  above  twenty 
years  of  age  should  ever  enter  Canaan ;  but  their  children  only. 
He  reminds  them  that  they  were  prohibited  from  meddling  with 
Edom,  Moab,  or  Ammon ;  since  God  had  not  given  them  their 
countries  for  a  possession.  But  he  recounts  to  them  the  con- 
quest which  they  had  made  of  the  country  of  the  Amorites, 
when  Sihon  and  Og  made  war  upon  them.  He  solemnly  charges 
them  to  avoid  every  species  of  idolatry :  calls  to  their  remem- 
brance the  awful  exhibition  of  the  divine  glory  at  Horeb,  and 
the  various  commandments  and  ordinances  which  they  had  then 
received ;  and  desires  them  to  recollect  that  they  had  there  seen 
no  manner  of  similitude,  when  the  Lord  spoke  to  them  out  of 
the  midst  of  the  fire.  This  was  intended  to  teach  them  not  "to 
make  a  graven  image  the  similitude  of  any  figure,  the  likeness 
of  male  or  female ;  the  likeness  of  any  beast  that  is  on  the 
earth ;  the  likeness  of  any  winged  fowl  that  flieth  in  the  air ; 
the  likeness  of  any  thing  that  creepeth  on  the  ground ;  the  like- 
ness of  any  fish  that  is  in  the  waters,  beneath  the  earth.  And 
lest  thou  lift  up  thine  eyes  unto  heaven,  and  when  thou  seest 
the  sun,  and  the  moon,  and  the  stars,  even  all  the  host  of 
heaven,  should  be  driven  to  worship  them  and  serve  them,  which 
the  Lord  thy  God  hath  divided  unto  all  the  nations  under  the 
whole  heaven."  He  next  tells  them  how  the  Lord  was  angry 
with  him,  for  their  sakes,  and  sware  that  he  should  not  go  unto 
the  good  land.  After  which  he  returns  again  to  repeat  his 
warnings  against  idolatry,  and  predicts  the  dreadful  consequen- 
ces of  this  crime.  He  speaks  of  the  cities  of  refuge  which  he 
was  directed  to  set  apart.  Then  calling  the  attention  of  all  the 
11 


1G2  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

people,  he  repeats  unto  them  the  ten  commandments  which  they 
had  heard  from  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  at  Horeb,  and  which  he 
had  written  afterwards  on  two  tables  of  stone ;  which  he  fol- 
lowed with  the  following  solemn  and  impressive  exhortation  to 
obedience:  "Hear,  therefore,  0  Israel,  and  observe  to  do  it, 
that  it  may  be  well  with  thee,  and  that  ye  may  increase 
mightily,  as  the  Lord  God  of  thy  fathers  hath  promised  thee, 
in  the  land  that  floweth  with  milk  and  honey.  Hear,  0  Israel, 
the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord,  and  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  all  thine  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy 
might.  And  these  words,  which  I  command  thee  this  day  shall 
be  in  thine  heart.  And  thou  shalt  teach  them  diligently  unto 
thy  children,  and  shalt  talk  of  them  when  thou  sittest  in  thine 
house,  and  when  thou  walkest  by  the  way,  and  when  thou  liest 
down,  and  when  thou  risest  up.  And  thou  shalt  bind  them  for 
a  sign  upon  thine  hand,  and  they  shall  be  as  frontlets  between 
thine  eyes.  And  thou  shalt  write  them  upon  the  posts  of  thy 
house,  and  on  thy  gates."  Moses  directs  the  people  to  exter- 
minate the  nations  of  Canaan ;  to  form  no  covenants  or  mar- 
riages with  them,  lest  they  should  turn  their  hearts  away  from 
following  the  Lord.  Their  altars  and  images  and  groves  they 
were  commanded  to  destroy.  He  admonishes  them  of  the  dan- 
ger of  forgetting  God  in  the  time  of  their  prosperity,  and  re- 
counts the  way  by  which  they  had  been  led,  and  the  deliver- 
ances which  they  had  experienced.  He  encourages  them  to 
expect  the  presence  and  guidance  of  God,  in  taking  possession 
of  the  promised  land,  and  warns  them  not  to  provoke  God  as 
did  their  fathers  when  they  made  the  golden  calf;  and  repeats 
all  the  transactions  connected  with  that  memorable  transgres- 
sion. He  again  exhorts  them  to  render  love  and  obedience  unto 
God,  and  to  destroy  all  memorials  of  idolatry;  and  commands 
that  enticers  to  idolatry  should  certainly  be  put  to  death,  who- 
ever they  might  be.  He  also  recited  some  of  the  ceremonial 
laws  which  had  been  given  them,  particularly  those  which  related 
to  clean  and  unclean  animals;  to  tithes  and  offerings;  to  the 
seventh  year ;  to  the  three  great  annual  festivals,  the  passover. 
the  feast  of  weeks,  and  the  feast  of  tabernacles.  He  also  in- 
structs them  anew  respecting  the  rites  of  sacrificing ;  and  the 
provision  made  for  the  priests  and  Levites.  He  recites  the  law 
respecting  the  setting  apart  six  cities  as  places  of  refuge  for 
the  manslayer;  and  gives  rules  respecting  the  number  of  wit- 
nesses which  should  be  required,  making  it  necessary  that  in 
the  proof  of  any  crime,  there  should  be  two  or  three  witnesses; 
no  man  was  to  be  convicted  on  the  testimony  of  one  witness. 
He  also  directed  what  punishment  should  be  inflicted  on  false 
witnesses ;  the  rule  which  he  established  was  severe  but  equita- 
ble ;  whatever  punishment  the  false  witness  would  have  brought 


THE   ISRAELITES.  163 

upon  the  innocent  person  arraigned,  the  same  should  he  be 
adjudged  to  suffer;  "life  for  life,  eye  for  eye,  tooth  for  tooth, 
hand  for  hand,  foot  for  foot"  Moses  also  gave  precepts  respect- 
ing making  war  and  peace;  and  directed  that  a  priest  should 
be  appointed  to  accompany  the  army  to  encourage  the  people; 
and  the  very  words  which  he  should  speak  to  the  people  were 
set  down.  "  Hear,  0  Israel,  ye  approach  this  day  unto  battle 
against  your  enemies;  let  not  your  hearts  be  faint.  Fear  not, 
and  do  not  tremble,  neither  be  ye  terrified,  because  of  them ; 
for  the  Lord  your  God  is  He  that  goeth  with  you,  to  fight  for 
you  against  your  enemies,  to  save  you."  And  the  officers  of 
the  army  were  to  permit  every  one  who  had  built  a  new  house 
and  had  not  dedicated  it,  and  him  who  had  planted  a  vineyard 
and  had  not  yet  eaten  of  its  fruit,  and  him  who  had  betrothed 
a  wife  and  had  not  taken  her;  and  also  every  one  who  was  fear- 
ful and  faint-hearted,  to  return  home.  Proposals  of  peace  were 
always  to  be  offered,  and  if  the  people  submitted  they  were 
merely  to  be  made  tributary ;  but  this  rule  had  no  application 
to  the  inhabitants  of  Canaan  who  were  doomed  to  utter  destruc- 
tion ;  lest  they  should  teach  you  to  do  after  their  abominations, 
which  they  have  done  unto  their  gods.  In  besieging  cities,  fruit- 
trees  were  to  be  preserved.  He  gives  directions  for  expiating 
a  murder,  where  the  perpetrator  was  unknown;  and  for  the 
punishment  of  a  rebellious  son,  who  was  both  a  glutton  and  a 
drunkard.  Persons  suspended  on  a  tree  must  be  taken  down, 
before  night;  "for  he  that  was  hanged  was  accursed  of  God." 
He  gives  a  variety  of  laws  respecting  matters  of  minor  impor- 
tance ;  as  in  relation  to  strayed  cattle  and  articles  of  property 
lost ;  concerning  the  unlawfulness  of  an  interchange  of  apparel 
between  males  and  females ;  respecting  fringes  or  tassels  on  the 
borders  of  the  garments ;  respecting  garments  of  different  mate- 
rials, as  linen  and  woollen.  Peculiar  laws  were  given  for  the 
detection  and  punishment  of  incontinency  before  marriage. 
Laws  of  discipline  to  regulate  the  receiving  of  persons  into  the 
congregation  of  the  Lord  are  made  known.  Cleanliness  is 
strongly  inculcated  by  the  Mosaic  laws.  It  was  allowed,  when 
in  the  vineyard  or  field  of  a  neighbour  to  eat  what  was  needed, 
but  not  to  carry  any  thing  away.  Moses  permits  divorce,  on 
condition  that  the  husband  write  a  bill  of  divorcement,  and  give 
it  into  her  hand,  and  then  she  might  be  married  to  another. 
The  stealing  of  their  brethren  to  make  merchandise  of  them,  was 
punishable  with  death.  Punishment  by  stripes  was  not  allowed 
to  exceed  forty;  and  lest  this  law  should  be  transgressed  they 
commonly  stopped  at  thirty-nine.  A  peculiar  law  is  announced 
respecting  the  treatment  of  the  man  who  refused  to  marry  his 
deceased  brother's  widow.  Modesty  in  women  is  provided  for 
by  a  severe  law;  and  perfect  justice  and  fairness  in  trade  is 


164  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

again  strongly  enjoined.  The  laws  respecting  first-fruits,  tithes, 
and  other  offerings,  are  particularly  announced.  When  Moses 
had  finished  revealing  all  these  laws,  a  solemn  form  of  covenant- 
ing between  God  and  the  people  is  given;  and  they  avouched 
the  Lord  to  be  their  God,  and  promised  obedience;  and  the 
Lord  avouched  them  to  be  his  peculiar  people. 


SECTION  L. 

THE    LAW   TO   BE   INSCRIBED   ON   FLAISTERED   STONES — THE   BLESSINGS    FROM    MOUNT 
GERIZZIM,   AND   CURSES   FROM    MOUNT   EBAL. 

MOSES  having  now  completed  the  recapitulation  of  the  laws  and 
ordinances,  which  had  been  given  by  divine  command,  with  the 
elders  of  Israel  exhorted  the  people,  saying,  "Keep  all  the 
commandments  which  I  command  you  this  day.  And  it  shall 
be  on  the  day  when  ye  shall  pass  over  Jordan  unto  the  land 
which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee,  that  thou  shalt  set  thee 
up  great  stones,  and  plaister  them  with  plaister.  And  thou 
shalt  write  upon  them  all  the  words  of  this  law,  when  thou  art 
passed  over,  that  thou  mayest  go  in  unto  the  land,  which  the 
Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee ;  a  land  that  floweth  with  milk  and 
honey,  as  the  Lord  God  of  thy  fathers  hath  promised  thee. 
Therefore  it  shall  be  when  ye  are  gone  over  Jordan,  that  ye 
shall  set  up  these  stones  which  I  command  you  this  day,  in 
mount  Ebal,  and  thou  shalt  plaister  them  with  plaister.  And 
there  shalt  thou  build  an  altar  unto  the  Lord  thy  God,  an  altar 
of  stones ;  thou  shalt  not  lift  up  an  iron  tool  upon  them.  Thou 
shalt  build  the  altar  unto  the  Lord  thy  God,  an  altar  of  stones ; 
thou  shalt  offer  burnt-offerings  thereon,  unto  the  Lord  thy  God. 
And  thou  shalt  offer  peace-offerings,  and  shalt  eat  there,  and 
rejoice  before  the  Lord  thy  God.  And  thou  shalt  write  upon 
the  stones  all  the  words  of  this  law  very  plainly." 

"And  Moses  and  the  priests,  the  Levites,  spake  unto  all 
Israel  saying,  Take  heed  and  hearken  0  Israel ;  this  day  thou 
art  become  the  people  of  the  Lord  thy  God.  Thou  shalt  there- 
fore obey  the  voice  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  do  his  command- 
ments and  statutes,  which  I  command  you  this  day." 

"And  Moses  charged  the  people  the  same  day,  saying, 
These  shall  stand  upon  Mount  Gerizim  to  bless  the  people, 
when  ye  are  come  over  Jordan,  Simeon,  and  Levi,  and  Judah, 
and  Issachar,  and  Joseph,  and  Benjamin.  ,And  these  shall 
stand  upon  mount  Ebal  to  curse,  Reuben,  Gad,  and  Asher,  and 
Zebulun,  Dan,  and  Naphtali."  Then  he  enumerated  the 
curses  which  the  Levites  should  denounce  with  a  loud  voice ; 
and  at  every  denunciation  the  whole  congregation  were  to  say, 
Amen.  The  crimes  unto  which  these  curses  were  annexed,  were 


THE  ISRAELITES.  165 

idolatry;  dishonouring  of  parents;  removing  a  neighbour's 
land-mark ;  perverting  the  judgment  of  the  stranger,  the  father- 
less, and  widow;  incest  with  a  father's  wife;  bestiality;  incest 
•with  a  sister,  half-sister,  or  wife's  mother ;  secret  assault  upon  a 
neighbour ;  the  slaying  of  the  innocent  for  reward.  And  at  the 
close,  there  was  a  general  curse  upon  every  man  who  did  not 
confirm  all  the  words  of  the  law  to  do  them.  Then  Moses  pro- 
ceeded to  enumerate  the  blessings  with  which  the  Lord  would 
bless  them  if  they  should  prove  obedient.  "  The  Lord  thy  God 
will  set  thee  on  high  above  all  the  nations  of  the  earth ;  and  all 
these  blessings  shall  come  on  thee  and  overtake  thee.  Blessed 
shalt  thou  be  in  the  city,  and  blessed  shalt  thou  be  in  the  field. 
Blessed  shall  be  the  fruit  of  thy  body,  and  the  fruit  of  thy 
ground,  and  the  fruit  of  thy  cattle,  the  increase  of  thy  kine,  and 
the  flocks  of  thy  sheep.  Blessed  shall  be  thy  basket  and  thy 
store.  Blessed  shalt  thou  be  when  thou  comest  in,  and  blessed 
shalt  thou  be  when  thou  goest  out.  The  Lord  shall  cause  thine 
enemies  that  rise  up  against  thee  to  be  smitten  before  thy  face. 
They  shall  come  out  against  thee  one  way,  and  flee  before 
thee  seven  ways.  The  Lord  shall  command  the  blessing  upon 
thee  in  thy  storehouses,  and  in  all  thou  settest  thine  hand 
unto ;  and  he  shall  bless  thee  in  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God 
giveth  thee.  The  Lord  shall  establish  thee  a  holy  people  unto 
himself,  as  he  hath  sworn  unto  thee,  if  thou  shalt  keep  the  com- 
mandments of  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  walk  in  his  ways.  And 
all  the  people  of  the  earth  shall  see  that  thou  art  called  by  the 
name  of  the  Lord;  and  they  shall  be  afraid  of  thee.  And  the 
Lord  shall  make  thee  plenteous  in  goods,  in  the  fruit  of  thy 
body,  and  in  the  fruit  of  thy  cattle ;  and  in  the  fruit  of  thy 
ground,  in  the  land  which  the  Lord  sware  unto  thy  fathers  to  give 
thee.  The  Lord  shall  open  unto  thee  her  good  treasure,  the  hea- 
ven to  give  the  rain  unto  thy  land  in  his  season ;  and  to  bless  all 
the  work  of  thine  hand ;  and  thou  shalt  lend  unto  many  nations, 
and  shalt  not  borrow.  And  the  Lord  shall  make  thee  the  head 
and  not  the  tail ;  and  thou  shalt  be  above  only,  and  shalt  not  be 
beneath;  if  that  thou  hearken  unto  the  commandments  of  the 
Lord  thy  God;  which  I  command  thee  this  day  to  observe  and 
do  them.  And  thou  shalt  not  go  aside  from  any  of  the  words, 
which  I  command  thee  this  day,  to  the  right  or  to  the  left,  to 
go  after  other  gods  to  serve  them." 

Then  Moses  went  on  with  a  series  of  curses  answering  to  the 
blessings  already  mentioned.  But  not  contented  with  these 
general  denunciations  of  the  divine  judgments,  he  enters  into  a 
particular  enumeration  and  vivid  description  of  the  kinds  of 
misery  which  should  certainly  overtake  them,  if  they  proved 
disobedient  and  rebellious.  "The  Lord,"  says  he,  "shall  send 
upon  thee  cursing,  vexation,  and  rebuke,  in  all  that  thou  settest 


166  HISTORY   OF   THE    ISEAELITISH   NATION. 

thine  hand  unto  for  to  do;  until  thou  be  destroyed,  and  thou 
perish  quickly;  because  of  the  wickedness  of  thy  doings,  whereby 
thou  hast  forsaken  me.  The  Lord  shall  make  the  pestilence 
cleave  unto  thee  until  he  have  consumed  thee  off  the  land 
•whither  thou  goest  to  possess  it.  The  Lord  shall  smite  thee 
with  a  consumption,  and  with  a  fever,  and  with  an  inflammation, 
and  with  an  extreme  burning,  and  with  the  sword,  and  with 
blasting,  and  with  mildew;  and  they  shall  pursue  thee  until 
thou  perish.  And  the  heaven  that  is  over  thy  head  shall  be 
brass;  and  the  earth  that  is  under  thee  shall  be  iron.  The  Lord 
shall  make  the  rain  of  thy  land  powder  and  dust ;  from  heaven 
it  shall  come  down  upon  thee  until  thou  be  destroyed.  The 
Lord  shall  make  thee  to  be  smitten  before  thine  enemies.  Thou 
shalt  go  out  one  way,  and  flee  seven  ways  before  them ;  AND 

SHALT    BE    REMOVED    INTO   ALL   THE  KINGDOMS    OF    THE   EARTH. 

And  thy  carcase  shall  be  meat  unto  all  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and 
unto  the  beasts  of  the  earth,  and  no  man  shall  fray  them  away. 
The  Lord  shall  smite  thee  with  the  botch  of  Egypt,  and  with 
the  emerods,  and  with  the  scab,  and  with  the  itch,  whereof  thou 
canst  not  be  healed.  The  Lord  shall  smite  thee  with  madness, 
and  blindness,  and  astonishment  of  heart.  And  thou  shalt 
grope  at  noon-day,  as  the  blind  gropeth  in  darkness,  and  thou 
shalt  not  prosper  in  thy  ways ;  and  thou  shalt  be  only  oppressed 
and  spoiled  evermore,  and  no  man  shall  save  thee."  "Thy 
sons  and  thy  daughters  shall  be  given  to  another  people,  and 
thine  eyes  shall  look  and  fail  with  longing  for  them,  all  the  day 
long ;  and  there  shall  be  no  might  in  thy  hand.  The  fruit  of 
thy  land  and  all  thy  labours,  shall  a  nation  which  thou  knowest 
not  eat  up;  and  thou  shalt  be  only  oppressed  and  crushed 
always ;  so  that  thou  shalt  be  mad  for  the  sight  of  thine  eyes, 
which  thou  shalt  see.  The  Lord  shall  smite  thee  in  the  knees, 
and  in  the  legs  with  a  sore  botch  that  cannot  be  healed,  from 
the  soul  of  thy  foot  unto  the  top  of  thy  head.  The  Lord  shall 
bring  thee  and  thy  king  whom  thou  shalt  set  over  thee,  unto  a 
nation,  which  neither  thou  nor  thy  fathers  have  known ;  and 
there  shalt  thou  serve  other  gods,  wood  and  stone.  And  thou 
shalt  become  an  astonishment,  a  proverb,  and  a  byword,  among 
all  nations,  whither  the  Lord  shall  lead  thee.  Thou  shalt  carry 
much  seed  into  the  field,  and  shalt  gather  but  little  in ;  for  the 
locust  shall  consume  it.  Thou  shalt  plant  vineyards  and  dress 
them;  but  shalt  neither  drink  of  the  wine,  nor  gather  the 
grapes,  for  the  worms  shall  eat  them.  Thou  shalt  have  olive 
trees  through  all  thy  coasts,  but  thou  shalt  not  anoint  thyself 
with  the  oil ;  for  thine  olive  shall  cast  his  fruit.  Thou  shalt 
beget  sons  and  daughters,  but  shalt  not  enjoy  them;  for  they 
shall  go  into  captivity.  All  the  trees  and  fruit  of  thy  land  shall 
the  locust  consume.  The  stranger  that  is  within  thy  land,  shall 


THE  ISRAELITES.  167 

get  above  thee  very  high:  and  thou  shalt  come  down  very  low. 
He  shall  lend  to  thee  and  thou  shalt  not  lend  to  him,  he  shall 
be  the  head  and  thou  shalt  be  the  tail. 

Moreover,  all  these  curses  shall  come  upon  thee  and  consume 
thee,  and  shall  pursue  thee,  and  overtake  thee,  till  thou  be 
destroyed;  because  thou  hearkenedst  not  to  the  voice  of  the 
Lord  thy  God,  to  keep  his  commandments  and  his  statutes, 
which  he  commanded  thee.  And  they  shall  be  upon  thee  for  a 
sign  and  for  a  wonder,  and  upon  thy  seed  for  ever.  Because 
thou  servedst  not  thy  God  with  joy  fulness,  and  gladness  of 
heart,  for  the  abundance  of  all  things.  Therefore  shalt  thou 
serve  thine  enemies,  which  the  Lord  shall  send  against  thee,  in 
hunger,  and  in  thirst,  and  in  nakedness,  and  in  want  of  all 
things ;  and  he  shall  put  a  yoke  of  iron  upon  thy  neck,  until 
he  have  destroyed  thee." 


SECTION  LI. 

A   PROPHECY   OF   THE    DESTRUCTION   OF    JERUSALEM,    AND    CAPTIVITY   OF    THE   JEWS. 

"  THE  Lord  will  bring  a  nation  against  thee  from  afar,  from 
the  ends  of  the  earth,  as  swift  as  the  eagle  flieth ;  a  nation 
whose  tongue  thou  shalt  not  understand;  a  nation  of  fierce 
countenance,  which  shall  not  regard  the  person  of  the  old,  nor 
show  favour  to  the  young.  And  he  shall  eat  the  fruit  of  thy 
land,  until  thou  be  destroyed ;  which  also  shall  not  leave  thee 
either  corn,  wine,  or  oil;  or  the  increase  of  thy  kine,  or  flocks 
of  thy  sheep,  until  he  have  destroyed  thee.  And  he  shall  be- 
siege thee  in  all  thy  gates,  until  thy  high  and  fenced  walls  come 
down,  wherein  thou  trustest,  throughout  all  thy  land ;  which  the 
Lord  thy  God  hath  given  thee ;  in  the  siege,  and  in  the  strait- 
ness  wherewith  thine  enemies  shall  distress  thee.  So  that  the 
man  that  is  tender  among  you  and  very  delicate,  his  eye  shall 
be  evil  towards  his  brother,  and  towards  the  wife  of  his  bosom ; 
and  towards  the  remnant  of  his  children  which  he  shall  have ; 
so  that  he  will  not  give  to  any  of  them  the  flesh  of  his  children, 
whom  he  shall  eat ;  because  he  hath  nothing  left  him  in  the 
siege  and  in  the  straitness  wherewith  thine  enemies  shall  dis- 
tress thee  in  all  thy  gates.  The  tender  and  delicate  woman 
among  you,  which  would  not  adventure  to  set  the  sole  of  her 
foot  on  the  ground  for  delicateness  and  tenderness ;  her  eye 
shall  be  evil  towards  the  husband  of  her  bosom,  and  towards 
her  son,  and  towards  her  daughter,  and  towards  her  young  one 
that  cometh  from  between  her  feet ;  and  towards  her  children 
which  she  shall  bear ;  for  she  shall  eat  them,  for  want  of  all 
things,  secretly  in  the  siege,  and  straitness,  wherewith  thine 
enemies  shall  distress  thee  in  thy  gates.  If  thou  wilt  not 


168  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

observe  to  do  all  the  words  of  this  law,  that  are  written  in  this 
book,  that  thou  mayest  fear  this  dreadful  and  glorious  name, 
THE  LORD  THY  GOD.  Then  the  Lord  will  make  thy  plagues 
wonderful ;  and  the  plagues  of  thy  seed,  even  great  plagues  and 
of  long  continuance;  and  sore  sickness,  and  of  long  continuance. 
Moreover,  he  will  bring  upon  thee  all  the  diseases  of  Egypt, 
which  thou  wast  afraid  of,  and  they  shall  cleave  unto  thee. 
Also  every  sickness,  and  every  plague,  which  is  not  written  in 
the  book  of  this  law,  them  will  the  Lord  bring  upon  thee,  until 
thou  art  destroyed.  And  ye  shall  be  left  few  in  number ;  where- 
as ye  were  as  the  stars  of  heaven  for  multitude ;  because  thou 
wouldest  not  obey  the  voice  of  the  Lord  thy  God.  And  it  shall 
come  to  pass,  that  as  the  Lord  rejoiced  over  you  to  do  you  good, 
and  to  multiply  you;  so  the  Lord  will  rejoice  over  you  to  des- 
troy you,  and  to  bring  you  to  nought ;  and  ye  shall  be  plucked 
from  off  the  land,  whither  thou  goest  to  possess  it.  And  the 
Lord  shall  scatter  thee  among  all  people,  from  one  end  of  the 
earth  even  to  the  other;  and  there  thou  shalt  serve  other 
gods,  which  neither  thou  nor  thy  fathers  have  known,  even 
wood  and  stone.  And  among  these  nations  shalt  thou  find  no 
ease,  neither  shall  the  sole  of  thy  foot  have  rest ;  but  the  Lord 
shall  give  thee  there  a  trembling  heart,  and  failing  of  eyes,  and 
sorrow  of  mind.  And  thy  life  shall  hang  in  doubt  before  thee. 
And  thou  shalt  fear  day  and  night ;  and  shalt  have  none  assu- 
rance of  thy  life.  In  the  morning,  thou  shalt  say,  Would  God 
it  were  even !  And  at  even  thou  shalt  say,  Would  God  it  were 
morning ;  for  the  fear  of  thine  heart,  wherewith  thou  shalt  fear ; 
and  for  the  sight  of  thine  eyes,  which  thou  shalt  see.  And  the 
Lord  shall  bring  thee  into  Egypt  again  with  ships,  by  the  way 
whereof  I  spake  unto  thee,  thou  shalt  see  it  no  more  again : 
and  there  ye  shall  be  sold  unto  your  enemies  for  bond-men  and 
bond-women;  and  no  man  shall  buy  you." 


SECTION  LII. 

COVENANT   OF    HOREB    RENEWED   IN  THE   PLAINS   OF   MOAB. 

MOSES  having  finished  the  recital  of  past  events,  and  having 
pronounced  blessings  on  obedience,  and  denounced  curses  on 
disobedience,  now,  in  the  plains  of  Moab,  assembled  the  whole 
congregation,  and  caused  them  afresh  to  enter  into  covenant 
with  God,  saying,  "Ye  stand  this  day,  all  of  you,  before  the 
Lord  your  God,  your  captains  of  your  tribes,  your  elders,  and 
your  officers,  with  all  the  men  of  Israel.  Your  little  ones,  your 
wives,  and  the  stranger  that  is  in  thy  camp,  from  the  hewer  of 
thy  wood  unto  the  drawer  of  thy  water  j  that  thou  shouldest 


THE  ISRAELITES.  169 

enter  into  covenant  with  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  into  his  oath, 
which  the  Lord  thy  God  maketh  with  thee,  this  day.  That  he 
may  establish  thee  this  day  for  a  people  unto  himself,  and  that 
he  may  be  unto  thee  a  God,  as  he  hath  said  unto  thee,  and  as 
he  hath  sworn  unto  thy  fathers,  to  Abraham,  to  Isaac,  and  to 
Jacob.  Neither  with  you  only  do  I  make  this  covenant ;  but 
with  him  that  standeth  here  with  us  this  day  before  the  Lord 
our  God;  and  also  with  him  that  is  not  here  with  us  this  day." 
He  seizes  this  opportunity  to  warn  them  against  the  idolatry  of 
the  heathen  which  they  had  seen  in  Egypt,  and  by  the  way. 
"Lest  there  should  be  among  you,  man  or  woman,  or  family  or 
or  tribe,  whose  heart  turneth  away  this  day  from  the  Lord  our 
God,  to  go  and  serve  the  gods  of  those  nations.  Lest  there 
should  be  among  you  a  root  that  beareth  gall  and  wormwood. 
And  it  come  to  pass,  when  he  heareth  the  words  of  this  curse, 
that  he  bless  himself  in  his  heart,  saying,  I  shall  have  peace, 
though  I  walk  in  the  imagination  of  mine  heart  to  add  drunk- 
enness to  thirst.  The  Lord  will  not  spare  him,  but  then 
the  anger  of  the  Lord  and  his  jealousy  shall  smoke  against 
that  man ;  and  all  the  curses  that  are  written  in  this  book  shall 
lie  upon  him,  and  the  Lord  shall  blot  out  his  name  from  under 
heaven.  And  the  Lord  shall  separate  him  to  evil  out  of  all  the 
tribes  of  Israel,  according  to  all  the  curses  of  the  covenant,  that 
are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law." 


SECTION  LIH. 

VALEDICTORY   OF    MOSES    CONCLUDED. 

THE  dreadful  denunciations  of  judgments  upon  the  people  in 
case  of  disobedience,  left,  no  doubt,  a  deep  and  melancholy  im- 
pression on  the  minds  of  the  considerate.  Moses,  therefore, 
goes  on  to  inform  them,  that  when  under  their  calamities  they 
should  be  disposed  to  consider  their  ways,  and  repent,  and 
return  unto  the  Lord  their  God,  and  obey  his  voice ;  they,  and 
their  children,  with  all  their  soul ;  that  then  the  Lord  their  God 
would  turn  their  captivity,  and  have  compassion  on  them  and 
would  return  and  gather  them  from  all  the  nations,  whither  the 
Lord  their  God  had  scattered  them.  And  that  even  if  they 
should  be  driven  out  to  the  utmost  parts  of  heaven,  from  thence 
would  the  Lord  God  gather  them,  and  fetch  them.  "And  the 
Lord  thy  God  will  bring  thee  into  the  land,  which  thy  fathers 
possessed,  and  thou  shalt  possess  it ;  and  he  will  do  thee  good 
and  multiply  thee  above  thy  fathers.  And  the  Lord  thy  God 
will  circumcise  thine  heart,  and  the  heart  of  thy  seed,  to  love 
the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thine  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul, 


170  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

that  thou  mayest  live.  And  the  Lord  thy  God  will  put  all  these 
curses  on  thine  enemies,  and  on  them  that  hate  thee,  which  per- 
secuted thee.  And  thou  shalt  return  and  obey  the  voice  of  the 
Lord,  and  do  all  his  commandments,  which  I  command  thee 
this  clay.  And  the  Lord  thy  God  will  make  thee  plenteous  in 
every  work  of  thine  hand,  in  the  fruit  of  thy  land  for  good ; 
for  the  Lord  will  again  rejoice  over  thee  for  good,  as  he  rejoiced 
over  thy  fathers.  If  thou  hearken  unto  the  voice  of  the  Lord 
thy  God  to  keep  his  commandments  and  his  statutes,  which  are 
written  in  this  book  of  the  law;  and  if  thou  turn  unto  the  Lord 
thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul.  For  this 
commandment  which  I  command  thee,  this  day,  is  not  hidden 
from  thee,  neither  is  it  far  off.  It  is  not  in  heaven,  that  thou 
shouldest  say,  Who  will  go  up  for  us  to  heaven,  and  bring  it 
unto  us,  that  we  may  hear  it  and  do  it?  Neither  is  it  beyond 
the  sea,  that  thou  shouldest  say,  Who  will  go  over  the  sea  for 
us,  and  bring  it  unto  us,  that  we  may  hear  it  and  do  it  ?  But 
the  word  is  very  nigh  unto  thee,  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thine 
heart,  that  thou  mayest  do  it.  See  I  have  set  before  this  day, 
life  and  good,  and  death  and  evil;  in  that  I  command  thee  this 
day  TO  LOVE  THE  LORD  THY  GOD,  and  to  keep  his  command- 
ments, and  his  statutes,  and  his  judgments,  that  thou  mayest 
live  and  multiply;  and  the  Lord  thy  God  shall  bless  thee,  in 
the  land  whither  thou  goest  to  possess  it.  But  if  thine  heart 
turn  away,  so  that  thou  wilt  not  hear,  but  shall  be  drawn  away 
and  worship  other  gods,  and  serve  them ;  I  denounce  unto  you, 
this  day,  that  ye  shall  surely  perish;  and  that  ye  shall  not  pro- 
long your  days  upon  the  land  whither  thou  goest  over  Jordan, 
to  go  to  possess  it.  I  call  heaven  and  earth  to  record,  this  day 
against  you,  that  I  have  set  before  you  life  and  death,  blessing 
and  cursing ;  therefore  choose  life,  that  both  thou  and  thy  seed 
may  live.  That  thou  mayest  love  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  that 
thou  mayest  obey  his  voice ;  and  mayest  cleave  unto  him,  for 
he  is  thy  life,  and  the  length  of  thy  days,  that  thou  mayest 
dwell  in  the  land  which  the  Lord  sware  unto  thy  fathers,  to 
Abraham,  to  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  to  give  them." 

"And  Moses  commanded  them,  saying,  At  the  end  of  every 
seven  years,  in  the  solemnity  of  the  year  of  release,  in  the  feast 
of  tabernacles,  when  all  Israel  is  come  to  appear  appear  before 
the  Lord  thy  God,  in  the  place  which  he  shall  choose,  thou 
shalt  read  this  law  before  all  Israel,  in  their  hearing.  Gather 
the  people  together,  men,  and  women,  and  children,  and  the 
stranger  that  is  within  thy  gates ;  that  they  may  hear,  and  that 
they  may  learn,  and  fear  the  Lord  your  God,  and  observe  to 
do  all  the  words  of  this  law.  And  that  their  children  which 
have  not  known  any  thing,  may  hear,  and  learn  to  fear  the 


THE   ISRAELITES.  171 

Lord  your  God,  as  long  as  ye  live  in  the  land,  whither  ye  go 
over  Jordan  to  possess  it." 

And  Moses,  by  the  command  of  God,  gave  to  Israel  a  song, 
which  they  were  to  teach  their  children ;  which  would  be  a  wit- 
ness against  them  when  they  should  forsake  the  law  of  the 
Lord.  This  sublime  and  instructive  song  is  recorded  in  the  32d 
chapter  of  Deuteronomy;  and  as  it  cannot  be  read  too  often, 
the  reader  is  requested  to  turn  to  it  and  peruse  it,  before  he 
proceeds  farther. 


SECTION  LIV. 

INAUGUBATION    OF   JOSHUA,   AND   BLESSING    OF  THE   TWELVE   TRIBES. 

"AND  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  Behold  thy  days  approach 
that  thou  must  die;  call  Joshua  and  present  yourselves  in  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation,  that  I  may  give  him  a  charge. 
And  Moses  and  Joshua  went  and  presented  themselves  in  the 
congregation.  And  the  Lord  appeared  in  the  tabernacle  in  a 
pillar  of  a  cloud;  and  the  pillar  of  the  cloud  stood  over  the 
door  of  the  tabernacle.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses, 
Behold  thou  shalt  sleep  with  thy  fathers;  and  this  people  will 
rise  up  and  go  a  whoring  after  the  gods  of  the  strangers  of  the 
land,  whither  they  go  to  be  amongst  them,  and  will  forsake  me 
and  break  my  covenant,  which  I  have  made  with  them.  Then 
shall  my  anger  be  kindled  against  them  in  that  day,  and  I  will 
forsake  them,  and  I  will  hide  my  face  from  them,  and  they 
shall  be  devoured,  and  many  evils  and  troubles  shall  befall 
them ;  so  that  they  will  say  in  that  day,  Are  not  these  evils 
come  upon  us,  because  God  is  not  among  us."  "And  he  gave 
Joshua  the  son  of  Nun  a  charge,  and  said,  Be  strong,  and  of  a 
good  courage ;  for  thou  shalt  bring  the  children  of  Israel  into 
the  land  which  I  sware  unto  them;  and  I  will  be  with  thee." 

"And  this  is  the  blessing  wherewith  Moses  the  man  of  God 
blessed  the  children  of  Israel  before  his  death.  And  he  said, 
The  Lord  came  from  Sinai,  and  rose  up  from  Seir  unto  them; 
he  shined  forth  from  mount  Paran ;  and  he  came  with  ten 
thousands  of  saints ;  from  his  right  hand  went  a  fiery  law  for 
them.  Yea,  he  loved  the  people,  all  his  saints  are  in  thy  hand, 
and  they  sat  down  at  thy  feet ;  every  one  shall  receive  of  thy 
words.  Moses  commanded  us  a  law,  even  the  inheritance  of 
the  congregation  of  Jacob.  And  he  was  king  in  Jeshurun,  and 
the  tribes  of  Israel  were  gathered  together.  Let  Reuben  live 
and  not  die,  and  let  not  his  men  be  few.  And  this  is  the  bless- 
ing of  Judah.  Hear,  Lord,  the  voice  of  Judah,  and  bring  him 
unto  his  people.  Let  his  hands  be  sufficient  for  him;  and 
be  thou  a  help  to  him  from  his  enemies.  And  of  Levi  he  said, 


172  HISTORY   OF   THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

Let  thy  Thummim  and  Urim  be  "with  thy  Holy  One,  whom'  thou. 
didst  prove  at  Masseh,  and  with  whom  thou  didst  strive  at  the 
waters  of  Meribah.  Who  said  unto  his  father  and  his  mother, 
I  have  not  seen  him,  neither  did  he  acknowledge  his  brethren, 
for  they  observed  thy  word  and  kept  thy  covenant.  They 
shall  teach  Jacob  thy  judgments,  and  Israel  thy  law;  they 
shall  put  incense  before  thee,  and  whole  burnt  sacrifice  upon 
thine  altar.  Bless,  Lord,  his  substance,  and  accept  the  work 
of  his  hands:  smite  through  the  loins  of  those  that  rise  up 
against  him,  and  of  them  that  hate  him,  that  they  rise  not 
again.  And  of  Benjamin  he  said,  The  beloved  of  the  LORD 
shall  dwell  in  safety  by  him ;  and  the  Lord  shall  cover  him  all 
the  day  long ;  and  he  shall  dwell  between  his  shoulders.  And 
of  Joseph  he  said,  Blessed  of  the  Lord  be  his  land,  for  the 
precious  things  of  heaven,  for  the  dew,  and  for  the  deep  that 
coucheth  beneath.  And  for  the  precious  fruits  brought  forth 
by  the  sun ;  and  for  the  precious  things  put  forth  by  the  moon ; 
and  for  the  chief  things  of  the  ancient  mountains,  and  for  the 
precious  things  of  the  lasting  hills,  and  for  the  precious  things 
of  the  earth,  and  fulness  thereof;  and  for  the  good  will  of  him 
that  dwelt  in  the  bush ;  let  the  blessing  come  upon  the  head  of 
Joseph,  and  upon  the  top  of  the  head  of  him  that  was  separated 
from  his  brethren.  His  glory  is  like  the  firstling  of  his  bul- 
lock; and  his  horns  are  like  the  horns  of  unicorns,  with  them 
he  shall  push  the  people  together  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
And  they  are  the  ten  thousands  of  Ephraim,  and  they  are  the 
thousands  of  Manasseh.  And  of  Zebulun  he  said,  rejoice  Zeb- 
ulun  in  thy  going  out ;  and  Issachar  in  thy  tents.  They  shall 
call  the  people  unto  the  mountain;  there  they  shall  offer 
sacrifices  of  righteousness ;  for  they  shall  suck  of  the  abundance 
of  the  seas,  and  of  treasures  hid  in  the  sand.  And  of  Gad  he 
said,  Blessed  be  he  that  enlargeth  Gad ;  he  dwelleth  as  a  lion, 
and  teareth  the  arm  with  the  crown  of  the  head.  And  he 
provided  the  first  part  for  himself,  because  there,  in  a  portion 
of  the  lawgiver,  was  he  seated ;  and  he  came  with  the  heads  of 
the  people;  he  executed  the  justice  of  the  Lord,  and  his 
judgments  with  Israel.  And  of  Dan  he  said,  Dan  is  a  lion's 
whelp,  he  shall  leap  from  Bashan.  And  of  Naphtali  he  said, 
0  Naphtali,  satisfied  with  favour,  possess  thou  the  west  and  the 
south.  And  of  Asher  he  said,  Let  Asher  be  blessed  with  child- 
ren ;  let  him  be  acceptable  to  his  brethren,  and  let  him  dip  his 
feet  in  oil.  Thy  shoes  shall  be  iron  and  brass ;  and  as  thy  days 
so  shall  thy  strength  be.  There  is  none  like  unto  the  God  of 
Jeshurun,  who  rideth  upon  the  heaven  in  thy  help,  and  in  his 
excellency  on  the  sky.  The  eternal  God  is  thy  refuge ;  and 
underneath  are  the  everlasting  arms ;  and  he  shall  thrust  out 
the  enemy  from  before  thee,  and  shall,  say,  Destroy  them. 


THE   ISRAELITES.  173 

Israel  shall  then  dwell  in  safety  alone ;  the  fountain  of  Jacob 
shall  be  in  a  land  of  corn  and  wine ;  and  his  heaven  shall  drop 
down  dew.  Happy  art  thou,  0  Israel ;  who  is  like  unto  thee, 
0  people,  saved  by  the  Lord,  the  shield  of  thy  help,  and  who 
is  the  sword  of  thy  excellency.  And  thy  enemies  shall  be 
found  liars  unto  thee ;  and  thou  shalt  tread  upon  their  high 
places." 

It  is  remarkable,  that  in  the  above  benediction,  Simeon  is 
entirely  omitted ;  the  number  twelve  is  made  by  Levi,  who,  in 
other  cases  is  not  numbered  with  the  tribes.  The  reason  for 
the  omission  may  be  conjectured,  but  cannot  be  assigned  with 
any  certainty.  There  is  a  similar  omission  of  Dan  in  the 
book  of  Revelation. 


SECTION  LV. 

D  EAT  H      OF     MOSES. 

MOSES,  having  finishing  his  farewell  instructions,  and  having 
laid  his  hands  on  Joshua,  and  consecrated  him  to  be  his  suc- 
cessor and  the  leader  of  the  hosts  of  Israel,  "went  up  from 
the  plains  of  Moab,  unto  the  mountain  of  Nebo,  one  of  the 
peaks  of  Pisgah,  that  is  over  against  Jericho ;  and  the  Lord 
showed  him  all  the  land  of  Gilead  unto  Dan ;  and  all  Naphtali ; 
and  the  land  of  Ephraim  and  Manasseh ;  and  all  the  land  of 
Judah  unto  the  utmost  sea,  and  the  south,  and  the  plains  of 
the  valley  of  Jericho,  the  city  of  palm  trees,  unto  Zohar. 
And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  This  is  the  land  which  I  sware 
unto  Abraham,  unto  Isaac,  and  unto  Jacob,  saying,  I  WILL 
GIVE  IT  UNTO  THY  SEED.  I  have  caused  thee  to  see  it  with 
thine  eyes,  but  thou  shalt  not  go  over  the  river.  So  Moses, 
the  servant  of  the  Lord,  died  there,  in  the  land  of  Moab, 
according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord.  And  he  buried  him  in 
a  valley  in  the  land  of  Moab,  over  against  Beth-peor;  but  no 
man  knoweth  of  his  sepulchre  unto  this  day."  But  the  devil, 
it  appears,  had  some  knowledge  of  the  place ;  for  he  entered 
into  a  contention  with  Michael,  the  archangel,  respecting  the 
body  of  Moses,  as  we  are  informed  by  the  apostle  Jude. 
What  the  object  of  Satan  was,  is  not  mentioned ;  but  it  proba- 
bly was  to  make  the  body  of  this  distinguished  servant  of  God 
an  occasion  of  idolatry,  by  inducing  the  Israelites  to  pay  divine 
honours  to  it.  And  it  has  been  conjectured,  that  some  of  the 
heathen  deities  originated  in  the  history  of  Moses.  Some  are 
of  opinion  that  God  raised  Moses  immediately  to  life  and 
translated  him  to  heaven ;  but  if  this  had  been  the  fact  the 
Scriptures  would  have  mentioned  so  remarkable  an  event.  It 
is  true,  he  appeared  with  Elijah  on  the  mount  of  transfigura- 


174  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

tion,  and  conversed  with  our  Saviour  respecting  his  decease 
which  was  shortly  to  take  place  at  Jerusalem,  hut  whether  in 
his  own  body,  or  in  one  borrowed  for  the  occasion,  we  are  not 
informed. 

And  Moses  was  an  hundred  and  twenty  years  old,  when  he 
died ;  forty  of  which  he  spent  in  Egypt ;  forty  in  Midian ; 
and  the  remaining  forty  in  the  wilderness.  No  man,  per- 
haps, ever  underwent  as  much  toil  and  painful  solicitude,  and 
certainly  no  other  mere  man  was  ever  admitted  to  an  intimacy 
with  God,  so  familiar  and  lasting.  But  although  he  was  sub- 
jected to  so  much  anxiety  and  unceasing  trouble  from  the 
people,  yet,  at  the  close  of  life,  "his  eye  was  not  dim,  nor  his 
natural  force  abated."  His  death  therefore  was  neither  the 
effect  of  the  decay  of  vitality  by  old  age,  nor  of  the  wasting  of 
sickness;  but  was  miraculous.  God,  who  had  supported  his 
breath  thus  far,  now  took  it  away;  and  he  breathed  out  his 
soul,  probably,  without  pain.  If  men's  future  reward  is  to  be 
proportioned  to  their  works,  then  will  Moses  stand  high  in  the 
ranks  of  heaven ;  for  his  works  were  many  and  great ;  and  if 
we  look  at  the  motives  by  which  he  was  actuated,  we  shall  not 
find  among  the  children  of  men  one  whose  spirit  was  more 
disinterested  and  entirely  devoted  to  the  service  and  honour  of 
God. 

"  And  the  children  of  Israel  wept  for  Moses  in  the  plains  of 
Moab  for  thirty  days."  "And  there  arose  not  a  prophet  since 
in  Israel  like  unto  Moses,  whom  the  Lord  knew  face  to  face." 


PART   III. 


THE     ISRAELITES. 


FROM  THE  DEATH  OF  MOSES  TILL  THE  COMMENCE- 
MENT OF  THE  REGAL  GOVERNMENT. 


SECTION  I. 

ENTRANCE  OF  THE  HOST  OF  ISRAEL  INTO   THE  PROMISED   LAND   UNDER  THE  CONDUCT 
OF   JOSHUA,  THE   SUCCESSOR    OF   MOSES. 

"Now  after  the  death  of  Moses,  the  servant  of  the  Lord,  it 
came  to  pass,  that  the  Lord  spake  unto  Joshua,  the  son  of  Nun, 
Moses'  minister,  saying,  Moses  my  servant  is  dead ;  now,  there- 
fore, arise,  go  over  this  Jordan,  thou,  and  all  this  people,  to 
the  land  which  I  do  give  to  them,  even  to  the  children  of  Israel. 
Every  place  that  the  sole  of  your  foot  shall  tread  upon,  that 
have  I  given  unto  you,  as  I  said  unto  Moses.  From  the  wilder- 
ness and  this  Lebanon,  even  unto  the  great  river,  the  river 
Euphrates,  all  the  land  of  the  Hittites ;  and  unto  the  great  sea, 
toward  the  going  down  of  the  sun,  shall  be  your  coast.  There 
shall  not  any  man  be  able  to  stand  before  thee  all  the  days  of 
thy  life.  As  I  was  with  Moses,  so  will  I  be  with  thee ;  I  will 
not  fail  thee  nor  forsake  thee.  Be  strong  and  of  a  good  courage, 
for  unto  this  people  shalt  thou  divide  for  an  inheritance  the 
land  which  I  sware  unto  their  fathers  to  give  them.  Only  be 
thou  strong  and  very  courageous,  that  thou  mayest  observe  to 
do  according  to  all  the  law,  which  Moses  my  servant  command- 
ed thee.  Turn  not  from  it  to  the  right  hand  or  to  the  left,  that 
thou  mayest  prosper  whithersoever  thou  goest.  This  book  of 
the  law  shall  not  depart  out  of  thy  mouth,  but  thou  shalt  medi- 
tate therein  day  and  night,  that  thou  mayest  observe  to  do 
according  to  all  that  is  written  therein ;  for  then  thou  shalt 
make  thy  way  prosperous,  and  then  shalt  thou  have  good  suc- 
cess. Have  not  I  commanded  thee,  be  of  good  courage,  be  not 
afraid,  neither  be  thou  dismayed,  for  the  Lord  thy  God  is  with 
thee  whithersoever  thou  goest." 


176  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

Joshua  having  received  this  divine  direction  and  encourage- 
ment, without  delay  proceeded  to  execute  the  orders  of  Jeho- 
vah. "Then  Joshua  commanded  the  officers  of  the  people, 
saying,  Pass  through  the  host  and  command  the  people,  saying, 
Prepare  you  victuals,  for  within  three  days  ye  shall  pass  over 
this  Jordan,  to  go  to  possess  the  land  which  the  Lord  giveth 
you  to  possess  it.  And  to  the  Reubenites,  and  to  the  Gadites, 
and  to  half  the  tribe  of  Manasseh,  spake  Joshua,  saying,  Re- 
member the  word  which  Moses,  the  servant  of  the  Lord  com- 
manded you,  saying,  The  Lord  your  God  hath  given  you  rest, 
and  hath  given  you  this  land.  Your  wives,  your  little  ones, 
and  your  cattle,  shall  remain  in  the  land  which  Moses  gave  you 
on  this  side  Jordan ;  but  ye  shall  pass  before  your  brethren 
armed,  all  the  mighty  men  of  valour,  and  help  them ;  until  the 
Lord  hath  given  your  brethren  rest,  as  he  hath  given  you,  and 
they  also  have  possessed  the  land  which  the  Lord  your  God 
giveth  them.  Then  shall  ye  return  unto  the  land  of  your  pos- 
session and  enjoy  it,  which  Moses  the  Lord's  servant  gave  you 
on  this  side  Jordan,  toward  the  sun-rising.  And  they  answered 
Joshua,  saying,  All  that  thou  commandest  us  we  will  do,  and 
whithersoever  thou  sendest  us  we  will  go.  According  as  we 
hearkened  unto  Moses  in  all  things,  so  will  we  hearken  unto 
thee:  only  the  Lord  thy  God  be  with  thee,  as  he  was  with 
Moses.  Whosoever  he  be  that  doth  rebel  against  thy  com- 
mandment, and  will  not  hearken  unto  thy  words,  in  all  that 
thou  commandest  him,  he  shall  be  put  to  death :  only  be  strong 
and  of  a  good  courage." 

The  spirit  and  conduct  of  these  two  tribes  and  a  half,  who 
had  received  their  inheritance  on  the  east  side  of  Jordan,  was 
truly  disinterested  and  noble,  through  the  whole  transaction  of 
taking  possession  of  the  promised  land.  For  nearly  seven 
years,  they  were  absent  from  their  homes,  separated  from  their 
wives  and  children,  and  engaged  in  an  arduous  warfare,  in  the 
results  of  which  they  had  no  personal  interest.  Indeed,  it 
seems  probable,  that  the  heaviest  brunt  of  the  war  fell  to  their 
lot;  for  being  light  armed,  and  free  from  the  incumbrances 
which  impeded  the  operations  of  others,  they  were  placed  in  the 
front  of  the  battle,  and  when  exploring  parties  were  needed,  it 
would  be  natural  to  select  them  for  such  services. 

When  the  necessary  preparations  were  made  in  the  host  for 
the  invasion  of  Canaan,  Joshua  thought  proper  to  send  two  men 
from  Shittim,  where  they  were  encamped,  to  act  as  spies,  and 
to  bring  back  a  report  of  what  they  observed.  The  city  which 
was  nearest  to  them,  and  situated  at  no  great  distance  from  the 
Jordan,  was  Jericho,  sometimes  called  "the  city  of  palm  trees," 
because  in  ancient  times  many  trees  of  this  species  grew  there. 
These  two  men  having  passed  over  the  river,  came  secretly  to 


THE   ISRAELITES.  177 

Jericho,  and  found  entertainment  in  the  house  of  a  harlot, 
whose  name  was  Rahab.  Some  have  endeavoured  to  establish 
the  opinion,  that  Rahab  was  not  a  harlot,  but  a  keeper  of  a 
tavern,  or  house  of  entertainment  for  travellers.  This  last  may 
be  true,  but  there  is  no  need  to  depart  from  the  common  accep- 
tation of  the  word  rendered  "harlot:"  it  is  used  commonly  in 
one  uniform  sense,  and  we  know  no  good  reason  why  it  should 
not  be  so  interpreted  here.  It  may  be  observed,  however,  that 
among  the  heathen,  in  ancient  times,  no  peculiar  disgrace  was 
attached  to  persons  of  this  description.  Even  among  the 
Greeks  and  Romans,  women  of  high  distinction  and  great 
accomplishments,  and  who  were  admitted  into  the  highest  circles 
of  fashion,  and  rolled  in  wealth  and  luxury,  lived  a  dissolute 
life.  One  of  the  judgments  of  God  upon  those  who  wilfully 
turned  away  from  the  knowledge  and  worship  of  the  true  God 
to  idolatry,  was,  the  giving  them  up  to  vile  affections — to  work 
all  manner  of  uncleanness  with  greediness.  The  crime  of  forni- 
cation was  so  common  among  all  classes,  that  all  sense  of  its 
evil  was  obliterated ;  and  it  was  scarcely  reckoned  among  the 
vices.  It  is  altogether  probable,  therefore,  that  Rahab  was 
not  more  profligate  than  most  or  all  of  her  sex  in  Jericho ;  for 
we  must  remember,  that  the  sins  of  the  Amorites  were  now  full; 
and  we  learn,  that  long  before  this,  they  were  addicted  to  the 
most  unnatural  crimes.  But  whatever  might  have  been  the 
wickedness  of  this  woman's  former  life,  in  the  days  of  her 
ignorance,  she  was  a  vessel  of  mercy,  and  received  from  the 
Lord  the  precious  gift  of  faith,  and  with  it  all  other  spiritual 
graces.  Though  these  men  whom  Joshua  sent  were  not  long 
in  the  house,  yet  probably,  they  were  there  long  enough  to 
give  this  woman  a  history  of  God's  wonderful  dispensations 
towards  the  people  of  Israel;  and  doubtless  she  had  heard 
much  of  the  wonders  which  God  had  wrought  in  Egypt,  and  at 
the  Red  Sea,  and  in  the  wilderness;  for  these  events  were 
noised  abroad  far  and  near;  so  that  the  hearts  of  all  the  nations 
round  about  trembled  at  their  approach ;  and  now  they  had 
been  encamped  for  some  time  in  the  plains  of  Moab,  which  were 
over  against  Jericho. 

As  every  eye  was  now  watchful,  the  entrance  of  the  spies 
into  the  city,  and  into  the  house  of  Rahab,  was  observed,  and 
immediately  information  was  given  to  the  king  of  Jericho;  for 
it  was  told  him,  "behold  there  came  men  in  hither  to-night  of 
the  children  of  Israel,  to  search  out  the  country."  Upon 
which,  the  king  sent  instantly  to  Rahab's  house  ;  ordering,  that 
she  should  bring  out  those  men  who  had  come  "  to  search  out 
all  the  country."  They  were  now  placed  in  circumstances  of 
peculiar  jeopardy;  and  had  not  their  friendly  hostess  pos- 
sessed much  presence  of  mind,  as  well  as  faith  and  courage, 
12 


178  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

their  lives  would  have  been  forfeited.  But  she  brought  them 
up  to  the  flat  roof  of  her  house,  and  hid  them  with  the  stalks 
of  flax,  which  she  had  spread  out  on  the  roof.  And  having 
secreted  the  spies,  she  said  to  the  king's  officers,  "  There  came 
in  men  unto  me,  but  I  wist  not  whom  they  were ;  and  it  came 
to  pass,  about  the  time  of  shutting  the  gate,  when  it  was  dark, 
that  the  men  went  out;  whither  the  men  went  I  wot  not. 
Pursue  after  them  quickly;  for  ye  shall  overtake  them."  The 
king's  officers  hearing  this  from  an  inhabitant  of  the  city,  con- 
cerning whom  they  entertained  no  suspicions,  pursued  after  the 
spies  on  the  way  to  Jordan ;  but  when  they  went  out  they  took 
the  precaution  to  shut  the  gates  after  them,  so  that  if  they 
should  happen  to  be  still  lurking  within  the  walls,  they  might 
be  prevented  from  escaping. 

Having  put  the  pursuers  upon  a  wrong  scent,  Rahab  went 
up  to  the  roof  of  the  house  where  she  had  concealed  the  men, 
and  said,  "  I  know  that  the  Lord  hath  given  you  the  land,  and 
that  your  terror  is  fallen  upon  us,  and  that  all  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  land  faint  because  of  you.  For  we  have  heard 
how  the  Lord  dried  up  the  water  of  the  Red  Sea  for  you, 
when  ye  came  out  of  Egypt ;  and  what  ye  did  to  the  two  kings 
of  the  Amorites,  that  were  on  the  other  side  Jordan,  Sihon 
and  Og,  whom  ye  utterly  destroyed.  And  as  soon  as  we 
heard  these  things,  our  hearts  did  melt,  neither  did  there 
remain  any  more  courage  in  any  man  because  of  you;  for  the 
Lord  your  God,  he  is  God  in  heaven  above  and  in  earth  beneath. 
Now,  therefore,  I  pray  you,  swear  unto  me  by  the  Lord,  since  I 
have  showed  you  kindness,  that  ye  will  show  kindness  also  to 
my  father's  house,  and  give  me  a  true  token.  And  that  ye 
will  save  alive  my  father,  and  my  mother,  and  my  brethren, 
and  my  sisters,  and  all  that  they  have,  and  deliver  our  lives 
from  death."  The  spies  solemnly  promised,  that  her  request 
should  be  granted.  "  Then  she  let  them  down  by  a  cord  through 
the  window,  for  her  house  was  upon  the  town- wall — and  she  said 
unto  them,  Get  ye  to  the  mountain,  lest  the  pursuers  meet 
you ;  and  hide  yourselves  there  three  days,  and  the  pursuers  be 
returned ;  and  afterward  may  ye  go  your  way."  Before  the 
men  departed  they  agreed  with  her  respecting  a  sign  by  which 
the  Israelites  should  be  able  to  distinguish  her  house ;  and  the 
token  agreed  upon  was,  that  the  same  scarlet  line  by  which  she 
was  now  about  to  let  them  down,  should  be  fastened  to  the  win- 
dow, and  that  all  her  father's  house  should  be  collected  in  her 
house,  and  remain  there ;  for  if  any  of  them  went  out  into  the 
street,  they  would  not  be  security  for  his  life,  and  his  blood  should 
be  on  his  own  head.  "And  whosoever  shall  be  in  the  house 
with  thee,  his  blood  shall  be  on  our  head,  if  any  hand  be  upon 
him.  And  if  thou  utter  this  our  business,  then  we  will  be  quit 


THE  ISRAELITES.  179 

of  thine  oath,  which  thou  hast  made  us  to  swear.  And  she 
said,  According  to  your  words,  so  be  it.  And  she  sent  them 
away,  and  they  departed,  and  she  bound  the  scarlet  line  in 
the  window.  And  they  went  and  came  unto  the  mountain, 
and  abode  there  three  days,  until  the  pursuers  were  returned. 
And  the  pursuers  sought  them  throughout  all  the  way,  but 
found  them  not.  So  the  two  men  returned  and  descended 
from  the  mountain,  and  passed  over  and  came  to  Joshua  the 
son  of  Nun,  and  told  him  all  things  that  befel  them.  And 
they  said  unto  Joshua,  Truly  the  Lord  hath  delivered  into  our 
hands  all  the  land,  for  even  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  country 
faint  because  of  us." 

That  Rahab  was  a  true  believer  at  this  time,  and  that  her 
conduct  in  receiving  and  concealing  the  spies  was  pleasing  to 
God,  we  have  the  testimony  of  our  inspired  Apostle,  who  places 
her  in  that  famous  list  of  believers,  whose  names  are  recorded 
in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  the  Hebrews,  and  says,  "  By  faith 
the  harlot  Rahab  perished  not  with  them  that  believed  not, 
when  she  had  received  the  spies  with  peace."  There  is  no  dif- 
ficulty in  understanding  how  a  woman  who  had  lived  a  licen- 
tious life  should  become  a  true  believer;  for  many  women  of 
the  same  character  became  penitents  in  the  time  of  our  Saviour. 
Indeed,  they  were  more  ready  to  receive  his  doctrine,  and  to 
attach  themselves  to  him  as  his  disciples,  than  the  self-righteous 
Pharisees.  But  how  can  we  reconcile  with  piety,  the  conduct 
of  Rahab,  in  telling  a  palpable  falsehood  to  the  king's  officers, 
in  order  to  preserve  the  lives  of  the  spies  ?  Is  it  lawful  to  do 
evil  that  good  may  come  ?  Is  it  right,  on  any  occasion,  to  vio- 
late truth?  Some  have  maintained  that  a  falsehood  was  no 
sin,  when  the  only  end  to  be  answered  by  it  was  the  preserva- 
tion of  human  life,  or  female  chastity ;  and  that  there  is  no 
moral  evil  in  deceiving  those  who  are  engaged  in  perpetrating 
a  horrible  wickedness.  They  allege,  that  we  are  not  bound  to 
declare  the  truth  to  those  who  have  no  right  to  know  it,  and 
whose  only  motive  in  demanding  it,  is  that  they  may  commit 
an  atrocious  crime.  This  is  a  plausible  doctrine,  and  in  many 
cases,  would  be  very  convenient  to  prevent  evils  which  are 
imminent.  But  however  plausible  it  may  appear,  at  first  sight, 
it  is  not  sound.  If  admitted,  how  far  would  it  lead  us  ?  Would 
it  not  follow,  that,  in  every  case,  where  we  thought  we  could 
do  good  by  a  falsehood,  we  are  at  liberty  to  resort  to  it?  The 
consequence  then  would  be,  that  all  confidence  among  men 
would  be  destroyed.  We  should  not  know  when  good  men 
declared  any  thing,  whether  to  credit  it  or  not;  for  they  might 
be  persuaded,  for  some  reason,  that  a  lie  would  be  promotive 
of  some  good  end.  It  will  not  answer,  to  say,  that  the  right  to 
tell  a  lie  is  confined  to  cases  of  great  importance,  and  when  by 


180  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

this  means  evils  not  otherwise  to  be  avoided,  can  be  prevented; 
for  if  we  may  violate  truth  for  a  greater  good,  we  may  also  for 
a  less;  and  if  the  principle  be  once  established,  the  distinction 
between  greater  and  less  will  be  of  little  consequence.  Every 
man  will  judge  for  himself,  whether  the  occasion  is  such  as  to 
justify  a  falsehood ;  and  he  will  have  no  clear  rule  by  which  to 
form  his  judgment.  The  establishment  of  such  a  principle  of 
morality,  if  it  did  not  expel  all  truth  from  the  earth,  would 
have  the  effect  to  destroy  all  confidence  among  men;  and  would, 
in  this  way,  introduce  innumerable  evils.  We  must  maintain, 
therefore,  that  a  lie  is  never  justifiable ;  and  that,  although  it 
is  not  always  necessary  to  declare  all  the  truth  that  we  know, 
we  are  never  at  liberty  to  declare  that  which  is  not  true.  This 
being  the  correct  principle  of  morals,  in  regard  to  speaking 
the  truth,  we  cannot  justify  the  conduct  of  Rahab,  in  resorting 
to  a  falsehood  to  deceive  the  men  who  were  in  pursuit  of  the 
spies ;  and  although  her  faith  in  receiving  the  spies  is  celebrated 
by  Paul,  yet  he  does  not  praise  the  means  which  she  used  to 
secrete  them.  The  difficulty  still  returns,  how  can  we  reconcile 
the  commission  of  such  a  sin  with  the  existence  of  piety.  On 
this  I  would  remark,  that  the  best  of  human  beings  are  frail 
and  imperfect.  Good  people  often  labour  under  grievous  mis- 
takes in  regard  to  the  law  of  God,  as  well  as  other  things.  In 
early  ages  there  was  less  light  on  the  subject  of  moral  duty, 
than  in  later  periods :  many  things  which  were  then  uncertain 
and  obscure,  have  been  elucidated  by  the  experience  of  ages, 
and  more  especially,  by  the  clearer  revelation  of  the  Divine 
will.  In  all  past  ages,  some  things  which  are  now  almost  uni- 
versally reckoned  sinful,  were  not  viewed  to  be  wrong.  I  might 
give  as  instances,  the  persecution  of  men  for  their  religious 
opinions  when  erroneous,  and  the  slave-trade.  All  the  reform- 
ers agreed  in  opinion  that  heretics  ought  to  be  pursued  with 
punishment  by  the  secular  power ;  and  until  within  half  a  cen- 
tury, no  one  seems  to  have  considered  the  moral  evil  of  trading 
in  human  beings,  and  of  bringing  them  into  a  state  of  involuntary 
servitude.  During  the  prevalence  of  these  errors,  all  sorts  of 
persons  participated  in  the  sins  which  arose  out  of  them.  Cal- 
vin and  Cranmer  were  concerned  in  bringing  heretics  to  the 
stake ;  but  their  conduct  met  with  the  general  approbation  of 
good  men  at  that  time.  So  John  Newton,  after  his  conversion, 
followed  the  slave-trade,  without  a  suspicion,  as  he  informs  us, 
of  its  evil;  and  so  did  many  other  good  men.  But  sins  of 
ignorance  differ  exceedingly  from  the  same  sins  committed 
against  light.  From  a  careful  attention  to  the  history  recorded 
in  the  Old  Testament,  it  appears,  that  it  was  commonly  received 
as  a  principle,  and  acted  upon  by  the  patriarchs  and  others, 
that  to  preserve  life,  it  was  lawful  to  depart  from  the  truth. 


THE   ISRAELITES.  181 

Thus,  we  find  Abraham  teaching  Sarah  to  say,  that  she  was 
his  sister,  which,  though  true  in  a  certain  sense,  was  neverthe- 
less intended  to  deceive.  We  find  Isaac  guilty  of  similar  con- 
duct, on  a  similar  occasion.  The  same  is  true  of  many  others, 
and  particularly  of  David,  who,  on  several  occasions,  declared 
what  was  not  true ;  and  none  of  these  persons  appear  to  have 
been  sensible  that  they  were  doing  wrong.  It  seems,  therefore, 
that  in  former  times,  it  was  admitted  as  a  principle  of  morals, 
that  it  was  lawful  to  utter  a  falsehood,  or  to  use  deceitful  words, 
to  preserve  life.  Is  it  to  be  wondered  at  then,  that  a  woman 
who  had  been  brought  up  in  idolatry,  and  had  lived  a  licentious 
life,  and  was  but  just  converted  to  the  true  religion,  should  have 
erred  in  such  a  case?  It  would  have  been  truly  wonderful,  if 
in  opposition  to  the  universal  current  of  opinion,  she  had  per- 
ceived the  moral  evil  of  deceiving  those  who  came  to  apprehend 
the  men  whom  she  believed  to  be  the  servants  of  Jehovah. 
While  therefore,  we  cannot  justify  the  means  which  she  employed 
to  do  good,  we  can  readily  believe  that  her  motives  were  pure, 
and  her  faith  strong.  She  erred,  indeed,  but  it  was  the  error 
not  merely  of  one,  but  of  the  age ;  yea,  of  all  antiquity ;  in 
which  she  had  as  participants,  some  of  the  most  eminent  saints 
who  ever  lived.  And  we  should  not  be  too  rigid  and  censorious 
in  judging  the  faithful  of  former  ages,  when  it  is  not  improba- 
ble, that  our  more  enlightened  posterity  may  see,  that  most 
Christians  of  the  present  day,  have  been  living  in  the  practice 
of  some  things  which  to  them  will  appear  to  be  inconsistent 
with  the  purity  and  perfection  of  Christian  morals. 


SECTION  II. 

THE    PASSAGE   OF    THE    ISRAELITES   OVER   THE    BIVER   JORDAN. 

WHEN  Joshua  had  obtained  the  information  which  he  desired, 
he  removed  from  Shittim,  and  encamped  on  the  bank  of  Jordan. 
Here  he  remained  for  three  days;  and  the  officers  passed 
through  the  host,  and  marshalled  and  prepared  them  for  the 
invasion  of  the  land,  which  lay  before  them.  "And  they  com- 
manded the  people,  saying,  When  ye  see  the  ark  of  the  covenant 
of  the  Lord  your  God,  and  the  priests  the  Levites  bearing  it, 
then  ye  shall  remove  from  your  place  and  go  after  it.  Yet 
there  shall  be  a  space  between  you  and  it,  about  two  thousand 
cubits  by  measure.  Come  not  near  to  it,  that  ye  may  know  the 
way  by  which  ye  must  go,  for  ye  have  not  passed  this  way 
heretofore.  And  Joshua  said  unto  the  people,  Sanctify  your- 
selves, for  to-morrow  the  Lord  will  do  wonders.  And  Joshua 
spake  unto  the  priests,  saying,  Take  up  the  ark  of  the  covenant 


182  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

and  pass  over  before  the  people.  And  they  took  up  the  ark  of 
the  covenant  and  went  before  the  people.  And  the  Lord  said 
unto  Joshua,  This  day  will  I  begin  to  magnify  thee  in  the  sight 
of  all  Israel,  that  they  may  know,  that  as  I  was  with  Moses,  so 
I  will  be  with  thee.  And  thou  shalt  command  the  priests  that 
bear  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  saying,  When  ye  are  come  to  the 
brink  of  the  water  of  Jordan,  ye  shall  stand  still  in  Jordan. 
And  Joshua  said  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  Come  hither  and 
hear  the  words  of  the  Lord  your  God.  And  Joshua  said,  Here- 
by ye  shall  know  that  the  living  God  is  among  you,  and  that  he 
•will  without  fail  drive  out  before  you  the  Canaanites,  and  the 
Hittites,  and  the  Hivites,  and  the  Perizzites,  and  the  Gergash- 
ites,  and  the  Amorites,  and  the  Jebusites.  Behold  the  ark  of 
the  covenant  of  the  Lord  of  all  the  earth,  passeth  over  before 
you  into  Jordan.  Now,  therefore,  take  ye  twelve  men  out  of 
the  tribes  of  Israel,  out  of  every  tribe  a  man;  and  it  shall 
come  to  pass,  as  soon  as  the  soles  of  the  feet  of  the  priests,  that 
bear  the  ark  of  the  Lord,  the  Lord  of  all  the  earth,  shall  rest 
in  the  waters  of  Jordan,  that  the  waters  of  Jordan  shall  be  cut 
off  from  the  waters  that  come  down  from  above,  and  they  shall 
stand  upon  an  heap.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  people 
removed  from  their  tents  to  pass  over  Jordan,  and  the  priests, 
bearing  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  before  the  people;  and  as 
they  that  bare  the  ark  were  come  unto  Jordan,  and  the  feet  of 
the  priests  that  bare  the  ark  were  dipped  in  the 'brim  of  the 
waters,  (for  Jordan  overfloweth  all  his  banks,  all  the  time  of 
harvest,)  that  the  waters  which  came  down  from  above  stood, 
and  rose  up  upon  an  heap,  very  far  from  the  city  Adam,  that  is 
beside  Zaretan ;  and  those  that  came  down  from  the  sea  of  the 
plain,  even  the  salt  sea,  failed,  and  were  cut  off;  and  the  peo- 
ple passed  over  right  against  Jericho.  And  the  priests  that 
bare  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  stood  firm  on  dry 
ground  in  the  midst  of  Jordan,  and  all  the  Israelites  passed 
over  on  dry  gound,  until  all  the  people  were  passed  clean  over 
Jordan."  The  Lord  now  said  to  Joshua,  "Take  you  twelve 
men  out  of  the  people,  out  of  every  tribe  a  man ;  and  command 
you  them,  saying,  Take  you  hence,  out  of  the  midst  of  Jordan, 
out  of  the  place  where  the  priests'  feet  stood  firm,  twelve  stones; 
and  ye  shall  carry  them  over  with  you,  and  leave  them  in  the 
lodging  place  where  ye  shall  lodge  this  night."  And  Joshua 
directed  these  twelve  men  to  pass  over  before  the  ark  of  the 
Lord,  and  to  take  up  a  stone,  every  man  upon  his  shoulder; 
that  when,  in  time  to  come,  children  should  ask  their  fathers, 
saying,  "What  mean  ye  by  these  stones?  then  ye  shall  answer 
them,  that  the  waters  of  Jordan  were  cut  off  before  the  ark  of 
the  covenant  of  the  Lord" — "and  these  stones  shall  be  a  me- 
morial unto  the  children  of  Israel  for  ever."  And  agreeably 


THE  ISRAELITES.  183 

to  the  orders  of  Joshua,  twelve  stones  were  taken  up  by  the 
men  selected,  one  from  each  tribe,  and  they  carried  them  over 
with  them  to  the  place  where  they  lodged,  and  laid  them  down 
there;"  and  Joshua  set  them  for  a  memorial,  where  they  re- 
mained standing  for  many  years.  When  the  congregation  of 
Israel  had  finished  crossing  the  river,  then  the  priests  who  had 
stood  all  this  time  at  the  entrance,  also  passed  over.  In  the 
van  of  this  army  were  forty  thousand  light  armed  soldiers  from 
the  tribes  of  Reuben,  Gad,  and  the  half  of  Manasseh,  who, 
according  to  their  previous  engagement,  having  received  their 
own  inheritance  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  now  went  forward 
in  the  front  of  the  host,  to  aid  their  brethren  in  the  conquest  of 
the  land  of  Canaan.  This  passage  of  Jordan  was  effected  over 
against  the  plains  of  Jericho.  Joshua  was  now  held  in  rever- 
ence by  the  people,  as  Moses  had  been  before  him ;  and  as  soon 
as  the  priests  had  come  up  out  of  the  channel  of  the  river,  over 
which  all  the  people  had  passed,  as  on  dry  land,  immediately, 
the  waters  of  Jordan  returned  to  their  place,  and  flowed  over 
all  the  banks,  as  they  did  before.  This  remarkable  event  occur- 
red on  the  tenth  day  of  the  first  month,  which  corresponded 
with  our  March  or  April.  The  place  of  the  first  encampment 
of  the  Israelites  was  at  Gilgal,  a  name  given  on  account  of  an 
event  to  be  mentioned  immediately.  Here  the  pillar,  or  monu- 
ment formed  with  the  twelve  stones  taken  from  the  bed  of  the 
river,  was  erected,  on  which  occasion,  they  were  commanded  to 
hand  down  to  their  children  a  particular  explanation  of  the  pur- 
pose for  which  this  monument  was  raised.  "  Then  ye  shall  let 
your  children  know,  saying,  Israel  came  over  this  Jordan  on 
dry  land,  for  the  Lord  your  God  dried  up  the  waters  of  Jordan 
from  before  you,  until  you  were  passed  over ;  as  the  Lord  your 
God  did  to  the  Red  sea,  which  he  dried  up  from  before  us,  until 
we  were  gone  over :  that  all  the  people  of  the  earth  might  know 
the  hand  of  the  Lord,  that  it  is  mighty,  that  ye  might  fear  the 
Lord  your  God  for  ever." 


SECTION  III. 

CIRCUMCISION    OF    THE    ISRAELITES    AT    GILGAL THE    PASSOVER    IS    OBSERVED — THE 

MANNA  CEASES — THE  CAPTAIN  OF  THE  HOST  OF  THE  LORD  APPEARS  TO  JOSHUA. 

WHEN  the  kings  who  resided  on  the  west  side  of  Jordan 
understood  that  Israel  had  actually  passed  the  river,  and  that 
the  Lord  had  dried  up  the  waters  before  them,  their  heart 
melted  within  them. 

Joshua  now  received  a  commandment  from  the  Lord  to  cir- 
cumcise the  males  of  the  children  of  Israel;   for,  although  all 


184  HISTORY   OF  THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

who  came  out  of  Egypt  had  there  been  circumcised ;  yet  this 
rite  had  not  been  performed  on  any  born  in  the  wilderness,  on 
account  of  their  continual  journeyings:  and  nearly  all  the 
males  therefore,  of  the  whole  host  had  now  to  submit  to  this 
ceremony;  for  of  all  who  had  come  out  of  Egypt,  in  adult  age, 
no  more  than  two  remained.  All  the  men  of  war,  except 
Caleb  and  Joshua,  had  fallen  in  the  wilderness ;  but  many  who 
were  children  when  the  Exodus  took  place,  were  still  living,  as 
indeed  God  promised  that  this  should  be  the  event,  when  he 
sware,  that  none  of  the  adults  should  ever  enter  the  promised 
land.  During  the  time  that  the  people  were  recovering  from 
the  effects  of  this  painful  ceremony,  they  remained  in  their 
camp,  at  Gilgal.  "And  the  Lord  said  unto  Joshua,  this  day 
have  I  rolled  away  the  reproach  of  Egypt  from  off  you,"  there- 
fore, the  name  of  the  place  was  called  Gilgal,  which  word  means, 
"to  roll  away." 

There  was  a  peculiar  reason  for  attending  without  delay  to 
the  duty  of  circumcision,  because  the  time  for  the  celebration 
of  the  passover  was  near  at  hand,  and  it  was  expressly  provided, 
that  no  uncircumcised  man  should  be  permitted  to  partake  of 
this  ordinance.  Whether  the  passover  had  been  celebrated  in 
the  wilderness,  we  are  not  informed.  If  it  was,  the  qualifica- 
tion of  circumcision  must  have  been  wanting.  The  probability 
however  is,  that  this  ordinance  also  was  omitted,  during  the 
long  period  of  Israel's  sojourning  in  the  wilderness;  for  they 
knew  not,  when  stationary,  at  what  moment  they  might  receive 
the  signal  to  march;  and  the  celebration  of  the  passover  with 
the  accompanying  feast  of  unleavened  bread,  required  a  period 
of  seven  days  leisure.  But  having  now  entered  into  Canaan, 
they  kept  the  passover  at  the  appointed  time,  on  the  fourteenth 
day  of  Nisan.  "And  they  did  eat  of  the  old  corn  of  the  land, 
on  the  morrow  after  the  passover,  unleavened  cakes  and 
parched  corn  in  the  self-same  day.  And  the  manna  ceased  on 
the  morrow  after  they  had  eaten  of  the  old  corn  of  the  land ; 
neither  had  the  children  of  Israel  manna  any  more ;  but  they 
did  eat  of  the  fruit  of  the  land  of  Canaan  that  year."  These 
words  of  the  sacred  historian  suggest  another  reason  why  we 
should  suppose  that  the  passover  was  not  celebrated  while  the 
people  remained  in  the  wilderness ;  because  during  that  period, 
they  had  no  bread  suitable  for  the  purpose.  They  had  plenty 
of  manna,  but  this  was  a  very  different  thing  from  bread  of 
wheat  or  barley.  If  their  enemies  had  come  upon  them  while 
sore,  in  consequence  of  circumcision,  or  even  while  engaged  in 
the  observance  of  the  passover,  they  would  have  found  them  in 
a  poor  condition  to  defend  themselves;  but  God  had  struck 
such  a  terror  into  the  minds  of  the  Amorites  and  Canaanites, 
that  they  had  no  spirit  to  attempt  any  thing.  Joshua,  doubt- 


THE   ISRAELITES.  185 

less,  felt  great  solicitude,  in  the  peculiar  circumstances  in 
which  he  was  placed;  but  like  Moses,  he  trusted  confidently  in 
the  Lord,  whose  commands  he  was  executing.  While  the  army 
lay  encamped  near  Jericho,  he  seems  to  have  taken  a  solitary 
walk  towards  that  city,  when  there  appeared  to  him  a  man  with 
a  drawn  sword  in  his  hand.  Joshua  was  not  a  man  to  be  inti- 
midated, and  marched  up  to  this  armed  man,  and  said,  "  Art 
thou  for  us,  or  for  our  adversaries  ?  And  he  said,  Nay,  but  as 
captain  of  the  host  of  the  Lord,  am  I  now  come."  Joshua  per- 
ceiving that  it  was  a  manifestation  of  Jehovah  himself,  "fell 
on  his  face  to  the  earth,  and  worshipped,  and  said,  What  saitn 
my  Lord  unto  his  servant?  And  the  captain  of  the  Lord's 
host  said  to  Joshua,  loose  the  shoe  off  thy  feet;  for  the  place 
where  thou  standest  is  holy  ground." 


SECTION  IV. 

THE  CONQUEST   OF   JERICHO — THE  CURSE  DENOUNCED    BY  JOSHUA   AGAINST   THE    MAN 
WHO  SHOULD  REBUILD  THIS  CITY. 

THIS  captain  of  the  Lord's  host  who  appeared  unto  Joshua, 
was  Jehovah  himself;  the  Angel  of  the  covenant,  who  at- 
tended the  children  of  Israel  in  all  their  pilgrimage.  "And 
,  the  Lord  said  unto  Joshua,  see,  I  have  given  into  thy  hand 
Jericho,  and  the  king  thereof,  and  the  mighty  men  of  valour. 
And  ye  shall  compass  the  city,  all  ye  men  of  war,  and  go 
round  about  the  city  once.  Thus  shalt  thou  do  six  days. 
And  seven  priests  shall  bear  before  the  ark  seven  trumpets  of 
rams' horns;  and  the  seventh  day  ye  shall  compass  the  city, 
seven  times,  and  the  priests  shall  blow  with  the  trumpets.  And 
it  shall  come  to  pass,  when  they  make  a  long  blast  with  the 
rams'  horns,  and  when  ye  hear  the  sound  of  the  trumpet,  all  the 
people  shall  shout  with  a  great  shout,  and  the  wall  of  the  city 
shall  fall  down  flat,  and  every  man  shall  ascend  up  straight 
before  him.  And  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun  called  the  priests  and 
said  unto  them,  Take  up  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  and  let  the 
seven  priests  bear  seven  trumpets  of  rams'  horns  before  the  ark 
of  the  Lord.  And  he  said  unto  the  people,  Pass  on,  and  com- 
pass the  city,  and  let  him  that  is  armed  pass  on  before  the  ark 
of  the  Lord."  When  these  orders  were  obeyed  by  the  priests 
and  people,  they  were  further  commanded  by  the  leader,  not  to 
shout  nor  to  make  any  noise  with  their  voice,  until  they  should 
receive  a  command  to  do  so.  And  when  they  had  encompassed 
the  city  every  day  for  six  days,  returning  each  day  into  the 
camp,  that  on  the  seventh  day,  Joshua  gave  orders  for  the  peo- 


186  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

pie  and  priests  when  they  had  gone  round  the  city,  and  which 
on  this  day  they  repeated  seven  times,  to  shout,  for  the  city 
was  given  by  the  Lord  into  their  hands.  And  it  was  declared, 
that  the  whole  city  and  all  its  inhabitants  should  be  devoted  to 
destruction;  except,  that  Rahab  and  her  friends  should  be 
spared,  because  she  hid  the  messengers  that  had  been  sent,  and 
had  received  a  solemn  promise  that  she  should  be  preserved. 
And  the  people  were  warned  by  all  means,  "to  keep  themselves 
from  the  accursed  thing,"  lest  they  should  themselves  fall  under 
a  curse,  and  bring  trouble  into  the  camp  of  Israel.  It  was 
declared,  however,  that  "the  silver  and  gold  and  vessels  of  brass 
and  iron  should  be  consecrated  to  Jehovah,  and  should  belong 
to  the  treasury  of  the  Lord."  And  as  soon  as  the  priests  and 
people  had  encompassed  the  wall  the  seventh  time,  on  this 
seventh  day,  the  trumpets  were  sounded,  and  when  the  people 
heard  the  sound  of  the  trumpet,  they  shouted  with  a  great 
shout,  and  the  wall  fell  flat,  so  that  the  people  went  up  every 
one  straight  before  him,  and  they  took  the  city.  And  they 
utterly  destroyed  all  that  was  in  the  city,  both  man  and  woman, 
young  and  old,  and  ox  and  sheep,  and  ass,  with  the  edge  of  the 
sword.  But  Joshua  gave  special  orders  to  the  young  men  who 
had  been  sent  as  spies,  "Bring  out  the  woman,  and  all  that  she 
hath,  as  ye  sware  unto  her ;  and  they  brought  out  Rahab  and 
her  father,  and  her  mother,  and  her  brethren,  and  all  that  she 
had ;  and  they  brought  out  all  her  kindred,  and  left  them  with- 
out the  camp  of  Israel."  "And  they  burnt  the  city  with  fire 
and  all  that  was  therein ;  only  the  silver  and  the  gold,  and  the 
vessels  of  brass  and  iron,  they  put  into  the  treasury  of  the 
house  of  the  Lord." 

And  Joshua  denounced  a  heavy  curse  on  the  man  who  should 
rise  up  and  rebuild  Jericho,  saying,  "Cursed  be  the  ^ man 
before  the  Lord,  that  riseth  up  and  buildeth  this  city,  Jericho ; 
he  shall  lay  the  foundation  thereof  in  his  first  born,  and  in  his 
youngest  son  shall  he  set  up  the  gates  of  it."  This  first  onset 
in  the  invasion  of  Canaan,  and  the  miraculous  overthrow  of 
Jericho,  while  it  raised  the  fame  of  Joshua  very  high,  as  being 
the  instrument  of  God's  vengeance,  spread  consternation  among 
the  people  of  the  land.  , 

The  imprecation  of  Joshua  in  this  case  was  not  spoken  of 
himself,  but  from  the  inspiration  of  God;  and  the  words  spoken 
were  not  a  vain,  empty  threat,  but  the  prediction  was  literally 
fulfilled  many  hundred  years  afterwards,  when  Kiel,  the  Beth- 
elite,  laid  the  foundation  of  Jericho  in  his  first-born,  Abiram, 
and  set  up  the  gates  thereof  in  his  youngest  son,  Segub. 
1  Kings  xvi.  34. 


THE   ISRAELITES.  187 


SECTION  V. 

THE    TRANSGRESSION  OF    ACHAN THE    ATTACK   UPON    AI,  AND    THE    DEFEAT   OF   THE 

ISRAELITES — JOSHUA'S  DISTRESS — THE  LORD'S  COMMUNICATION  TO  HIM — ACHAN 
DETECTED  AND  PUNISHED  WITH  ALL  HIS  HOUSE — RIGHTEOUSNESS  OF  GOD  IN  THIS 
TRANSACTION. 

NOTWITHSTANDING  the  solemn  warning  which  Joshua  gave  to 
the  people  respecting  the  spoil  of  the  city  of  Jericho,  which 
was  all  accursed,  and  not  to  be  touched,  except  the  silver  and 
the  gold,  the  iron  and  brass,  which  were  consecrated  to  the 
treasury  of  the  Lord,  there  was  found  a  man,  among  the  child- 
ren of  Israel,  who  had  not  faith  and  virtue  enough  to  enable 
him  to  resist  the  temptation  of  purloining  and  hiding  in  his 
tent,  some  articles  on  which  he  had  set  his  covetous  heart. 
This  was  Achan,  the  son  of  Carmi,  the  son  of  Zabdi,  the  son 
of  Zerah,  of  the  tribe  of  Judah.  On  account  of  this  deliberate 
disobedience  of  his  positive  commandment,  "the  anger  of  the 
Lord  was  kindled  against  the  children  of  Israel." 

Jericho  being  in  ruins,  Joshua  next  directed  his  attention  to 
a  city  named  Ai,  which  was  beside  Beth-aven,  on  the  east  side 
of  Beth-el.  According  to  his  usual  custom,  he  took  the  pre- 
caution of  sending  spies  to  examine  the  strength  and  situation 
of  the  place.  Their  report  was,  that  the  inhabitants  of  this 
place  were  not  numerous,  and  that  there  would  be  no  need  for 
the  whole  army  to  be  put  in  motion  against  a  city  so  incon- 
siderable ;  and  they  recommended,  that  two  or  three  thousand 
men  should  be  detailed  for  this  service.  Accordingly,  Joshua 
sent  three  thousand  men  upon  this  apparently  easy  expedition. 
But  the  event  did  not  answer  the  expectation ;  for,  when  the 
men  of  Ai  came  out  against  this  band,  they  seemed  to  be  panic 
struck,  and  fled  with  precipitation,  and  thirty-six  of  their  num- 
ber were  left  dead  on  the  field ;  and  the  enemy  pursued  them 
from  before  the  gate,  even  unto  Shebarim.  Upon  this  the 
hearts  of  the  people  melted,  and  became  as  water;  and  Joshua 
appears  to  have  been  afflicted  and  confounded  in  the  greatest 
degree,  for  "  he  rent  his  clothes,  and  fell  to  the  ground,  upon 
his  face,  before  the  ark  of  the  Lord,  until  the  eventide,  he 
and  the  elders  of  Israel,  and  put  dust  upon  their  heads. 
And  Joshua  said,  alas!  0  Lord  God,  wherefore  hast  thou  at 
all  brought  the  people  over  Jordan,  to  deliver  us  into  the  hand 
of  the  Amorites,  to  destroy  us  ?  Would  to  God  we  had  been 
content  and  dwelt  on  the  other  side  Jordan.  0  Lord,  what 
shall  I  say,  when  Israel  turneth  their  backs  upon  their  ene- 
mies !  For  the  Canaanites,  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  land 
shall  hear  of  it,  and  shall  environ  us  round,  and  cut  off  our 
name  from  the  earth:  and  what  wilt  thou  do  unto  thy  great 


188  HISTORY   OF   THE    ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

name?  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Joshua,  Get  thee  up,  where- 
fore liest  thou  upon  thy  face  ?  Israel  hath  sinned,  and  they 
have  also  transgressed  my  covenant  which  I  commanded  them ; 
for  they  have  even  taken  of  the  accursed  thing,  and  have  also 
stolen,  and  dissembled  also,  and  have  put  it  even  amongst  their 
own  stuff.  Therefore  the  children  of  Israel  could  not  stand 
before  their  enemies,  but  turned  their  backs,  because  they  were 
accursed;  neither  will  I  be  with  you  any  more,  except  ye 
destroy  the  accursed  from  among  you.  Up,  sanctify  the  peo- 
ple, and  say,  sanctify  yourselves  against  to-morrow  for  thus 
saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  there  is  an  accursed  thing  in  the 
midst  of  thee,  0  Israel :  thou  canst  not  stand  before  thine  ene- 
mies, until  ye  take  away  the  accursed  thing  from  among 
you.  In  the  morning,  therefore,  ye  shall  be  brought,  accord- 
ing to  your  tribes;  and  it  shall  be,  that  the  tribe  which 
the  Lord  taketh  shall  come  according  to  the  families  thereof; 
and  the  family  which  the  Lord  shall  take  shall  come  by 
households;  and  the  households  which  the  Lord  shall  take, 
shall  come  man  by  man.  And  it  shall  be,  that  he  that  is 
taken  with  the  accursed  thing,  shall  be  burnt  with  fire, 
he  and  all  that  he  hath ;  because  he  hath  transgressed  the 
covenant  of  the  Lord,  and  because  he  hath  wrought  folly  in  Is- 
rael. So  Joshua  rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  brought 
Israel  by  their  tribes,  and  the  tribe  of  Judah  was  taken." 
Then  the  family  of  the  Zarhites  was  taken — Next,  Zabdi  was 
taken ;  and  he  brought  his  household  man  by  man,  and  Achan, 
the  son  of  Carmi,  the  son  of  Zabdi,  the  son  of  Zerah,  of  the 
tribe  of  Judah,  was  taken.  "And  Joshua  said  unto  Achan, 
My  son,  give,  I  pray  thee,  glory  to  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  and 
make  confession  unto  him ;  and  tell  me  now  what  thou  hast 
done,  and  hide  it  not  from  me.  And  Achan  said,  Indeed  I 
have  sinned  against  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  and  thus  and  thus 
have  I  done.  When  I  saw  among  the  spoils  a  goodly  Babylon- 
ish garment,  and  two  hundred  shekels  of  silver,  and  a  wedge 
of  gold,  of  fifty  shekels  weight,  then  I  courted  them,  and  took 
them,  and  behold,  they  are  hid  in  the  earth,  in  the  midst  of  my 
tent,  and  the  silver  under  it.  So  Joshua  sent  messengers,  and 
they  ran  unto  the  tent ;,  and  behold  it  (the  Babylonish  garment) 
was  hid  in  his  tent,  and  the  silver  under  it.  And  they  took 
them  out  of  the  midst  of  the  tent,  and  brought  them  unto 
Joshua,  and  unto  all  the  children  of  Israel,  and  laid  them  out 
before  the  Lord.  And  Joshua  and  all  Israel  with  him,  took 
Achan,  the  son  of  Zerah,  and  the  silver,  and  the  garment,  and 
the  wedge  of  gold,  and  his  sons  and  his  daughters,  and  his  oxen 
and  his  asses,  and  his  sheep  and  his  tent,  and  all  that  he  had, 
and  brought  them  to  the  valley  of  Achor.  And  Joshua  said, 
Why  hast  thou  troubled  us  ?  The  Lord  shall  trouble  thee  this 


THE   ISRAELITES.  189 

day;  and  all  Israel  stoned  him  with  stones,  and  burned  them 
•with  fire,  after  they  had  stoned  them  with  stones.  And  they 
raised  over  him  a  great  heap  of  stones;"  which  remained  for  a 
long  time  in  this  valley,  a  monument  of  God's  displeasure 
against  sin. 

In  this  portion  of  sacred  history,  there  are  several  things 
highly  worthy  of  particular  observation.  The  first  is,  that 
"the  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil."  This  man,  like 
Judas,  was  led  away  by  covetousness.  Thousands  and  tens  of 
thousands  are  slaves  to  the  same  vice.  Perhaps  no  sin  is 
more  common  in  the  pale  of  the  Church ;  for  although  it  often 
prompts  men  to  rob  and  steal,  and  thus  expose  themselves  to 
infamous  punishments,  yet  this  may  strike  its  roots  deep,  and 
have  entire  possession  of  the  man,  while  no  irregularity  appears 
in  the  outward  actions.  Often,  indeed,  covetousness  restrains 
its  votaries  from  vices  which  can  only  be  practised  with  expense, 
because  such  conflict  with  its  nature. 

The  next  remark  is,  that  however  secret  men's  crimes  may 
be,  and  however  successfully  concealed  from  the  eyes  of  men, 
there  is  an  eye  which  strictly  marks  them ;  and  often,  in  the 
providence  of  God,  sins  which  were  committed  in  darkness,  are 
unexpectedly  and  wonderfully  revealed.  In  the  case  of  Achan, 
the  appeal  seems  to  have  been  to  the  lot,  and  this  mode  of  de- 
tection was  ordered  by  God  himself,  and  was,  therefore,  infalli- 
ble; but  unless  God  direct  to  such  means,  for  the  discovery  of 
secret  crimes,  it  would  be  presumptuous  in  us  to  resort  to  the 
lot  for  the  detection  of  the  guilt  of  a  culprit.  The  displeasure 
of  Jehovah  against  a  deliberate  transgression  of  his  positive 
commandment,  is  here  strangely  exhibited;  and  for  the  sin  of 
one  man,  his  wrath  is  enkindled  against  the  whole  congregation 
of  Israel.  Achan  seems  to  have  been  penitent,  but  this  could 
not  save  him  from  condign  punishment.  Repentance  some- 
times comes  too  late ;  or  to  speak  more  properly,  the  regrets  of 
a  sinner  when  his  crimes  are  detected,  and  punishment  about  to 
be  inflicted,  has  in  it  nothing  of  the  nature  of  true  repentance. 
And  if  the  unhappy  man  was  pardoned,  yet  it  was  necessary 
that  a  public  example  should  be  made,  on  such  an  occasion,  for 
a  terror  to  others.  We  are  taught  here  also,  that  God  punishes 
a  man's  family  with  himself.  It  does  not  appear  that  they  per- 
sonally participated  in  the  crime  of  Achan ;  but  they  must  suf- 
fer with  him.  His  wife  and  children,  and  even  the  dumb 
animals,  are  made  partakers  of  his  punishment.  Men  may 
pronounce  this  to  be  unjust,  but  God  will  not  subject  himself  to 
be  judged  at  our  bar.  The  Judge  of  all  the  earth  will  do  right ; 
but  little  do  we  know,  in  many  cases,  what  it  becomes  him  to 
do.  The  truth  is,  that  his  whole  administration  by  his  provi- 
dence, recognizes  this  same  principle.  Children  are  involved 


190  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

in  the  poverty,  in  the  disgrace,  and  in  the  diseases  of  their 
parents;  and  who  will  undertake  to  arraign  the  Almighty,  and 
pronounce  sentence  of  condemnation  upon  him?  His  ways  are 
always  just  and  equal,  although  the  reasons  of  his  conduct  may 
not  be  revealed  unto  us.  Burning  alive  was  not  one  of  the 
punishments  usually  inflicted  in  the  Jewish  commonwealth;  but 
in  this  case,  and  some  others,  the  bodies  were  burned  after 
death. 

This  translation  furnishes  the  only  instance,  as  far  as  I  recol- 
lect, of  any  thing  censurable  said  or  done  by  Joshua.  His  con- 
fidence in  God,  and  obedience  to  his  will,  seems  to  have  approxi- 
mated near  to  perfection ;  but  when  he  saw  the  people,  in  a 
dastardly  manner,  fleeing  before  their  enemies,  his  spirit  was 
overwhelmed,  and  he  said,  "Would  to  God  that  we  had  been 
content,  and  dwelt  on  the  other  side  Jordan !"  This  was  wrong ; 
for  God  had  promised  Canaan  to  Israel,  and  had  specially 
commissioned  Joshua  to  invade  the  land,  and  had  miraculously 
opened  his  way  to  take  possession.  But  Joshua,  like  Moses, 
his  predecessor,  was  more  concerned  for  the  glory  of  God's 
great  name,  than  about  his  own  welfare  or  reputation.  "We  see 
•what  misery  and  confusion  a  single  sin  may  produce  in  a  family, 
and  a  nation.  As  to  the  punishment  inflicted  on  this  unhappy 
man  and  his  family,  Joshua  had  nothing  to  do  with  it,  but  to 
execute  the  commandment  of  Jehovah.  In  this,  as  in  all  the 
other  severe  inflictions  of  vengeance  on  the  inhabitants  of  Ca- 
naan, Joshua  can  no  more  be  charged  with  cruelty  than  the 
angel  who  slew  the  first-born  of  Egypt,  or  on  him  who  in  one 
night  slew  a  hundred  and  four  score  thousand  men  in  the  Assy- 
rian army.  Whatever  God  commands  must  be  done.  No  obli- 
gation can  exist  to  the  contrary,  when  he  makes  known  his  will. 
Even  Abraham  must  consent  to  slay  his  only  and  well  beloved 
son,  in  whom  all  the  promises  concentred,  when  Jehovah  com- 
manded him  to  make  this  sacrifice.  And  as  it  relates  to  the 
divine  attributes,  there  is  nothing  more  derogatory  to  justice 
and  goodness  in  taking  away  the  lives  of  men,  women,  and 
children,  by  the  sword  of  men,  than  by  the  hand  of  an  angel ; 
and  nothing  in  either  of  these  methods  of  putting  an  end  to 
human  life,  more  inconsistent  with  these  attributes,  than  accom- 
plishing the  same  thing  by  an  earthquake,  a  famine,  or  a 
plague.  The  objection  to  this  part  of  the  sacred  history  is, 
therefore,  without  foundation. 

When  the  wickedness  of  a  nation  rises  to  a  certain  pitch,  or 
fulness,  it  seems  necessary  that  they  should  be  exterminated. 
In  the  time  of  Abraham,  it  is  given  as  a  reason  why  God  did 
not  put  him  in  possession  of  the  land  of  Canaan,  "that  the  ini- 
quity of  the  Amorites  was  not  yet  full;"  but  now,  in  the  time 
of  Joshua,  they  were  ripe  for  destruction.  When  a  people  are 


THE   ISRAELITES.  191 

universally  addicted  to  unnatural  and  abominable  crimes,  it  is 
right — it  is  best,  that  they  should  be  swept  from  the  earth. 
Such  was  the  moral  condition  of  the  old  world,  before  the 
deluge — such  was  the  state  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah ;  and  such 
now  was  the  moral  character  of  the  inhabitants  of  Canaan. 


SECTION  VI. 

AI  AGAIN  ASSAULTED  AND  TAKEN  BY  STRATEGEM,  AND  UTTERLY  DESTROYED — JOSHUA 
ERECTS  AN  ALTAR  IN  EBAL  AND  OFFERS  SACRIFICES — WRITES  A  COPY  OF  THE  LAW 
ON  STONES — FROM  MOUNT  GERIZIH  AND  EBAL  PRONOUNCES  THE  BLESSINGS  AND 
THE  CURSES. 

ACHAN  being  now  removed,  the  obstacle  to  a  successful  attack 
upon  Ai  no  longer  existed,  and  God  commanded  Joshua  to 
march  fearlessly  against  the  place;  saying,  "I  have  given  into 
thy  hand  the  king  of  Ai,  and  his  people,  and  his  city,  and  his 
land ;  and  thou  shalt  do  to  Ai,  and  her  king,  as  thou  didst  unto 
Jericho  and  her  king:  only  the  spoil  thereof,  and  the  cattle 
thereof,  shall  ye  take  for  a  prey  unto  yourselves."  Joshua  was 
directed  to  place  an  ambush  behind  the  city.  Accordingly  he 
selected  thirty  thousand  men,  and  sent  them  off  by  night  to 
take  a  position  near  the  city,  but  behind  it ;  with  directions, 
that  as  soon  as  he  and  the  main  body  of  the  army  should  come 
before  the  city,  and  by  a  feigned  retreat  should  draw  out  the 
men  of  the  city  in  pursuit,  then  they  should  rise  up  from  their 
ambush,  and  seize  the  city,  and  set  it  on  fire.  That  night 
Joshua  lodged  in  the  midst  of  the  people ;  and  early  in  the 
morning  he  arose  and  marshalled  the  host,  and  marched  in 
their  front,  with  the  elders  of  Israel,  up  to  Ai,  and  pitched  on 
the  north  side  of  the  city.  Between  the  camp  of  the  Israelites 
and  Ai,  there  was  a  valley;  here  he  placed  another  ambush  on 
the  west  of  the  city,  of  five  thousand  men ;  and  he  himself  spent 
that  night  in  the  midst  of  this  valley.  The  king  of  Ai,  flushed 
with  his  former  victory,  and  confident  of  success,  was  not  back- 
ward to  commence  hostilities;  but  he  was  not  aware  that  he 
•was  almost  encompassed  by  his  enemies;  and,  especially,  he 
had  no  suspicion  of  the  ambush  which  lay  concealed  behind  the 
city.  Joshua  and  all  Israel,  as  soon  as  they  were  attacked, 
"  made  as  if  they  were  beaten  before  them,  and  fled  by  the  way 
of  the  wilderness."  All  the  men  of  Ai  instantly  pursued  after 
them,  and  were  drawn  away  from  the  city, ;  so  that  there  "  was 
not  a  man  left  in  Ai  or  Beth-el,  that  went  not  out  after  Israel." 
And  fearing  nothing,  they  left  the  city  open.  Joshua  now  gave 
the  preconcerted  signal  to  the  men  who  lay  in  ambush,  and 
"  they  arose,  and  entered  into  the  city,  and  took  it,  and  hasted, 
and  set  the  city  on  fire."  And  when  the  men  of  Ai  looked 


192  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

behind  them,  they  saw,  and  behold  the  smoke  of  the  city 
ascended  up  to  heaven,  and  they  had  no  power  to  flee  this  way 
or  that  way ;  and  the  people  of  Israel  who  had  fled  towards  the 
wilderness,  turned  back  upon  the  pursuers,  and  seeing  the  smoke 
of  the  city  ascending,  they  fell  upon  the  men  of  Ai,  and  slew 
them.  And  the  men  who  had  seized  the  city  now  came  forth, 
and  attacked  the  men  of  Ai  on  the  other  side ;  so  that  being 
hemmed  in  by  two  armies,  none  of  them  were  permitted  to 
escape.  But  the  king  of  Ai  they  took  alive,  and  brought  him 
to  Joshua.  When  the  Israelites  had  smitten  the  inhabitants  of 
Ai  in  the  field,  they  proceeded,  according  to  the  commandment 
of  the  Lord,  to  put  to  the  sword  all  who  remained  in  the  city. 
"And  so  it  was,  that  all  that  fell  that  day,  both  of  men  and 
women,  were  twelve  thousand."  "For  Joshua  drew  not  his  hand 
back,  wherewith  he  stretched  out  the  spear,  until  he  had  utterly 
destroyed  all  the  inhabitants  of  Ai.  Only  the  cattle  and  the 
spoil,  Israel  took  for  a  prey  unto  themselves,  according  to  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  which  he  commanded  Joshua.  And  Joshua 
burnt  Ai,  and  made  it  a  heap  and  desolation  for  ever.  And  the 
king  of  Ai  he  hanged  on  a  tree,  until  eventide ;  and  as  soon  as 
the  sun  was  down,  Joshua  commanded  that  they  should  take  his 
carcass  down  from  the  tree,  and  cast  it  at  the  entering  of  the 
gate  of  the  city,  and  raise  thereon  a  great  heap  of  stones. 

Joshua  having  again  proved  victorious  over  his  enemies,  and 
being  an  eminently  devout  man,  who  had  feared  God  from  his 
youth,  he  availed  himself  of  the  interval  of  rest  which  he  now 
enjoyed,  to  fulfil  the  command  of  God  given  to  Moses,  and  he 
erected  an  altar  in  mount  Ebal,  to  the  Lord  God  of  Israel. 
"  As  Moses,  the  servant  of  the  Lord,  commanded  the  children 
of  Israel,  as  it  is  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  of  Moses.  An 
altar  of  whole  stones,  over  which  no  man  hath  lifted  up  any 
iron.  And  they  offered  thereon  burnt-offerings  unto  the  LORD, 
and  sacrificed  peace-offerings.  And  he  wrote  these  upon  the 
stones,  a  copy  of  the  law  of  Moses,  which  he  wrote  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  children  of  Israel.  And  all  Israel,  and  their 
elders,  and  officers,  and  their  judges,  stood  on  this  side  the  ark, 
and  on  that  side,  before  the  priests  the  Levites,  which  bare  the 
ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord;  as  well  the  stranger  as  he 
that  was  born  among  them :  half  of  them  over  against  mount 
Gerizim,  and  half  of  them  against  mount  Ebal ;  as  Moses,  the 
servant  of  the  Lord,  had  commanded  before,  that  they  should 
bless  the  people  of  Israel.  And  afterward  he  read  all  the  words 
of  the  law,  the  blessings  and  cursings,  according  to  all  that  is 
written  in  the  book  of  the  law.  There  was  not  a  word  of  all 
that  Moses  commanded,  which  Joshua  read  not  before  all  the 
congregation  of  Israel,  with  the  women  and  the  little  ones,  and 
the  strangers  that  were  conversant  among  them."  (Josh,  viii.) 


THE   ISRAELITES.  193 


SECTION  VII. 

THE    GIBEONITES   DECEIVE   JOSHUA    AND   THE   PRINCES,  AND  OBTAIN   FROM  THEM    AN 

OATH    THAT   THEY   SHOULD    NOT   BE    DESTROYED THE    PEOPLE  WOULD   HAVE    HAD 

THEM  TO  VIOLATE  THEIR  ENGAGEMENT  AND  DESTROY  THIS  PEOPLE  WHO  HAD 
IMPOSED  ON  THEM — JOSHUA  CONSIDERS  THE  OATH  OBLIGATORY — THE  GENERAL 
SUBJECT  OF  THE  OBLIGATION  OF  VOWS. 

HITHERTO  the  people  of  Canaan  appear  to  have  been  so  panic- 
struck,  that  they  had  not  the  consideration  to  enter  into  any 
league  or  combination  with  one  another,  to  make  opposition  to 
the  formidable  host  who  had  invaded  the  country.  But  at 
length,  recovering,  in  a  manner,  from  the  stupor  into  which  fear 
had  cast  them,  they  began  to  concert  measures  for  their  own 
defence.  The  kings  which  were  in  the  hills  and  in  the  valleys, 
and  in  all  the  coasts  of  the  great  sea  over  against  Lebanon,  the 
Hittite,  and  the  Amorite,  the  Canaanite,  the  Perizzite,  the  Hiv- 
ite,  and  the  Jebusite,  received  intelligence  of  the  progress  of 
the  invading  army,  and  gathered  together,  with  one  accord,  to 
fight  with  Joshua  and  with  Israel. 

But  the  Gibeonites,  who  were  near,  when  they  heard  of  the 
utter  destruction  of  Jericho  and  Ai,  and  probably  knew  that 
Joshua's  orders  were  to  exterminate  all  the  nations  of  Canaan, 
resolved  to  have  recourse  to  deceit  and  cunning  to  avoid  the 
impending  destruction.  "  They  did  work  wilily,  and  went  and 
made  as  if  they  had  been  ambassadors ;  and  took  old  sacks  upon 
their  asses,  and  wine-bottles,  old  and  rent,  and  bound  up ;  and 
old  shoes  and  clouted  upon  their  feet,  and  old  garments  upon 
them.  And  all  the  bread  of  their  provisions  was  dry  and  mouldy. 
And  they  went  to  Joshua  unto  the  camp  at  Gilgal,  and  said  unto 
him  and  to  the  men  of  Israel,  We  be  come  from  a  far  country, 
and  therefore  make  ye  a  league  with  us.  And  the  men  of  Israel 
said  unto  the  Hivites,  (for  the  Gibeonites  belonged  to  this  nation) 
peradventure  ye  dwell  among  us,  and  how  shall  we  make  a  league 
with  you  ?  And  they  said  unto  Joshua,  we  are  thy  servants.  And 
Joshua  said,  Who  are  ye  ?  And  whence  come  ye  ?  And  they  said 
unto  him,  From  a  very  far  country  thy  servants  are  come,  because 
of  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God ;  for  we  have  heard  the  fame  of 
Him,  and  all  that  he  did  in  Egypt,  and  all  that  he  did  to  the  two 
kings  of  the  Amorites  that  were  beyond  Jordan,  to  Sihon  king 
of  Heshbon,  and  Og  king  of  Bashan,  which  was  at  Ashtaroth ; 
wherefore  our  elders,  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  our  country,  spake 
unto  us,  saying,  Take  victuals  with  you  for  the  journey,  and  go 
to  meet  them ;  and  say  unto  them,  We  are  your  servants,  there- 
fore, now  make  ye  a  league  with  us.  This  our  bread  we  took  hot 
for  our  provision  out  of  our  houses,  in  the  day  we  came  forth 
to  go  unto  you;  but  now  behold,  it  is  dry,  and  it  is  mouldy. 
13 


194  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

And  these  bottles  of  wine  which  we  filled  were  new,  and  behold, 
they  are  rent;  and   these   our   garments  and  our   shoes  are 
become  old  by  reason  of  the  very  long  journey.     And  the  men 
took  of  their  victuals,  and  asked  not  counsel  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Lord.     And  Joshua  made  peace  with  them ;  and  made  a 
league  with  them  to  let  them  live ;  and  the  princes  of  the  con- 
gregation sware  unto  them.     And  it  came  to  pass,  at  the  end 
of  three  days,  after  they  had  made  a  league  with  them,  that 
they  heard  that  they  were  their  neighbours,  and  that  they 
dwelt  among  them."     And  on  the  third  day,  the  children  of 
Israel  came  to  their  cities,  the  names  of  which  were  Gibeon, 
Chephirah,  Beeroth,  and  Kirjath-jearim.     "And  the  children 
of  Israel  smote  them  not,  because  the  princes  of  the  congre- 
gation had  sworn  to  them  by  the  Lord  God  of  Israel."     But 
the  congregation  were  not  contented  with  the  conduct  of  their 
princes   in    sparing   the    Gibeonites,    and    murmured   against 
them  on  account  of  this  thing,  probably  because  they  were  dis- 
appointed in  their  expectation  of  the  spoil  of  these  wealthy 
cities.    "But  all  the  princes  said  unto  all  the  congregation,  We 
have  sworn  unto  them  by  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  now,  there- 
fore, we  may  not  touch  them.    This  we  will  do  to  them,  we  will 
even  let  them  live,  lest  wrath  be  upon  us,  because  of  the  oath 
which  we  sware  unto  them.     And  the  princes  said  unto  them, 
Let  them  live ;  but  let  them  be  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of 
water  unto  all  the  congregation."     "And  Joshua  called  for 
them,  and  he  spake  unto  them,  saying,  Wherefore  have  ye 
beguiled  us,  saying,  we  were  very  far  from   you,  when  you 
dwell  among  us?     Now,  therefore,  ye  are  cursed,  and  there 
shall  none  of  you  be  freed  from  being  bondmen,  and  hewers  of 
wood  and  drawers  of  water  for  the  house  of  my  God.     And 
they  answered  Joshua  and  said,  Because  it  was  certainly  told 
thy  servants,  how  that  the  Lord  thy  God  commanded  his  ser- 
vant Moses  to  give  you  all  the  land,  and  to  destroy  all  the 
inhabitants  of  the  land  from  before  you,  therefore,  we  were 
sore  afraid  of  our  lives,  because  of  you,  and  have  done  this 
thing.     And  now  behold,  we  are  in  thine  hand ;  as  it  seemeth 
right  unto  thee  to  do  unto  us,  do.     And  so  did  he  unto  them, 
and  delivered  them  out  of  the  hands  of  the  children  of  Israel, 
that  they  slew  them  not."     It  would  seem  that  it  was  attended 
with  some  difficulty  to  rescue  these  people  out  of  the  hands  of 
the   congregation,  who  were  intent   on  their   destruction.     I 
have  ascribed  this   destructive  inclination   to  avarice;  but  it 
may  have  originated  in  a  conscientious  regard  to  the  divine 
authority ;  and  to  an  opinion  that  an  oath  obtained  by  fraud 
and  falsehood  was  not  obligatory. 

We  noticed  one  wrong  thing  in  Joshua,  when  Israel  fled 
before  the  men  of  Ai ;  and  here  we  find  that  he  failed  again  in 


THE  ISRAELITES.  195 

that  vigilance  which  was  required  by  his  high  and  responsible 
station.  When  the  ambassadors  of  the  Gibeonites  appeared 
before  him,  and  told  a  false  but  plausible  story,  Joshua  entered 
into  a  treaty  with  them,  without  applying  to  the  Lord  for 
direction,  which  he  had  the  privilege  of  doing  at  all  times. 
By  depending  on  appearances,  and  confiding  in  his  own  judg- 
ment, he  was  led  into  error,  and  connected  Israel  in  a  league 
•with  a  people  whom  the  Lord  had  positively  commanded  him  to 
destroy. 

In  this  transaction,  we  learn  how  solemn  and  inviolable  is 
the  obligation  of  an  oath.  Although  this  oath  was  obtained  by 
fraud,  and  was  injurious  to  the  interests  of  the  children  of 
Israel ;  yet  it  was  not  judged  lawful  to  nullify  or  violate  it. 
No  doubt  there  may  be  cases  in  which  an  oath,  obtained  by 
falsehood  and  fraud,  is  void,  and  the  person  swearing  is  free 
from  guilt,  although  he  fails  to  perform  what  he  has  bound  him- 
self by  an  oath  to  do ;  but  when  we  are  deceived  through  our 
own  negligence,  and  the  thing  promised  is  not  in  itself  unlaw- 
ful, an  oath  or  vow  is  obligatory.  No  injury  or  inconvenience 
which  the  fulfilment  will  occasion  the  person,  can  exempt  him 
from  its  sacred  obligation.  To  take  an  oath  is  a  solemn  act  of 
religion,  but  should  never  be  resorted  to,  unless  there  exists  a 
real  necessity  for  it;  and  when  a  man  has  laid  such  a  bond 
upon  his  soul,  he  should  with  all  sincerity  and  fidelity  perform 
the  thing  which  has  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth.  "It  is  better 
not  to  vow,  than  to  vow  and  not  pay."  And  the  upright  man 
described  in  the  fifteenth  Psalm,  is  represented  "  as  swearing 
to  his  hurt  and  not  changing."  The  subjection  of  these 
Gibeonites  to  a  state  of  bondage  and  servile  labour,  was  a  just 
punishment  for  the  imposition  which  they  practised. 


SECTION  VIII. 

POWERFUL  COMBINATION  OF    THE    KINGS    OF    CANAAN   TO  DESTROY  THE    GIBEONITES 

JOSHUA  IS  MADE  ACQUAINTED  WITH  THEIR  DANGER,  AND  HASTENS  TO  THEIR 
RELIEF — COMBINED  KINGS  DEFEATED — WONDERFUL  MIRACLE  OF  THE  SUN  STAND- 
ING STILL — THE  EXECUTION  OF  FIVE  KINGS. 

THE  combination  of  most  of  the  kings  of  the  country  was 
rendered  more  firm,  in  consequence  of  the  conduct  of  the 
Gibeonites;  for  "Gibeon  was  a  great  city,"  and  was  situated  in 
the  very  heart  of  the  country.  The  chief  of  this  combined 
force  was  Adoni-zedek,  king  of  Jerusalem,  who  associated  with 
himself,  Hoham  king  of  Hebron,  Piram  king  of  Jannuth, 
Japhia  king  of  Lachish,  and  Deber  king  of  Eglon ;  and  their 
first  object  was  to  smite  Gibeon,  on  account  of  the  defection  of 
which  city  they  were  greatly  incensed ;  and  policy  led  them. 


196  HISTOKY   OP   THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

to  wish  to  destroy  an  enemy  existing  in  their  midst.  These 
five  kings,  therefore,  marched  against  Gibeon,  and  besieged 
the  city,  while  Joshua  and  the  Israelites  were  still  encamped  at 
Gilgal.  The  Gibeonites  being  utterly  unable  to  resist  so  great 
a  force,  as  now  appeared  before  them,  sent  an  express  to  Joshua, 
to  come  speedily  to  their  succour,  saying,  "  Slack  not  thy  hand 
from  thy  servants,  come  up  to  us  quickly,  and  save  us  and  help 
us ;  for  all  the  kings  of  the  Amorites  that  dwell  in  the  moun- 
tains are  gathered  together  against  us."  When  Joshua  re- 
ceived this  urgent  message,  he  determined  to  march  immediate- 
ly to  the  aid  of  his  new  allies,  or  subjects  rather  ;  and  in  doing 
this,  he  did  not  proceed  without  Divine  direction,  as  in  the 
case  of  forming  a  league  with  his  people;  for  "the  Lord  said 
unto  him,  Fear  them  not,  for  I  have  delivered  them  into  thine 
hand;  there  shall  not  a  man  of  them  stand  before  thee." 
Joshua,  that  he  might  come  upon  the  combined  forces  of  the 
kings  of  the  Amorites  unexpectedly,  marched  during  the  whole 
night,  and  suddenly  fell  upon  them  and  smote  them  with  a 
great  slaughter ,  and  he  chased  them  along  the  way  that  goeth 
to  Beth-horon,  Azekah,  and  Makkedah.  And  to  aid  Joshua  in 
this  important  battle,  the  Lord  fought  from  heaven,  by  sending 
upon  the  Amorites  hail-stones  of  enormous  size ;  so  that  there 
were  more  that  died  with  the  hail-stones  than  were  slain  by  the 
sword. 

As  the  natural  day  was  insufficient  for  the  destruction  of  this 
numerous  host,  Joshua  was  enabled  to  perform  one  of  the  most 
stupendous  miracles  which  ever  took  place  on  our  globe.  In- 
spired with  a  strong  faith  in  the  power  of  God,  he  said,  "  Sun, 
stand  thou  still  upon  Gibeon,  and  thou,  moon,  in  the  valley  of 
Ajalon."  "And  the  sun  stood  still,  and  the  moon  stayed,  until 
the  people  had  avenged  themselves  upon  their  enemies."  "So 
the  sun  stood  still  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  and  hasted  not  to  go 
down  about  a  whole  day:  and  there  was  no  day  like  that  before 
it  or  after  it,  that  the  Lord  hearkened  unto  the  voice  of  a  man ; 
for  the  Lord  fought  for  Israel."  Many  ingenious  conjectures 
have  been  indulged  by  the  learned  critics,  by  which  the  extra- 
ordinary character  of  this  miracle  might  be  so  explained,  as  to 
render  it  more  easy  to  be  believed.  But  their  learned  labour 
is  not  needed.  It  is  as  easy  for  God  to  stop  the  sun  in  his 
course,  as  to  perform  any  other  work.  It  need  not  be  objected, 
that  the  language  is  not  consistent  with  sound  philosophy,  be- 
cause the  sun  does  not  move,  or  go  down  and  rise ;  for  the  lan- 
guage used  is  agreeable  to  the  usage  of  all  nations,  and  of  all  indi- 
viduals who  speak  intelligibly.  The  most  accurate  and  learned 
astronomer,  when  speaking  or  writing  for  the  instruction  of  the 
common  people,  or  indeed,  for  any  people,  always  employs  the 
popular  language.  To  do  otherwise  would  not  only  be  insuffer- 


THE  ISRAELITES.  197 

able  pedantry,  but  ridiculous  folly.  It  is  poorly  worth  while  for 
any  to  strive  to  make  the  miracle  less  than  it  appears  to  be ; 
for,  as  was  hinted,  it  is  as  easy  for  God  to  work  a  great  as  a 
small  miracle — to  stop  the  wheels  of  nature,  as  to  move  an 
atom.  It  has  also  been  solicitously  inquired,  whether  profane 
history  contains  any  vestige  of  this  wonderful  miracle ;  and  it 
has  been  supposed  that  both  in  Egypt  and  China  some  vague 
tradition  of  the  event  had  been  handed  down.  But  here  again, 
we  need  care  but  little  whether  heathen  writers  contain  any 
notice  of  this  astonishing  event  or  not ;  for  we  know  that  their 
authentic  histories  do  not  commence  until  a  thousand  years 
after  the  time  of  Joshua.  The  five  kings,  whose  army  was 
utterly  defeated,  fled,  and  hid  themselves  in  a  cave  at  Makke- 
dah.  Joshua,  upon  being  informed  of  this,  directed  the  cave  to 
be  closed  with  great  stones,  and  guarded,  to  prevent  their 
escape.  The  fleeing  remnants  of  the  routed  army  were  pur- 
sued, and  many  of  them  slain,  before  they  could  enter  into  their 
famed  cities.  When  Joshua  and  his  men  had  returned  from  the 
pursuit  and  slaughter  of  their  enemies,  he  gave  orders  that  the 
mouth  of  the  cave  should  be  opened,  and  the  kings  brought  out ; 
and  he  called  for  all  the  men  of  Israel  to  assemble,  and  ordered 
the  captains  of  the  men  of  war  to  put  their  feet  upon  the  necks 
of  these  kings.  And  Joshua  said,  "Fear  not,  nor  be  dismayed, 
be  strong,  and  of  good  courage,  for  thus  shall  the  Lord  do  to 
all  your  enemies  against  whom  ye  fight."  These  five  kings  were 
now  brought  out  and  slain,  and  ha  aged  on  five  trees,  where 
they  remained  suspended  until  the  evening.  And  at  the  going 
down  of  the  sun,  Joshua  commanded  that  they  should  be  taken 
down  off  the  trees,  and  cast  into  the  cave  in  which  they  had  hid 
themselves.  He  now  proceeded  to  destroy  the  city  of  Makke- 
dah,  as  he  had  destroyed  Jericho.  He  left  nothing  remaining 
alive,  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord.  And  from  Makkedah, 
Joshua  marched  against  Libnah,  which  he  treated  in  the  same 
manner.  And  from  Libnah  he  passed  to  Lachish,  and  although 
Horam  king  of  Gezar  came  to  help  Lachish,  it  availed  nothing ; 
for  this  city  was  devoted  to  destruction  in  the  same  manner  as 
those  already  mentioned.  And  from  Lachish  he  marched 
against  Eglon,  "  and  fought  against  it,  and  they  took  it,  and 
smote  it  with  the  edge  of  the  sword,  and  all  the  souls  that  were 
therein  he  utterly  destroyed."  The  next  city  which  they  at- 
tacked was  Hebron,  which  was  devoted  to  utter  destruction. 
The  same  was  done  to  Debir.  Thus  Joshua  conquered  all  the 
hill-country,  and  of  the  vale,  and  of  the  springs,  and  all  their 
kings ;  all  the  country  from  Kadesh-barnea  to  Gaza ;  and  from 
Goshen  to  Gibeon.  "And  all  these  kings,  and  their  land,  did 
Joshua  take  at  one  time,  because  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  fought 


198  HISTORY   OF    THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

for  Israel.     And  Joshua  returned,  and  all  Israel  with  him,  to 
the  camp  at  Gilgal." 


SECTION  IX. 

A     NEW    COMBINATION    UNDER     JABIN — JOSHUA    DEFEATS     HIM,    AND   TAKES   HAZOR, 
HIS    CAPITOL — CONQUEST   OF   THE   WHOLE   HILL-COUNTEY — PARTS  UNCONO.UERED. 

THESE  rapid  conquests  and  the  total  destruction  which  ensued, 
struck  terror  into  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  far  and  wide.  A 
new  combination  of  kings  was  therefore  formed,  under  the  in- 
fluence and  direction  of  Jabin,  king  of  Hazor,  who  associated 
with  himself,  Jobab  king  of  Madon,  together  with  the  kings  of 
Shimron,  and  of  Achshaph.  To  these  were  added  the  kings 
that  were  on  the  north  of  the  mountains ;  and  on  the  plains 
of  Cinneroth ;  and  in  the  valley,  and  in  the  borders  of  Dor,  on 
the  west.  And  besides  these,  Jabin  called  to  his  aid  the  Ca- 
naanite  on  the  east  and  on  the  west,  and  the  Amorite,  and  the 
Hittite,  and  the  Perizzite,  and  the  Jebusite  in  the  mountains, 
and  the  Hivite  under  Hermon,  in  the  land  of  Mizpeh.  When 
all  these  were  gathered  together,  with  their  horses  and  chariots, 
they  formed  a  very  numerous  army,  who,  in  multitude,  were 
like  the  sand  upon  the  sea-shore.  And  this  mighty  host  came 
and  pitched  at  the  waters  of  Merom,  to  fight  against  Israel. 
"And  the  Lord  said  unto  Joshua,  Be  not  afraid  because  of 
them,  for  to-morrow,  about  this  time,  I  will  deliver  them  all 
slain  before  Israel;  thou  shalt  hough  their  horses  and  burn 
their  chariots  with  fire."  So  Joshua  came  suddenly  upon  them 
at  the  waters  of  Merom,  and  the  Lord  delivered  them  into 
the  hand  of  Israel,  who  chased  them  and  smote  them  to  great 
Zidon,  and  unto  Misrephoth-maim,  and  unto  the  valley  of  Miz- 
peh eastward.  And  Joshua  did  unto  them  as  the  LORD  bade 
him :  he  houghed  their  horses,  and  burnt  their  chariots  with 
fire ;  and  he  turned  back  and  took  Hazor,  the  capital  of  Jabin, 
which  was  the  head  of  all  the  surrounding  kingdoms;  and  after 
putting  all  the  inhabitants  to  the  sword,  he  burnt  the  city  with 
fire.  In  the  same  manner  did  Joshua  destroy  all  the  cities  of 
the  kings,  who  were  confederated  with  Jabin.  "  And  all  the 
spoil  of  these  cities,  and  the  cattle,  the  children  of  Israel  took 
for  a  prey  unto  themselves."  But  as  to  those  cities  which  stood 
still,  and  entered  not  into  this  confederacy,  Joshua  burned  none 
of  them. 

Thus  did  Joshua  subdue  all  the  hill-country,  and  all  the  south 
country;  and  all  the  land  of  Goshen,  and  the  valley,  and  the 
plain,  and  the  mountain  of  Israel  and  the  valley  of  the  same; 
even  from  mount  Halak  that  goeth  unto  Seir,  unto  Baal-gad, 
in  the  valley  of  Lebanon,  under  mount  Hermon.  For  a  long 


THE   ISRAELITES.  199 

time  Joshua  was  engaged  in  making  war  with  all  those  kings. 
"  There  was  not  a  city  that  made  peace  with  the  Israelites,  save 
the  Hivites,  the  inhabitants  of  Gibeon :  all  other  they  took  in 
battle.  For  it  was  of  the  Lord  to  harden  their  hearts,  that 
they  should  come  against  Israel  in  battle,  that  he  might  destroy 
them  utterly,  and  that  they  might  have  no  favour ;  as  the  Lord 
commanded  Moses." 

The  Anakims  who  dwelt  in  Hebron,  Debir  and  Anab,  who 
had  filled  the  Israelites  with  so  great  dismay  formerly,  were 
now  attacked  by  Joshua,  and  cut  off  from  the  mountains  of 
Judah.  The  only  remnants  of  the  children  of  Anak,  inhabited 
Gaza,  Gath,  and  Ashdod. 

"  So  Joshua  took  the  whole  land,  according  to  all  that  the 
Lord  said  unto  Moses;  and  Joshua  gave  it  for  an  inheritance 
unto  Israel,  according  to  their  divisions,  by  their  tribes.  And 
the  land  rested  from  war." 

The  following  is  a  succinct  view  of  the  country  conquered, 
and  taken  possession  of  by  the  children  of  Israel.  On  the 
other  side  Jordan,  towards  the  rising  sun,  from  the  river 
Arnon  unto  mount  Hermon,  and  all  the  plain  on  the  east ;  and 
from  Aroer,  which  is  on  the  bank  of  Arnon,  unto  the  river  Jab- 
bok,  which  is  on  the  border  of  Ammon.  And  from  the  plain 
to  the  sea  of  Cinneroth  on  the  east,  even  to  the  sea  of  the 
plain,  which  is  the  salt-sea  on  the  east.  This  country  which 
had  belonged  to  Og  king  of  Bashan,  who  was  of  the  family  of 
the  giants ;  and  to  Sihon  king  of  Heshbon,  did  Moses,  the  ser- 
vant of  the  Lord,  give  to  the  Reubenites  and  Gadites,  and  the 
half  tribe  of  Manasseh. 

And  the  country  which  Joshua  subdued,  on  this  side  Jordan, 
extended  from  Baal-gad,  in  the  valley  of  Lebanon,  to  mount 
Halak.  The  towns  conquered  were  thirty  and  one,  viz: 
Jericho,  Ai,  Jerusalem,  Hebron,  Jarmuth,  Lachish,  Eglon, 
Gezer,  Debir,  Geder,  Hormah,  Arad,  Libnah,  Adullam,  Mak- 
kedah,  Tappuah,  Hepher,  Aphek,  Lasharon,  Madon,  Hazor, 
Shimron-meron,  Achshaph,  Taanach,  Megiddo,  Kedesh,  Jok- 
neam  of  Carmel,  Dor,  Gilgal,  and  Tirzah. 

The  conquests  which  Joshua  made  were  very  important,  as 
the  cities  which  he  subdued  were  situated  in  the  centre  of  the 
country,  and  contained  the  densest  population.  But  many  dis- 
tricts and  towns  remained  still  in  the  possession  of  the  original 
inhabitants,  whom  God  directed  Joshua  to  exterminate.  He 
was  now,  however,  far  advanced  in  years,  and  less  fit  than  for- 
merly for  the  incessant  labours  and  watchings  which  apper- 
tained to  a  military  commander.  "And  the  Lord  said  unto 
him,  Thou  art  old  and  stricken  in  years,  and  there  remaineth 
yet  very  much  land  to  be  possessed."  The  unconquered  coun- 
try extended  from  Sihor  on  the  confines  of  Egypt,  to  the  bor- 


200  HISTORY  OF   THE    ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

clers  of  Ekron,  northward.  This  territory  lay  along  the  Medi- 
terranean Sea,  and  included  the  five  lords  of  the  Philistines, 
•who  are  so  conspicuous  in  the  wars  waged  by  the  Israelites. 
The  Canaanites,  who  inhabited  the  south;  the  region  round 
about  Sidon,  together  with  the  country  on  the  east  of  Lebanon, 
and  extending  to  mount  Hermon,  unto  the  entrance  of  Hamath, 
were  still  unconquered.  All  these  nations  the  Lord  had  pro- 
mised to  drive  out  from  before  the  children  of  Israel. 


SECTION  X. 

JOSHUA      DIVIDES     THE     LAND     AMONG     THE     NINE    AND     A     HALF     TRIBES — CALEB'S 
SPEECH     AND    PORTION — OTHNIEL      CONQUERS     KIRJATH-ZEPHER,     AND     RECEIVES 

CALEB'S   DAUGHTER    ACHSAH     AS     HIS     REWARD LOT   OF    JUDAH — OF  EPHRAIM 

HALF    TRIBE     OF    MANASSEH — THE   CASE    OF    ZELOPHEHAD CHILDREN    OF    JOSEPH 

COMPLAIN   OF   THE   NARROWNESS   OF    THEIR    LIMITS. 

ORDERS  were  now  given  to  Joshua  to  proceed  to  the  division  of 
the  land  by  lot,  between  the  nine  and  a  half  tribes,  who  as  yet 
had  not  received  their  inheritance ;  for,  as  has  been  related,  the 
Reubenites,  Gadites,  and  half  tribe  of  Manasseh,  had  received 
their  inheritance  on  the  east  side  of  Jordan,  agreeably  to  their 
own  request ;  still,  however,  the  land  allotted  to  them  was  not 
entirely  subdued ;  for  some  of  the  former  inhabitants  continued 
to  dwell  in  the  land  among  the  Israelites.  This  was  particularly 
the  case  in  regard  to  the  Geshurites  and  the  Maachathites.  The 
country  of  the  Amorites,  on  the  east  of  Jordan,  which  was  dis- 
tributed by  lot  among  these  two  tribes  and  a  half,  was  very  rich 
in  cities,  and  abundant  in  pastures;  on  which  account,  it  was 
chosen  by  the  Reubenites  and  Gadites,  because  they  abounded 
in  cattle.  It  will  be  remembered,  in  all  the  accounts  of  dividing 
the  land  among  the  twelve  tribes,  Levi  is  never  reckoned,  for 
with  the  two  sons  of  Joseph,  whom  Jacob  adopted  as  his  own 
sons,  there  were  twelve  without  counting  the  tribe  of  Levi ;  that 
is,  Joseph  himself  is  not  reckoned,  but  each  of  his  sons,  Ephraim 
and  Manasseh,  was  counted  as  a  distinct  tribe.  The  reason  of 
the  exclusion  of  the  tribe  of  Levi  from  a  share  in  the  division 
of  the  country,  is  very  remarkable,  and  is  often  and  emphati- 
cally repeated — "Only  unto  the  tribe  of  Levi  he  gave  none  in- 
heritance; the  sacrifices  of  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  made  by 
fire,  are  their  inheritance;"  or,  as  it  is  elsewhere  expressed, 
"the  Lord  God  of  Israel  was  their  inheritance."  Besides  Josh- 
ua, there  was  but  one  man  remaining  in  Israel,  who  was  grown 
to  maturity,  when  the  people  came  out  of  Egypt.  This  was 
Caleb,  the  son  of  Jephunneh,  the  Kenezite.  He  was  of  the 
spies  whom  Moses  sent  to  survey  the  land,  and  with  Joshua,  not 
only  gave  a  true  report  of  the  goodness  of  the  land,  but  having 


THE   ISRAELITES. 

faith  in  God,  these  men  encouraged  the  people  to  go  up  imme- 
diately and  take  possession  of  the  country.  While  by  a  solemn 
oath  Jehovah  declared  that  none  of  the  rest  of  the  people  who 
came  out  of  Egypt  at  adult  age,  should  enter  Canaan,  it  was 
promised  that  this  honour  and  reward  should  be  conferred  on 
Joshua  and  Caleb.  In  this  respect,  they  had  the  preference  to 
Moses  himself  and  Aaron  the  saint  of  the  Lord,  both  of  whom 
were  excluded  from  this  privilege,  on  account  of  improper  con- 
duct at  Meribah.  When  Joshua  and  Eleazar,  and  the  heads  of 
the  fathers,  had  come  together  to  make  a  division  of  the  land, 
the  venerable  patriarch  Caleb  presented  himself  before  them, 
and  delivered  the  following  speech:  "Thou  knowest  the  thing 
that  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  the  man  of  God,  concerning 
thee  and  me,  in  Kadesh-barnea.  Forty  years  old  was  I  when 
Moses,  the  servant  of  the  Lord,  sent  me  from  Kadesh-barnea  to 
to  spy  out  the  land,  and  I  brought  him  word  again,  as  it  was  in 
my  heart.  Nevertheless,  my  brethren  that  went  up  with  me, 
made  the  heart  of  the  people  melt ;  but  I  wholly  followed  the 
Lord  my  God.  And  Moses  sware,  on  that  day,  saying,  surely 
the  land  whereon  thy  feet  have  trodden  shall  be  thine  inheri- 
tance, and  thy  children's  for  ever;  because  thou  hast  wholly 
followed  the  Lord  thy  God.  And  now,  behold  the  Lord  hath 
kept  me  alive,  as  he  said,  these  forty  and  five  years,  even  since 
the  Lord  spake  this  word  unto  Moses,  while  the  children  of 
Israel  wandered  in  the  wilderness ;  and  now,  lo,  I  am  this  day  four- 
score and  five  years  old:  and  yet  I  am  strong  this  day,  as  I  was 
in  the  day  that  Moses  sent  me ;  as  my  strength  was  then,  even 
so  now  is  my  strength  for  war,  both  to  go  out  and  to  come  in. 
Now,  therefore,  give  me  this  mountain,  whereof  the  Lord  spake 
in  that  day,  (for  thou  heardest  in  that  day,  how  the  Anakirns 
were  there,  and  that  the  cities  were  great  and  fenced,)  if  so  be 
the  Lord  will  be  with  me,  then  I  shall  be  able  to  drive  them 
out  as  the  Lord  said."  "And  Joshua  blessed  him,  and  gave 
unto  Caleb,  the  son  of  Jephunneh,  Hebron,  for  an  inheritance." 
This  city  was  therefore  established  to  his  family,  and  was  pos- 
sessed by  them  for  a  long  period;  "because  that  he  wholly  fol- 
lowed the  Lord  God  of  Israel."  The  original  name  of  Hebron, 
was  Kirjath-arba,  which  Arba  was  a  great  man  among  the  Ana- 
kims.  Caleb,  however,  had  to  dispossess  the  three  sons  of 
Anak,  Sheshai,  Ahiman,  and  Talmai,  who  had  their  residence 
in  Hebron.  And  as  Debir,  the  former  name  of  which  was  Kir- 
jath-sepher,  belonged  to  his  inheritance,  Caleb  promised  hig 
daughter  Achsah,  to  whomsoever  would  smite  this  city  and  take 
it  out  of  the  hands  of  the  inhabitants.  And  Othniel,  the  son  of 
Kenaz,  the  brother  of  Caleb,  enterprised  the  conquest  of  this 
place,  and  accomplished  it,  and  received  the  prize  which  had 
been  offered.  Achsah  was  probably  the  only  daughter  of  this 


202  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

venerable  patriarch ;  and  she  seems  to  have  possessed  a  great 
influence  over  her  father ;  for  although  he  had  given  her  a  pos- 
session, called  the  "South  land,"  yet  she  requested  another, 
which  contained  springs  of  water.  "And  he  gave  her  the  upper 
springs  and  the  nether  springs."  The  inheritance  of  Caleb  fell 
within  the  limits  of  the  tribe  of  Judah.  The  land  which  was 
allotted  to  this  numerous  and  important  tribe,  was  bounded  on 
the  west  by  the  great,  or  Mediterranean  sea,  on  the  south  by 
the  river  of  Egypt,  which  was  the  southern  boundary  of  the 
Holy  Land ;  on  the  east  by  the  salt,  or  Dead  sea,  and  by  a 
line  running  north  from  this  sea  to  Jerusalem,  which  passed 
through  the  valley  of  the  son  of  Hinnom,  and  terminated  in 
the  midst  of  Jehus  or  Jerusalem,  where  it  met  the  possession  of 
Benjamin;  and  the  northern  boundary  passed  off  to  the  great 
sea,  in  a  line  somewhat  circuitous.  This  was  an  exceedingly 
fertile  and  populous  region,  and  was  crowded  with  strongholds 
and  walled  towns.  The  sacred  historian  mentions  nearly  a 
hundred  cities  which  fell  within  the  inheritance  of  Judah. 
Many  of  these  were  large  and  populous ;  but  we  should  remem- 
ber, that  every  town  which  was  enclosed  by  a  wall,  and  entered 
by  gates,  is,  in  the  language  of  Scripture,  called  a  city. 

The  next  tribe  which  received  its  inheritance  was  that  of 
Ephraim,  which  included  a  large  territory,  extending  from  Jor- 
dan to  the  Mediteranean;  and  contained  within  its  limits  the 
inheritance  of  some  of  the  lesser  tribes;  as  did  also  that  of 
Judah. 

Manasseh  had  received  on  the  east  of  Jordan,  the  one-half 
part  of  their  inheritance;  the  remaining  part  was  allotted  to 
them  along-side  of  the  territory  of  Ephraim. 

In  regard  to  one  family  in  this  tribe,  there  occurred  a  case 
which  was  brought  for  decision  "before  Eleazar  the  priest,  and 
before  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun,  and  before  the  princes."  The 
case  was,  that  Zelophehad  the  son  of  Hepher,  the  son  of  Gilead, 
the  son  of  Machir,  the  son  of  Manasseh,  had  no  sons,  but  daugh- 
ters. Their  names  were  Mahlah,  Noah,  Hoglah,  Milcah,  and 
Tirzah.  These  laid  claim  to  the  inheritance  of  their  father; 
and  indeed,  Moses  had  determined  by  Divine  direction,  that 
when  there  were  no  sons,  the  daughters  should  inherit ;  so  that 
the  land  might  be  kept  within  its  proper  tribe.  These  heiresses 
were,  however,  required  to  contract  marriages  only  with  men  of 
their  own  tribe. 

Several  of  the  cities  allotted  to  Manasseh,  were  situated 
within  the  limits  of  Ephraim ;  for  the  sacred  historian  says, 
"Manasseh  had  the  land  of  Tappuah,  but  Tappuah  on  the  bor- 
der of  Manasseh,  belonged  to  the  children  of  Ephraim.  And 
the  coast  descended  unto  the  river  Kanah,  southward  of  the 
river;  these  cities  of  Ephraim  are  among  the  cities  of  Manas- 


THE   ISRAELITES.  203 

sell."  This  must  mean  that  some  of  the  cities  which  were 
allotted  to  Manasseh  lay  within  the  borders  of  Ephraim.  And 
the  river  Kanah  was  the  dividing  line  on  one  part  between 
these  tribes;  for  it  is  said,  " southward  it  was  Ephraim's  and 
northward  it  was  Manasseh's ;  and  the  sea  is  his  border ;  and 
they  met  together  in  Asher  on  the  north,  and  in  Issachar  on  the 
east.  And  Manasseh  had  also  several  towns  within  the  bor- 
ders of  Issachar  and  Asher. 

On  account  of  this  mixtnre  of  the  tribes,  in  their  possessions, 
it  is  rendered  impossible,  to  delineate  distinctly,  the  geography 
of  the  habitations  of  the  several  tribes.  Most  maps  are  in  this 
respect  very  inaccurate,  and  the  possessions  of  the  tribes  laid 
down  by  mere  conjecture.  That  territory  which  included 
Bethshean,  Ibleam,  Dor,  Endor,  Taanach,  and  Megiddo,  with 
the  towns  and  villages  which  lay  in  these  districts,  was  the 
principal  part  of  the  inheritance  of  the  tribe  of  Manasseh. 
But  although  this  fine  country  was  allotted  to  them,  they  pos- 
sessed really  only  a  small  portion  of  it;  for  they  "could  not 
drive  out  the  inhabitants  of  those  cities;  but  the  Canaanites 
would  dwell  in  that  land;"  yet  when  the  Israelites  waxed 
strong,  they  put  the  Canaanites  to  tribute,  but  did  not  utterly 
drive  them  out. 

The  children  of  Joseph,  although  they  obtained  the  best  of 
the  land,  yet  were  not  well  satisfied  with  their  portion,  there- 
fore, they  spake  to  Joshua,  saying,  "Why  hast  thou  given  me 
but  one  lot  and  one  portion  to  inherit,  seeing  I  am  a  great  peo- 
ple, forasmuch  as  the  Lord  hath  blessed  me  hitherto?  And 
Joshua  answered  them,  If  thou  be  a  great  people,  then  get  thee 
up  to  the  wood  country,  and  cut  down  for  thyself  there,  in  the 
land  of  the  Perizzites  and  the  giants,  if  mount  Ephraim  be  too 
narrow  for  thee.  And  the  children  of  Joseph  said,  the  hill  is 
not  enough  for  us;  and  all  the  Canaanites  that  dwell  in  the 
valley  have  chariots  of  iron.  And  Joshua  spake  unto  the  house 
of  Joseph,  even  to  Ephraim  and  Manasseh,  saying,  Thou  art  a 
great  people  and  hast  great  power,  thou  shalt  not  have  one  lot 
only,  but  the  mountain  shall  be  thine,  and  thou  shalt  cut  it 
down ;  and  the  outgoings  of  it  shall  be  thine ;  for  thou  shalt 
drive  out  the  Canaanites,  though  they  have  iron  chariots,  and 
though  they  be  strong." 


20-1  HISTORY  OP  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 


SECTION  XI. 

8HILOH  THE  RESIDENCE  OF  THE  AEK SEVEN  TRIBES    YET  DESTITUTE  OF   AH  INHERI- 
TANCE— THE    LOTS    OF    BENJAMIN OF     SIMEON — OF     ZEBULUN — OF    ISSACHAR — OF 

ASHER — OF  NAPHTALI OF  DAN JOSHUA'S  INHERITANCE. 

ABOUT  this  time  Sliiloh  was  selected  as  the  place  to  which  the 
tribes  of  Israel  should  resort  for  divine  worship ;  and  at  this 
place  the  whole  congregation  of  the  children  of  Israel  assem- 
bled, and  set  up  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation. 

"But  there  remained  among  the  children  of  Israel,  seven 
tribes  which  had  not  received  their  inheritance."  And  as  they 
seemed  reluctant  to  go  forward  to  take  possession  of  the  land 
allotted  to  them,  Joshua  exhorted  them  earnestly,  and  said, 
"How  long  are  ye  slack  to  go  to  possess  the  land  which  the 
Lord  God  of  your  fathers  hath  given  you."  And  he  directed 
them  to  select  three  men  from  each  tribe,  to  go  through  the 
land  and  describe  it,  according  to  the  inheritance  of  each ;  and 
to  divide  it  into  seven  parts,  not  interfering  with  the  allotments 
already  made.  These  men  went  forth  through  the  land,  and 
described  it  by  cities,  into  seven  parts,  in  a  book,  and  brought 
it  to  Joshua,  who  cast  lots  for  them,  in  Shiloh,  before  the  Lord. 

As  we  have  seen,  Judah  had  a  large  territory  in  the  south  of 
Palestine,  and  the  sons  of  Joseph  to  the  north.  Now,  upon 
casting  lots,  the  inheritance  of  Benjamin  came  up  between  these 
two ;  that  is,  between  the  children  of  Judah  and  the  children  of 
Joseph.  Their  possession  extended  from  Jordan  to  the  Medi- 
terranean Sea,  but  was  very  narrow,  being  a  mere  slip  of  land^ 
running  along  the  north  border  of  the  tribe  of  Judah.  Jerusa- 
lem was  partly  within  the  lot  of  Benjamin,  and  partly  within 
the  tribe  of  Judah.  The  inheritance  of  Benjamin  was  of  an 
irregular  shape,  for  while  it  lay  along  the  northern  limit  of 
Judah,  it  also  included  a  slip  of  land  on  the  east  of  Judah,  ex- 
tending from  Jericho  to  the  mouth  of  the  Jordan.  The  number 
of  cities  which  fell  to  this  tribe  was  twenty-six. 

The  next  lot  came  forth  to  Simeon,  whose  inheritance  was 
entirely  included  within  the  limits  of  Judah ;  for  it  was  found, 
that  the  children  of  Judah  had  an  undue  proportion  allotted  to 
them ;  therefore,  seventeen  cities  were  given  to  the  Simeonites, 
out  of  their  inheritance.  This  was  by  far  the  smallest  tribe  of 
the  twelve,  and  owing  to  a  destruction  caused  by  the  divine 
judgments  upon  them,  when  they  entered  Canaan,  their  number 
was  not  half  as  great  as  when  they  left  Egypt.  And  as  these 
cities  were  not  contiguous  to  each  other,  but  scattered  through 
various  parts  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  that  prophecy  by  the  mouth 
of  Jacob  was  fulfilled,  which  saith  of  Simeon  and  Levi,  "  I  will 
divide  them  in  Jacob  and  scatter  them  in  Israel." 


THE  ISRAELITES.  205 

The  next  lot  which  came  up  was  for  Zebulun.  The  inheri- 
tance of  this  tribe  was  in  a  very  fertile  country,  near  the  sea 
of  Cinneroth  or  Galilee,  as  it  was  afterwards  called;  and, 
indeed,  the  territory  of  this  tribe  formed  a  part  of  the  district 
of  country,  which,  in  after  times,  obtained  the  name  of  Galilee. 
The  number  of  cities  allotted  to  Zebulun  was  only  twelve,  but 
the  soil  was  exceedingly  fertile,  and  they  could  extend  their 
border  northward  without  restriction. 

The  inheritance  of  Issachar  touched  upon  that  of  Manasseh, 
and  extended  from  mount  Tabor  on  the  west,  to  the  river  Jor- 
dan. The  number  of  their  cities  was  sixteen. 

The  inheritance  of  Asher  lay  along  the  coast  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean Sea,  including  mount  Carmel  on  the  south,  and  the 
"strong  city  of  Tyre,"  and  "great  Zidon,"  on  the  north.  This 
territory  though  small  in  extent,  was  the  richest  of  all,  on 
account  of  the  very  lucrative  trade  which  was  carried  on  within 
its  borders ;  answering  to  Jacob's  prophecy,  "  Out  of  Asher  his 
bread  shall  be  fat,  and  he  shall  yield  royal  dainties." 

Naphtali  had  a  fertile  inheritance  along  the  Jordan,  and  on 
the  sea  of  Cinneroth,  along-side  of  Zebulun.  These  two 
tribes  are  therefore  commonly  mentioned  together,  in  the  pro- 
phets. "  The  land  of  Zebulun,  and  the  land  of  Naphtalim,  by 
the  way  of  the  sea,  beyond  Jordan,  Galilee  of  the  Gentiles." 
This  prophecy  of  Isaiah  was  fulfilled,  when  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  came  and  dwelt  in  Capernaum,  which  city  was  on  the 
borders  of  these  two  tribes.  And  by  his  preaching  and 
miracles,  in  that  dark  region,  was  fulfilled  the  other  part  of  the 
prophecy,  which  is  thus  applied  by  the  evangelist  Matthew: 
"The  people  which  sat  in  darkness  saw  great  light,  and  to  them 
which  sat  in  the  region  and  shadow  of  death,  light  is  sprung 
up." 

Dan  was  the  last  tribe  which  received  their  inheritance. 
Their  territory  lay  on  the  extreme  north,  and  the  land  which 
was  left  from  the  other  lots  was  too  small  for  Dan,  which  was 
a  numerous  people.  They  were,  however,  an  enterprising  and 
warlike  tribe,  and  therefore,  they  marched  against  a  place 
called  Leshem,  which  they  took,  and  having  put  the  inhabi- 
tants to  the  sword,  they  dwelt  in  their  place ;  but  changed  its 
name  from  Leshem  to  Dan,  after  the  name  of  their  father. 
This  name  has  given  rise  to  an  infidel  objection  to  the  sacred 
Scriptures ;  for  it  is  alleged,  that  this  place  was  called  Dan  as 
early  as  the  time  of  Abraham,  for  it  is  related  in  Genesis,  that 
he  pursued  the  army  who  had  taken  Lot,  unto  Dan.  To  this 
objection,  bishop  Watson  answers,  first,  that  there  is  no  proof 
that  by  the  word  Dan  a  city  is  intended ;  that  in  ancient  maps 
the  river  Jordan  is  laid  down,  as  formed  by  two  streams  in  this 
very  region,  the  one  of  which  was  named  Jor,  and  the  other 


206  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

Dan;  out  of  which  two  words,  was  formed  Jordan.  And  in 
the  second  place,  he  shows  that  where  the  name  of  a  city  is 
changed,  the  old  name  becomes  obsolete,  and  is  forgotten,  and 
the  name  substituted  is  usually  inserted  in  all  documents  which 
are  in  common  use ;  for  otherwise  the  people  would  not  know 
what  place  is  spoken  of. 

After  the  division  of  the  land  among  the  tribes,  the  children 
of  Israel  requested  Joshua  to  select  an  inheritance  for  himself; 
for  this  disinterested  man  had  as  yet  appropriated  no  portion 
of  the  country  to  his  own  use,  nor  had  he  laid  in  any  claim ; 
but  now  at  the  request  of  the  people,  he  ask'ed  for  Timnath- 
serah  in  mount  Ephraim.  There  he  built  a  city,  which  he  made 
the  place  of  his  residence  until  his  death. 

Thus  was  the  land  of  Canaan  divided  by  lot  among  the  seve- 
ral tribes,  by  Eleazar  the  priest  and  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun, 
and  the  heads  of  the  fathers  of  the  children  of  Israel.  This 
whole  transaction  took  place  in  Shiloh,  before  the  Lord,  at  the 
door  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation.  It  was  a  solemn, 
religious  act ;  an  appeal  to  Jehovah,  to  designate  the  habitations 
and  possessions  of  each  tribe ;  and  it  would  seem  from  an  atten- 
tive consideration  of  the  history,  that  not  only  the  inheritance 
of  each  tribe,  but  of  each  family,  was  determined  by  the  reli- 
gious use  of  the  lot.  Indeed,  unless  this  was  the  fact,  the 
utmost  confusion  must  have  attended  the  distribution  of  the 
land  among  the  people. 


SECTION  XII. 

CITIES   OF   REFUGE  APPOINTED CITIES   FOR  THE   LEVITES — SUBURBS    TO    THE    CITIES 

ALSO    GRANTED. 

THE  important  business  of  dividing  the  land  among  the  several 
tribes  having  been  accomplished,  Eleazar  the  priest,  and  Joshua 
the  son  of  Nun,  proceeded  to  execute  certain  orders  which  Jeho- 
vah had  given  to  Moses.  The  first  was,  to  appoint  cities  of 
refuge,  to  which  "the  slayer  that  killeth  any  person  unawares 
and  unwittingly  may  flee,"  when  he  was  pursued  by  the  avenger 
of  blood.  By  this  law  it  was  ordained,  "  that  when  he  that 
doth  flee  unto  one  of  these  cities,  shall  stand  at  the  entering  of 
the  gate  of  the  city,  and  shall  declare  his  cause  in  the  ears  of 
the  elders  of  that  city ;  they  shall  take  him  into  the  city  unto 
them,  and  give  him  a  place,  that  he  may  dwell  among  them. 
And  if  the  avenger  of  blood  pursue  after  him,  then  they  shall 
not  deliver  the  slayer  up  into  his  hand,  because  he  smote  his 
neighbour  unwittingly,  and  hated  him  not  before-time.  And 
he  shall  dwell  in  that  city,  until  he  stand  before  the  congrega- 
tion for  judgment ;  and  until  the  death  of  the  high-priest  that 
shall  be  in  those  days.  Then  shall  the  slayer  return  and  come 


THE  ISRAELITES.  207 

unto  bis  own  city,  and  unto  his  own  house,  unto  the  city  from 
whence  he  fled."  "And  they  appointed  Kedesh  in  Galilee,  in 
mount  Naphtali,  and  Shechem  in  mount  Ephraim,  and  Kirjath- 
arba  (which  is  Hebron)  in  the  mountain  of  Judah.  And  on 
the  other  side  Jordan,  by  Jericho  eastward,  they  assigned  Be- 
zer  in  the  wilderness  upon  the  plain  out  of  the  tribe  of  Reuben, 
and  Ramoth  in  Gilead  out  of  the  tribe  of  Gad,  and  Golan  in 
Bashan  out  of  the  tribe  of  Manasseh." 

The  next  thing  which  claimed  their  attention  was  a  provision 
for  the  residence  of  the  Levites.  As  they  received  no  inheri- 
tance in  land,  with  the  other  tribes,  it  was  altogether  necessary 
that  they  should  have  cities  assigned  to  them,  in  which  they 
might  dwell.  This  had  been  directed  in  the  time  of  Moses,  and 
now,  when  all  the  other  tribes  had  been  put  in  the  possession  of 
their  inheritance,  "the  heads  of  the  fathers  of  the  Levites 
came  unto  Eleazar  the  priest,  arid  unto  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun, 
and  unto  the  heads  of  the  fathers  of  the  tribes  of  the  children 
of  Israel.  And  they  spake  unto  them  at  Shiloh,  in  the  land  of 
Canaan,  saying,  The  Lord  commanded  by  the  hand  of  Moses, 
to  give  us  cities  to  dwell  in,  with  the  suburbs  thereof  for  our 
cattle.  And  the  children  of  Israel  gave  unto  the  Levites,  out 
of  their  inheritance,  at  the  commandment  of  the  Lord,  these 
cities  and  their  suburbs."  The  first  allotment  of  cities  was 
made  to  the  family  of  Aaron,  thirteen  cities,  most  of  which  were 
selected  from  the  tribes  of  Judah,  Simeon,  and  Benjamin. 
There  was  a  wise  providence  in  placing  the  priests  in  cities  near 
to  the  place  of  the  tabernacle,  that  they  might  be  at  hand  to 
take  their  turn  of  service  in  the  sanctuary.  The  remainder  of 
the  family  of  Kohath  received  their  allotment  of  cities  from  the 
tribe  of  Ephraim,  Dan,  and  the  half-tribe  of  Manasseh,  ten, 
cities. 

The  family  of  Gershon  received  by  lot  out  of  the  tribes  of 
Issachar,  Asher,  and  Naphtali;  and  out  of  the  half-tribe  of 
Manasseh  in  Bashan,  thirteen  cities. 

The  children  of  Merari  out  of  the  tribe  of  Reuben,  Gad,  and 
Zebulun,  twelve  cities. 

The  whole  number  of  cities  given  to  the  Levites  was  forty- 
eight  ;  and  with  every  city  there  were  suburbs,  including  a  cer- 
tain territory  round  about  the  city,  for  their  flocks  and  herds. 

"And  the  Lord  gave  unto  Israel  all  the  land,  which  he  sware 
to  give  unto  their  fathers ;  and  they  possessed  it,  and  dwelt 
therein.  And  the  Lord  gave  them  rest  round  about,  according 
to  all  he  sware  unto  their  fathers.  And  there  stood  not  a  man 
of  all  their  enemies  before  them ;  the  Lord  delivered  all  their 
enemies  into  their  hand.  There  failed  not  aught  of  any  good 
thing  which  the  Lord  had  spoken  unto  the  house  of  Israel ;  all 
came  to  pass." 


208  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 


SECTION  XIII. 

THE    ARMED   MEN    OF   THE    TWO    AND    A   HALF    TRIBES   HAVE    LEAVE    TO     RETURN 

JOSHUA'S  TESTIMONY  AND  EXHORTATION THEY  BUILD  AN  ALTAR  NEAR    JORDAN 

IMPRESSION  OF  THIS  EVENT  ON  ISRAEL — THEIR  DEPUTATION  AND  SOLEMN  MES- 
SAGE— THEIR  SATISFACTORY  ANSWER — THE  PEOPLE  REJOICED  AT  THE  SUCCESSFUL 
ISSUE. 

THE  conquest  of  Canaan  being  now  so  far  completed  that  there 
was  no  longer  any  occasion  for  the  services  of  Reuben,  Gad, 
and  the  half-tribe  of  Manasseh,  who  had  aided  their  brethren 
through  the  whole  war,  they  were  dismissed  by  Joshua,  to 
return  home  to  their  families  beyond  Jordan,  with  the  following 
ample  testimony  of  their  fidelity,  and  solemn  warning  to  be 
obedient  to  the  commands  of  God.  "Ye  have  kept  all  that 
Moses  the  servant  of  the  Lord  commanded  you,  and  have 
obeyed  my  voice  in  all  that  I  commanded  you.  Ye  have  not 
left  your  brethren  these  many  days  unto  this  day,  but  have  kept 
the  charge  of  the  commandment  of  the  Lord  your  God.  And 
now  the  Lord  your  God  hath  given  rest  unto  your  brethren,  as 
he  promised  them ;  therefore,  now,  return  ye  unto  your  families, 
and  get  you  unto  your  tents,  and  unto  the  land  of  your  pos- 
session, which  Moses  the  servant  of  the  Lord  gave  you,  on  the 
other  side  Jordan.  But  take  diligent  heed  to  do  the  command- 
ment and  the  law,  which  Moses  the  servant  of  the  Lord  charged 
you,  to  love  the  Lord  your  God,  and  to  walk  in  all  his  ways, 
and  to  keep  his  commandments,  and  to  cleave  unto  him  and 
serve  him,  with  all  your  heart,  and  with  all  your  soul."  "So 
Joshua  blessed  them,  and  sent  them  away,  and  they  went  unto 
their  tents."  And  Joshua  said,  "Return  with  much  riches 
unto  your  tents,  and  with  very  much  cattle,  with  silver,  and 
with  gold,  and  with  brass,  and  with  iron,  and  with  very  much 
raiment.  Divide  the  spoil  of  your  enemies  with  your  brethren." 
The  children  of  Reuben,  Gad,  and  the  half-tribe  of  Manasseh 
took  their  leave  of  their  brethren  at  Shiloh,  and  took  up  their 
march  for  their  possessions  in  the  land  of  Gilead.  But  when 
they  came  to  the  border  of  Jordan,  they  built  there  a  great 
altar,  which  was  intended  to  be  a  visible  memorial  of  their  rela- 
tion to  that  land.  Their  brethren  of  the  other  tribes,  upon  hear- 
ing of  this  transaction,  supposing  that  the  object  was  to  set  up  a 
separate  place  of  worship,  and  to  forsake  the  tabernacle  of  the 
Lord  at  Shiloh,  were  greatly  excited,  and  having  assembled  at 
Shiloh,  they  determined  to  go  up  and  prevent  this  schismatical 
course  by  the  force  of  arms.  But  wiser  counsels  prevailed; 
and  they  resolved  before  going  against  their  brethren  in  hostile 
array,  to  send  a  deputation  to  inquire  into  the  affair.  Accord- 
ingly, Phinehas,  the  son  of  Eleazar  the  priest,  was  selected  as 


THE   ISKAELITES.  209 

the  head  of  this  embassy,  and  with  him  ten  princes,  each  one  of 
whom  was  the  head  of  the  house  of  their  fathers,  among  the 
thousands  of  Israel.  And  when  they  came  to  their  brethren, 
they  said,  "  Thus  saith  the  whole  congregation  of  the  Lord, 
What  trespass  is  this  ye  have  committed  against  the  God  of 
Israel,  to  turn  away  this  day  from  following  the  Lord,  in  that 
ye  have  builded  an  altar,  that  ye  might  rebel  this  day  against 
the  Lord  ?  Is  the  iniquity  of  Peor  too  little  for  us,  from  which 
we  are  not  cleansed  until  this  day,  although  there  was  a  plague 
in  the  congregation  of  the  Lord,  but  that  ye  must  turn  away 
this  day  from  following  the  Lord  ?  And  it  will  be,  seeing  ye 
rebel  to-day  against  the  Lord,  that  to-morrow  he  will  be  angry 
with  the  whole  congregation  of  Israel.  Notwithstanding,  if 
the  land  of  your  possession  be  unclean,  then  pass  ye  over  unto 
the  land  of  the  possession  of  the  Lord,  wherein  the  Lord's  taber- 
nacle dwelleth,  and  take  possession  among  us ;  but  rebel  not 
against  the  Lord,  nor  rebel  against  us,  in  building  you  an  altar 
besides  the  altar  of  the  Lord  our  God.  Did  not  Achan,  the  son  of 
Zerah,  commit  a  trespass  in  the  accursed  thing,  and  wrath  fell 
on  all  the  congregation  of  Israel  ?  And  that  man  perished  not 
alone  in  his  iniquity."  To  which  deputation  and  message,  the 
children  of  Reuben,  Gad,  and  the  half-tribe  of  Manasseh,  re- 
turned the  following  answer :  "  The  Lord  God  of  gods,  the  Lord 
God  of  gods,  he  knoweth,  and  Israel  shall  know,  if  it  be  in  re- 
bellion, or  in  transgression  against  the  Lord,  (save  us  not  this 
day,)  that  we  have  built  us  an  altar  to  turn  from  following  the 
Lord ;  or  if  to  offer  thereon  burnt-offering,  or  if  to  offer  peace- 
offerings  thereon,  let  the  Lord  himself  require  it;  and  if  we 
have  not  rather  done  it  for  fear  of  this  thing,  saying,  In  time 
to  come,  your  children  might  speak  unto  our  children,  saying, 
What  have  ye  to  do  with  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  ?  For  the 
Lord  hath  made  Jordan  between  us  and  you;  ye  children  of 
Reuben  and  children  of  Gad,  ye  have  no  part  in  the  Lord.  So 
shall  your  children  make  our  children  cease  from  fearing  the 
Lord.  Therefore,  we  said,  Let  us  now  prepare  to  build  us  an 
altar,  not  for  burnt-offering,  nor  for  sacrifice ;  but  that  it  may 
be  a  witness  between  us  and  you,  and  our  generations  after  us, 
that  we  might  do  the  service  of  the  Lord  before  him,  with  our 
burnt-offerings  and  peace-offerings ;  that  your  children  may  not 
say  to  our  children,  in  time  to  come,  Ye  have  no  part  in  the 
Lord.  Therefore,  said  we,  it  shall  be,  when  they  should  so  say  to 
us  or  to  our  generations  in  time  to  come,  that  we  may  say  again, 
Behold  the  pattern  of  the  altar  of  the  Lord  which  our  fathers 
made,  not  for  burnt-offerings,  nor  for  sacrifices;  but  it  is  a  wit- 
ness between  us  and  you.  God  forbid  that  we  should  rebel 
against  the  Lord,  and  turn  this  day  from  following  the  Lord, 
to  build  an  altar  for  burnt-offerings,  for  meat-offerings,  or  for 
14 


210  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

sacrifices,  beside  the  altar  of  the  Lord  our  God  that  is  before 
his  tabernacle." 

Phinehas  and  the  princes  associated  with  him  were  entirely 
satisfied  with  this  explanation,  and  said  to  the  children  of  Reu- 
ben, Gad,  and  Manasseh,  "  This  day  we  perceive  that  the  Lord 
is  among  us,  because  ye  have  not  committed  this  trespass 
against  the  Lord :  now,  ye  have  delivered  the  children  of  Israel 
out  of  the  hand  of  the  Lord."  And  when  the  deputation  returned 
to  the  children  of  Israel,  and  made  a  report  of  their  interview 
with  their  brethren,  the  thing  pleased  "  the  children  of  Israel, 
and  the  children  of  Israel  blessed  God,  and  did  not  intend  to  go 
up  against  them  in  battle,  to  destroy  the  land  wherein  the  chil- 
dren of  Reuben  and  Gad  dwelt." 

"And  the  children  of  Reuben  and  the  children  of  Gad 
called  the  altar  ED :  for  it  shall  be  a  witness  between  us  that 
the  Lord  is  God." 


SECTION  XIV. 

PROSPEROUS     CONDITION    OF    ISRAEL — JOSHUA'S     SOLEMN     ADDRESS     TO     THE     ELDERS 

AND    PEOPLE HIS  VALEDICTORY HIS    PROPOSAL    THAT  THEY  SHOULD  NOW  CHOOSE 

WHOM    THEY   WOULD   SERVE — DECEASE    OF   JOSHUA    AND   ELEAZAR. 

THINGS  now  went  on  prosperously  with  the  Israelites  for  many 
years.  Their  enemies  round  about  were  subdued,  and  they 
had  taken  possession  of  their  respective  inheritances.  Joshua 
still  lived  in  the  midst  of  them ;  and  there  are  many  strong 
proofs,  that  this  generation  which  took  possession  of  Canaan, 
was  more  distinguished  for  ready  obedience  to  the  command- 
ments of  God,  than  any  other  before  or  after.  Their  zeal  for 
the  purity  of  God's  worship,  according  to  his  appointment,  is 
remarkably  manifest  in  the  preceding  history.  The  disposition 
of  the  people  generally  may  also  be  inferred  from  the  good  con- 
duct of  the  children  of  Reuben,  Gad,  and  half-tribe  of  Manas- 
seh, as  appears  by  the  testimony  of  Joshua,  and  by  their  pious 
and  conciliatory  conduct  as  evinced  in  the  foregoing  history. 

But  Joshua  having  now  become  an  old  man,  called  for  all 
Israel  and  their  elders,  and  for  their  heads  and  their  judges, 
and  for  their  officers,  and  said  unto  them,  "I  am  old  and  stricken 
in  age,  and  ye  have  seen  all  that  the  Lord  God  hath  done  unto 
all  these  nations,  because  of  you ;  for  the  Lord  your  God  is  he 
that  hath  fought  for  you.  Behold,  I  have  divided  unto  you  by 
lot  these  nations  that  remain,  to  be  an  inheritance  for  your 
tribes,  from  Jordan,  with  all  the  nations  that  I  have  cut  off,  even 
unto  the  great  sea  westward.  And  the  Lord  your  God,  he 
shall  expel  them  from  before  you,  and  drive  them  from  out  of 
your  sight,  and  ye  shall  possess  their  land,  as  the  Lord  your 
God  hath  promised  to  you.  Be  ye,  therefore,  very  courageous 


THE   ISRAELITES.  211 

to  keep  and  to  do  all  that  is  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  of 
Moses,  that  ye  turn  not  aside  therefrom,  to  the  right  hand  or  to 
the  left;  that  ye  come  not  among  these  nations,  these  that 
remain  among  you,  neither  make  mention  of  the  name  of  their 
gods,  nor  cause  to  swear  by  them  ;  neither  serve  them,  nor  bow 
yourselves  unto  them:  but  cleave  unto  the  Lord  your  God, 
as  ye  have  done  unto  this  day.  For  the  Lord  hath  driven  out 
from  before  you  great  nations  and  strong:  but  as  for  you,  no 
man  hath  been  able  to  stand  before  you  unto  this  day.  One 
man  of  you  shall  chase  a  thousand ;  for  the  Lord  your  God,  he 
it  is  that  fighteth  for  you,  as  he  hath  promised  you.  Take  good 
heed,  therefore,  unto  yourselves,  that  ye  love  the  Lord  your 
God.  Else  if  ye  do  in  any  wise  go  back,  and  cleave  unto  the 
remnant  of  these  nations,  even  these  that  remain  among  you, 
and  shall  make  marriages  with  them,  and  go  in  unto  them,  and 
they  to  you:  know  for  a  certainty,  that  the  Lord  your  God 
will  no  more  drive  out  any  of  these  nations  from  before  you ;  but 
they  shall  be  snares  and  traps  unto  you,  and  scourges  in  your 
sides,  and  thorns  in  your  eyes,  until  ye  perish  from  off  this 
good  land  which  the  Lord  your  God  hath  given  you.  And  be- 
hold, this  day  I  am  going  the  way  of  all  the  earth,  and  ye 
know  in  all  your  hearts  and  all  your  souls,  that  not  one  thing 
hath  failed  of  all  the  good  things  which  the  Lord  your  God 
spake  concerning  you:  all  are  come  to  pass  unto  you,  and  not 
one  thing  hath  failed  thereof.  Therefore  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
that  as  all  good  things  are  come  upon  you,  which  the  Lord  your 
God  promised  you ;  so  shall  the  Lord  bring  upon  you  all  evil 
things,  until  he  have  destroyed  you  from  this  good  land,  which 
the  Lord  your  God  hath  given  you.  When  ye  have  transgressed 
the  covenant  of  the  Lord  your  God,  which  he  commanded  you, 
and  have  gone  and  served  other  gods,  and  bowed  yourselves  to 
them :  then  shall  the  anger  of  the  Lord  be  kindled  against  you, 
and  ye  shall  perish  quickly  from  off  the  good  land  which  he 
hath  given  unto  you." 

Some  time  after  the  delivery  of  this  solemn  and  admonitory 
discourse,  Joshua  collected,  not  merely  the  princes  and  heads 
of  the  tribes,  and  elders  and  officers,  but  gathered  unto  She- 
cheui  all  the  tribes  of  Israel,  and  addressed  them  as  follows : 
"Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  Your  fathers  dwelt  on  the 
other  side  of  the  flood  in  old  time,  even  Terah  the  father  of 
Abraham,  and  the  father  of  Nahor ;  and  they  served  other  gods. 
And  I  took  your  father  Abraham  from  the  other  side  of  the 
flood,  and  led  him  throughout  all  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  mul- 
tiplied his  seed,  and  gave  him  Isaac ;  and  I  gave  unto  Isaac, 
Jacob  and  Esau ;  and  I  gave  unto  Esau,  mount  Seir,  to  possess 
it,  but  Jacob  and  his  children  went  down  into  Egypt.  I  sent 
Moses  also  and  Aaron,  and  plagued  Egypt,  according  to  that 


212  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

which  I  did  amongst  them,  and  afterward  I  brought  you  out. 
And  I  brought  your  fathers  out  of  Egypt,  and  ye  came  unto 
the  sea ;  and  the  Egyptians  pursued  after  your  fathers,  with 
chariots  and  horsemen,  unto  the  Red  sea.  And  when  they 
cried  unto  the  Lord,  he  put  darkness  between  you  and  the 
Egyptians,  and  brought  the  sea  upon  them,  and  covered  them ; 
and  your  eyes  have  seen  what  I  have  done  in  Egypt ;  and  ye 
dwelt  in  the  wilderness  a  long  season.  And  I  brought  you  into 
the  land  of  the  Amorites,  which  dwelt  on  the  other  side  Jordan ; 
and  they  fought  with  you,  and  I  gave  them  into  your  hand, 
that  ye  might  possess  their  land ;  and  I  destroyed  them  from 
before  you.  Then  Balak,  the  son  of  Zippor,  king  of  Moab, 
arose  and  warred  against  Israel;  and  sent  and  called  Balaam, 
the  son  of  Beor,  to  curse  you;  but  I  would  not  hearken  unto 
Balaam,  therefore  he  blessed  you  still,  and  I  delivered  you  out 
of  his  hand.  And  ye  went  over  Jordan,  and  came  unto  Jeri- 
cho ;  and  the  men  of  Jericho  fought  against  you ;  the  Amor- 
ites, and  the  Perizzites,  and  the  Canaanites,  and  the  Hittites, 
and  the  Girgashites,  the  Hivites,  and  the  Jebusites;  and  I  de- 
livered them  into  your  hand.  And  I  sent  the  hornet  before 
you,  which  drove  them  out  before  you,  even  the  two  kings  of 
the  Amorites ;  but  not  with  thy  sword,  nor  with  thy  bow.  And 
I  have  given  you  a  land  for  which  ye  did  not  labour,  and  cities 
which  ye  built  not,  and  ye  dwell  in  them  :  of  the  vineyards 
and  olive-yards  which  ye  planted  not  do  ye  eat.  Now,  there- 
fore, fear  the  Lord,  and  serve  him,  in  sincerity  and  in  truth ; 
and  put  away  the  gods  which  your  fathers  served  on  the  other 
side  of  the  flood,  and  in  Egypt,  and  serve  ye  the  Lord.  And 
if  it  seem  evil  unto  you  to  serve  the  Lord,  choose  ye  this  day 
whom  ye  will  serve ;  whether  the  gods  which  your  fathers 
served,  that  were  on  the  other  side  of  the  flood,  or  the  gods  of 
the  Amorites,  in  whose  land  ye  dwell ;  but  as  for  me  and  my 
house,  we  will  serve  the  Lord."  "And  the  people  answered 
and  said,  God  forbid  that  we  should  forsake  the  Lord,  to  serve 
other  gods.  For  the  Lord  our  God,  he  it  is  that  brought  us  up, 
and  our  fathers,  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  from  the  house  of 
bondage,  and  which  did  those  great  signs  in  our  sight,  and  pre- 
served us  in  all  the  way  wherein  we  went,  and  among  all  the 
people  through  whom  we  passed.  And  the  Lord  drave  out 
from  before  us,  all  the  people,  even  the  Amorites  which  dwelt 
in  the  land ;  therefore  will  we  also  serve  the  Lord,  for  he  is  our 
God.  And  Joshua  said  unto  the  people,  Ye  cannot  serve  the 
Lord,  for  he  is  an  holy  God:  he  will  not  forgive  your  trans- 
gressions nor  your  sins.  If  ye  forsake  the  Lord  and  serve 
strange  gods,  then  he  will  turn  and  do  you  hurt,  and  consume 
you,  after  that  he  hath  done  you  good.  And  the  people  said 
unto  Joshua,  Nay,  but  we  will  serve  the  Lord.  And  Joshua 


THE  ISRAELITES.  213 

said  unto  the  people,  Ye  are  witnesses  against  yourselves,  that 
ye  have  chosen  you  the  Lord,  to  serve  him ;  and  they  said,  We 
are  witnesses."  "Now,  therefore,"  (said  he,)  "put  away  the 
strange  gods  which  are  among  you,  and  incline  your  heart  unto 
the  Lord  God  of  Israel.  And  the  people  said  unto  Joshua, 
The  Lord  our  God  will  we  serve,  and  his  voice  will  we  obey. 
So  Joshua  made  a  covenant  with  the  people  that  day,  and  set 
them  a  statute  and  an  ordinance  in  Shechem.  And  Joshua 
wrote  these  words  in  the  book  of  the  law  of  God,  and  took  a 
great  stone  and  set  it  up  there,  under  an  oak  that  was  by  the 
sanctuary  of  the  Lord.  And  Joshua  said  unto  all  the  people, 
behold  this  stone  shall  be  a  witness  unto  us :  for  it  hath  heard 
all  the  words  of  the  Lord,  which  he  hath  spoken  unto  us :  and 
it  shall,  therefore,  be  a  witness  unto  you,  lest  ye  deny  your 
God.  And  Joshua  let  the  people  depart,  every  man  unto  his 
inheritance." 

"And  it  came  to  pass  after  these  things,  that  Joshua  the 
son  of  Nun,  the  servant  of  the  Lord,  died,  being  an  hundred 
and  ten  years  old.  And  they  buried  him  in  the  border  of  his 
inheritance,  in  Timnath-serah,  which  is  in  mount  Ephraim,  on 
the  north  side  of  the  hill  of  Gaash.  And  Israel  served  the 
Lord  all  the  days  of  Joshua,  and  all  the  days  of  the  elders  that 
overlived  Joshua,  and  which  had  known  all  the  works  of  the 
Lord,  that  he  had  done  for  Israel. 

"And  the  bones  of  Joseph,  which  the  children  of  Israel 
brought  out  of  Egypt,  buried  they  in  Shechem,  in  a  parcel  of 
ground  which  Jacob  bought  of  the  sons  of  Hamor,  the  father 
of  Shechem,  for  an  hundred  pieces  of  silver;  and  it  became  the 
inheritance  of  the  children  of  Joseph. 

"And  Eleazar  the  son  of  Aaron  died;  and  they  buried  him 
in  a  hill  that  pertained  to  Phinehas  his  son,  which  was  given 
him  in  mount  Ephraim." 

Thus  all  the  men  of  this  pious  and  obedient  generation  were 
gathered  to  their  fathers.  Probably  the  period  which  inter- 
vened between  the  conquest  of  the  land,  and  the  decease  of 
Joshua,  Eleazar,  and  their  contemporaries,  was  the  most  peace- 
ful and  prosperous  which  this  nation  ever  enjoyed;  confirming 
practically  the  truth  of  that  aphorism  of  Solomon,  RIGHTEOUS- 
NESS EXALTETH  A  NATION. 


214  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 


SECTION  XV. 

JUDAH    AND    SIMEON    DIRECTED   TO   ATTACK   THE    CANAANITES — THOUGH   SUCCESSFUL 

THEY    COULD    NOT    EXPEL    THE    CANAANITES     FROM    EVERY    PART    OF     THEIR    LOT 

BENJAMIN    NOT    ABLE    TO    EXPEL    THE    JEBUSITES MANASSEH    VERY    UNSUCCESSFUL 

IN    RECLAIMING    THEIR    POSSESSION SOLEMN    MESSAGE    OF    THE    ANGEL    OF    GOD 

CHARACTER    OF    THE    GENERATION    WHO     FIRST     POSSESSED    CANAAN THE    PEOPLE 

FORSAKE  GOD  AFTER    THE    DECEASE    OF    THIS  GENERATION GOD  RAISES  UP  JUDGES 

WHEN   THE    JUDGES    WERE    DEAD   THEY   AGAIN    GRIEVOUSLY   PROVOKED    GOD   TO 

ANGER. 

AFTER  the  death  of  Joshua,  it  was  determined  to  make  a  fresh 
attack  upon  the  Canaanites,  a  large  number  of  whom  continued 
in  the  midst  of  the  Israelites,  and  retained  the  possession  of 
some  very  important  places ;  but  it  was  piously  resolved  to  ask 
counsel  of  God,  and  to  ascertain  his  will,  in  regard  to  the  par- 
ticular tribes  which  should  engage  in  this  expedition.  The 
ansAver  of  the  Lord  was,  that  Judah  should  go  up  against  the 
Canaanites;  and  it  was  promised  that  the  land  should  be  de- 
livered into  his  hand.  But  as  the  lot  of  Simeon  was  included 
in  that  of  Judah,  so  that  they  might  be  said  to  have  a  common 
interest  in  the  conquest,  it  was  agreed  that  they  should  unite 
their  forces,  until  the  conquest  was  completed.  The  king  who 
made  most  resistance  was  Adoni-bezek,  whom  they  found  in 
Bezek,  which  no  doubt  was  his  residence  and  possession;  for 
his  name  signifies  "the  lord  of  Bezek;"  and  they  readily  sub- 
dued all  that  opposed  them,  and  slew  ten  thousand  men  in 
Bezek.  Adoni-bezek,  seeing  his  forces  routed,  fled,  but  the  Is- 
raelites pursued  after  him,  and  caught  him,  and  cut  off  his 
thumbs  and  his  great  toes.  And  this  was  a  just  retaliation  for 
his  own  acknowledged  cruelties ;  and  he  seems  to  have  felt  the 
justice  of  the  treatment,  for  he  said,  "  Threescore  and  ten 
kings,  having  their  thumbs  and  great  toes  cut  off,  gathered 
their  meat  under  my  table.  As  I  have  done,  so  God  hath  re- 
quited me.  And  they  brought  him  to  Jerusalem,  and  there 
he  died." 

The  tribe  of  Judah  engaged  in  many  successive  expeditions 
against  the  Canaanites  that  dwelt  in  the  mountain,  and  in  the 
south,  and  in  the  valley.. 

In  the  former  part  of  this  history,  we  saw  that  Moses  earnest- 
ly entreated  Jethro,  his  father-in-law,  to  cast  in  his  lot  among 
them,  and  go  with  them;  for  his  past  experience  of  his  piety 
and  wisdom  led  him  to  think  that  his  presence  would  be  very 
serviceable  in  all  their  journey  through  the  wilderness.  This 
invitation  Jethro  at  first  declined;  but  Moses  entreated  him 
with  great  earnestness  not  to  leave  them.  It  does  not  there 
appear,  however,  whether  he  prevailed  with  his  father-in-law  to 
accompany  him  or  not.  But  here  the  writer  of  the  book  of 


THE   ISRAELITES.  215 

Judges  decides  this  point,  by  saying,  "And  the  children  of  the 
Kenite,  Moses'  father-in-law,  went  up  out  of  the  city  of  palm- 
trees,  with  the  children  of  Judah,  into  the  wilderness  of  Judah, 
which  lieth  in  the  south  of  Arad;  and  they  went  and  dwelt 
among  the  people."  But  although  the  children  of  Judah  and 
Simeon  were  successful  in  their  wars  with  the  Canaanites,  and 
extended  their  conquests  into  the  country  of  the  Philistines, 
which  was  included  in  the  inheritance  of  Judah,  and  although 
they  were  able  in  general  to  expel  the  Canaanites  from  the 
mountains,  "they  could  not  drive  out  the  inhabitants  of  the 
valley,  because  they  had  chariots  of  iron."  And  although  the 
children  of  Judah  had  succeeded  in  taking  that  section  of  Jeru- 
salem which  lay  within  their  border,  yet  the  children  of  Ben- 
jamin did  not  drive  out  the  Jebusites  that  inhabited  Jerusalem; 
but  the  Jebusites  continued  for  a  long  time  to  dwell  with  the 
children  of  Benjamin  in  Jerusalem.  (Judg.  i.  8 — 21.) 

The  children  of  Joseph  also  were  not  negligent  in  endeavour- 
ing to  expel  the  Canaanites  from  their  inheritance.  They 
directed  their  efforts  against  the  city  of  Bethel;  but  the  former 
name  was  Luz.  They  sent  spies  to  explore  the  condition  of 
this  city,  and  when  they  drew  near,  they  saw  a  man  come  out 
of  the  city ;  and  they  promised  that  they  would  show  him  mer- 
cy, if  he  would  discover  to  them  the  entrance  of  the  city ;  and 
when  the  city  was  taken,  and  the  inhabitants  slain  with  the 
sword,  this  man  and  all  his  family  were  preserved.  "And  the 
man  went  into  the  land  of  the  Hittites,  and  built  a  city,  and 
named  it  Luz." 

But  Manasseh  was  not  so  successful  as  the  tribes  just  men- 
tioned, in  driving  out  the  people  who  remained  in  the  lot  of 
their  inheritance.  In  Beth-shean,  Taanach,  Dor,  Ibleam,  and 
Megiddo,  the  Canaanites  continued  to  dwell,  and  could  not  be 
expelled.  But  when  Israel  was  strong  they  were  made  tribu- 
tary. Besides,  there  were  many  places  in  all  the  remaining 
tribes,  from  which  the  Canaanites  were  not  driven  out;  but  the 
children  of  Dan  were  not  only  unable  to  dispossess  the  original 
inhabitants,  but  "the  Amorites  forced  them  into  the  mountain, 
and  would  not  suffer  them  to  come  down  to  the  valley.  The 
fact  was,  that  the  Israelites  did  not  faithfully  address  them- 
selves to  execute  the  commandment  of  Jehovah,  in  relation  to 
the  inhabitants  of  Canaan;  but  after  a  while  began  to  live 
familiarly  with  them,  and  to  engage  in  commerce,  and  enter 
into  alliances  with  them.  This  disobedience,  from  whatever 
motive  it  might  spring,  was  very  displeasing  to  God;  and  as 
those  leaders  were  dead  through  whom  the  Lord  commonly  had 
communicated  his  will  to  the  children  of  Israel,  he  now  sent  them 
a  solemn  message  and  reproof  by  his  angel;  that  is,  the  angel 
of  the  covenant,  who  had  accompanied  them  through  all  their 


216  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

journey  ings  in  the  wilderness,  and  who  appeared  to  Joshua, 
when  he  entered  Canaan,  as  the  captain  of  the  Lord's  host. 
This  angel  now  came  up  from  Gilgal  to  Bochim,  and  said,  "  I 
made  you  to  go  up  out  of  Egypt,  and  have  brought  you  unto 
the  land  which  I  sware  unto  your  fathers ;  and  I  said,  I  will 
never  break  my  covenant  with  you;  and  ye  shall  make  no 
league  with  the  inhabitants  of  this  land,  and  shall  throw  down 
their  altars.  But  ye  have  not  obeyed  my  voice.  Why  have 
ye  done  this?  Wherefore,  I  also  said,  I  will  not  drive  them 
out  from  before  you,  but  they  shall  be  as  thorns  in  your  sides, 
and  their  gods  shall  be  a  snare  to  you."  And  when  the  angel 
of  Jehovah  spake  these  words  unto  all  the  children  of  Israel, 
the  people  lifted  up  their  voice  and  wept.  And  hence,  the 
place  was  called  Bochim  (weeping).  And  they  sacrificed  there 
unto  the  Lord.  This  Avas  doubtless  by  the  express  direction  of 
Jehovah,  who  had  spoken  unto  them,  otherwise  it  would  not 
have  been  lawful  to  offer  sacrifices  anywhere  but  at  Shiloh, 
•where  the  tabernacle  of  the  Lord  was  erected. 

It  has  been  already  remarked,  that  that  generation  of  Israel 
who  conquered  and  first  inhabited  the  land  of  Canaan,  was, 
perhaps,  the  most  righteous  of  that  nation.  This  seems  to  be 
implied  in  what  the  sacred  historian  says  of  the  generation 
that  succeeded  them.  "And,"  says  he,  "there  arose  another 
generation  after  them,  which  knew  not  the  Lord,  nor  yet  the 
works  which  he  had  done  for  Israel.  And  the  children  of 
Israel  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  served  Baalim," 
who  was  the  principal  deity  of  the  Canaanites.  "And  they 
forsook  the  Lord  God  of  their  fathers,  and  served  Baal  and 
Ashtaroth :  and  the  anger  of  the  Lord  was  hot  against  Israel, 
and  he  delivered  them  into  the  hands  of  spoilers,  that  spoiled 
them,  and  he  sold  them  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies  round 
about,  so  that  they  could  not  any  longer  stand  before  their 
enemies.  Whithersoever  they  went  out,  the  hand  of  the  Lord 
was  against  them  for  evil;  as  the  Lord  had  said,  and  as  the 
Lord  had  sworn  unto  them:  and  they  were  greatly  distressed." 
But  they  were  not  utterly  forsaken,  for,  from  time  to  time,  the 
Lord  raised  up  judges,  who  delivered  them  out  of  the  hands  of 
those  that  spoiled  them.  "And  when  the  Lord  raised  up 
judges,  then  the  Lord  was  with  the  judge,  and  delivered  them 
out  of  the  hands  of  their  enemies,  all  the  days  of  the  judge: 
for  it  repented  the  Lord  because  of  their  groanings,  by  reason 
of  them  that  oppressed  them,  and  vexed  them."  But  they 
would  not  hearken  to  their  judges,  but  bowed  themselves  down 
to  other  gods,  and  turned  quickly  out  of  the  way  which  their 
fathers  walked  in,  obeying  the  commandments  of  the  Lord. 
"And  when  the  judge  was  dead,  they  returned  and  corrupted 
themselves  more  than  their  fathers,  in  following  other  gods  to 


THE   ISRAELITES.  217 

serve  them  and  to  bow  down  unto  them :  they  ceased  not  from 
their  own  doings  nor  from  their  stubborn  way.  And  the  anger 
of  the  Lord  was  hot  against  Israel ;  and  he  said,  Because  that 
this  people  have  transgressed  my  covenant  which  I  commanded 
their  fathers,  and  have  not  hearkened  unto  my  voice,  I  also 
will  not  henceforth  drive  out  any  from  before  them  of  the 
nations  which  Joshua  left  when  he  died;  that  through  them  I 
may  prove  Israel,  whether  they  will  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
to  walk  therein,  as  their  fathers  did  keep  it,  or  not.  Therefore 
the  Lord  left  those  nations,  without  driving  them  out  hastily ; 
neither  delivered  he  them  into  the  hand  of  Joshua." 


SECTION  XVI. 

OTHNIEL    DELIVERS     ISRAEL EHUD     DELIVERS   THEM   FROM    MOAB,    AND   SLAYS  TEW 

THOUSAND   MEN. 

"AND  the  children  of  Israel  dwelt  among  the  Canaanites, 
Hittites,  Amorites,  Hivites,  Perizzites,  and  Jebusites.  And 
they  took  their  daughters  to  be  their  wives,  and  gave  their 
daughters  to  their  sons,  and  served  their  gods.  And  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  forgot  the 
Lord  their  God,  and  served  Baalim  and  the  groves.  Therefore 
the  anger  of  the  Lord  was  hot  against  Israel,  and  he  sold  them 
into  the  hand  of  Chushan-rishathaim  king  of  Mesopotamia. 
And  when  the  children  of  Israel  cried  unto  the  Lord,  the  Lord 
raised  up  a  deliverer  to  the  children  of  Israel,  who  delivered 
them,  even  Othniel,  the  son  of  Kenaz,  Caleb's  younger  brother. 
And  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  him,  and  he  judged 
Israel,  and  went  out  to  war;  and  the  Lord  delivered  Chusan- 
rishathaim  king  of  Mesopotamia  into  his  hand.  And  the  land 
had  rest  forty  years.  And  Othniel  the  son  of  Kenaz  died." 

"And  the  children  of  Israel  did  evil  again  in  the  sight  of 
the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  strengthened  Eglon  the  king  of  Moab 
against  Israel,  because  they  had  done  evil  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord.  And  he  gathered  unto  him  Ammon  and  Amalek,  and 
went  and  smote  Israel,  and  possessed  the  city  of  palm-trees.  So 
the  children  of  Israel  served  Eglon  the  king  of  Moab  eighteen 
years.  But  when  the  children  of  Israel  cried  unto  the  Lord, 
the  Lord  raised  up  Ehud  the  son  of  Gera,  a  Benjamite,  a  man 
left-handed ;  and  by  him  the  children  of  Israel  sent  a  pre- 
sent unto  Eglon  the- king  of  Moab.  But  Ehud  made  him 
a  dagger  which  had  two  edges,  of  a  cubit  length ;  and  he  did 
gird  it  under  his  raiment  upon  his  right  thigh,  and  he  brought 
the  present  unto  Eglon  king  of  Moab :  and  Eglon  was  a  very 
fat  man.  And  when  he  had  made  an  end  to  offer  the  present, 
he  sent  away  the  people  that  bare  the  present.  But  he  him- 


218  HISTORY   OF  THE    ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

self  turned  again  from  the  quarries  that  were  in  Gil  gal,  and 
said,  I  have  a  secret  errand  unto  thee,  0  king:  who  said,  Keep 
silence.  And  all  that  stood  by  him  went  out  from  him.  And 
Ehud  came  unto  him;  and  he  was  sitting  in  a  summer-parlour, 
which  he  had  for  himself  alone.  And  Ehud  said,  I  have  a 
message  from  God  unto  thee.  And  he  arose  out  of  his  seat. 
And  Ehud  put  forth  his  left  hand,  and  took  the  dagger  from 
his  right  thigh,  and  thrust  it  into  his  belly.  And  the  haft  also 
went  in  after  the  blade,  and  the  fat  closed  upon  the  blade,  so 
that  he  could  not  draw  the  dagger  out  again."  Then  Ehud 
went  forth  through  the  porch,  and  shut  the  doors  of  the  par- 
lour upon  him,  and  locked  them.  When  the  servants  came 
and  saw  that  the  doors  of  the  parlour  were  locked,  they  sup- 
posed that  he  wished  to  be  in  privacy,  and  they  waited  a  long 
time,  until  they  were  ashamed.  At  length  they  took  a  key 
and  opened  the  door,  and  behold  their  lord  was  fallen  down 
dead  upon  the  earth.  And  Ehud  escaped  while  they  tarried, 
and  passed  beyond  the  quarries,  and  fled  to  Seirath.  And  he 
blew  a  trumpet  in  mount  Ephraim,  and  the  children  of  Israel 
went  down  with  him  from  the  mount;  and  he  said,  "Follow 
me,  for  the  Lord  hath  delivered  your  enemies,  the  Moabites, 
into  your  hand;  and  they  went  down  after  him  and  took  the 
fords  of  Jordan,  towards  Moab,  and  suffered  not  a  man  to  pass 
over ;  and  they  slew  of  Moab  at  that  time,  about  ten  thousand 
men,  all  lusty,  and  all  men  of  valour;  and  there  escaped  not  a 
man.  So  Moab  was  subdued  that  day  under  the  hand  of 
Israel;  and  the  land  had  rest  fourscore  years." 


SECTION  XVII. 

SHAMGAR — DEBORAH  JUDGES  ISRAEL — BARAK  ASSOCIATED  WITH  HER — THE  TRIBES 
SUMMONED  TO  THE  HELP  OF  THE  LORD  AGAINST  JABIN — SISERA  DEFEATED — HIS 
DEATH  BY  THE  HAND  OF  JAEL — SONG  OF  DEBORAH  AND  BARAK. 

THE  next  deliverer  raised  up  to  Israel  after  Ehud,  was  Sham- 
gar,  the  son  of  Anath ;  but  of  him,  only  one  particular  action 
is  left  on  record,  but  this  is  a  very  remarkable  one,  and  shows 
that  in  bodily  strength  he  must  have  been  indeed  a  mighty 
man.  The  event  to  which  reference  has  been  made,  is,  that 
with  an  ox-goad,  he  slew  of  the  Philistines  six  hundred  men : 
and  it  seems,  that  by  this  heroic  act  he  delivered  Israel  from 
subjection  to  these  troublesome  neighbours.  As  no  period  of 
time  is  mentioned,  during  which  Shamgar  ruled  over  the  people, 
it  is  probable,  that  he  is  only  mentioned  as  a  deliverer  on  ac- 
count of  this  one  extraordinary  exploit. 

"And  the  children  of  Israel  again  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord,  when  Ehud  was  dead ;  and  the  Lord  sold  them  into  the 
hand  of  Jabin,  king  of  Canaan,  that  reigned  in  Hazor,  the  cap- 


THE  ISRAELITES.  219 

tain  of  -whose  host  was  Sisera,  who  dwelt  in  Harosheth  of  the 
Gentiles.  And  the  children  of  Israel  cried  unto  the  Lord ;  for 
Jabin  had  nine  hundred  chariots  of  iron ;  and  twenty  years  he 
mightily  oppressed  the  children  of  Israel." 

At  that  time  the  Lord  raised  up  a  woman  to  be  a  prophetess, 
and  to  exercise  judgment  over  his  people  Israel.  Her  name 
was  Deborah,  the  wife  of  Lapidoth ;  and  her  usual  residence 
was  under  a  palm-tree,  between  Beth-el  and  Ramah,  in  mount 
Ephraim ;  to  which  place  the  Israelites  resorted  for  judgment. 

Under  the  impulse  of  Divine  inspiration,  Deborah  sent  and 
called  Barak  the  son  of  Abinoam,  out  of  Naphtali,  and  said 
unto  him,  "  Hath  not  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  commanded,  say- 
ing, Go  and  draw  toward  mount  Tabor,  and  take  with  thee  ten 
thousand  men  of  the  children  of  Naphtali,  and  the  children  of 
Zebulun;  and  I  will  draw  unto  thee,  to  the  river  Kishon, 
Sisera,  the  captain  of  Jabin's  army,  with  his  chariots  and 
his  multitude,  and  I  will  deliver  him  into  thine  hand.  And 
Barak  said  unto  her,  If  thou  wilt  go  with  me,  then  I  will  go: 
but  if  thou  wilt  not  go  with  me,  then  I  will  not  go.  And  she 
said,  I  will  surely  go  with  thee ;  notwithstanding  the  journey 
that  thou  takest  shall  not  be  for  thine  honour,  for  the  Lord  shall 
sell  Sisera  into  the  hand  of  a  woman.  And  Deborah  arose,  and 
went  with  Barak  to  Kedesh ;  and  Barak  called  Zebulun  and 
Naphtali  to  Kedesh.  And  he  went  up  with  ten  thousand  men 
at  his  feet,  and  Deborah  went  up  with  him.  Now  Heber  the 
Kenite,  which  was  of  the  children  of  Hobab,  the  father-in-law 
of  Moses,  had  severed  himself  from  the  Kenites,  and  pitched 
his  tent  unto  the  plain  of  Zaanaim,  which  is  by  Kedesh.  And 
they  showed  Sisera  that  Barak,  the  son  of  Abinoam,  was  gone 
up  to  mount  Tabor.  And  Sisera  gathered  together  all  his 
chariots  of  iron,  and  all  the  people  that  were  with  him,  from 
Harosheth  of  the  Gentiles  unto  the  river  of  Kishon.  And 
Deborah  said  unto  Barak,  Up,  for  this  is  the  day  in  which  the 
Lord  hath  delivered  Sisera  into  thy  hand;  is  .not  the  Lord  gone 
up  before  thee?  So  Barak  went  down  from  mount  Tabor,  and 
ten  thousand  men  after  him.  And  the  Lord  discomfited  Sisera, 
and  all  his  chariots  and  all  his  host,  with  the  edge  of  the 
sword,  before  Barak;  so  that  Sisera  lighted  down  off  his  cha- 
riot, and  fled  away  on  his  feet.  But  Barak  pursued  after  the 
chariots,  and  after  the  host,  unto  Harosheth  of  the  Gentiles; 
and  all  the  host  of  Sisera  fell  upon  the  edge  of  the  sword,  and 
there  was  not  a  man  left.  Howbeit,  Sisera  fled  away  on  his 
feet  to  the  tent  of  Jael,  the  wife  of  Heber  the  Kenite ;  for 
there  was  peace  between  Jabin  the  king  of  Hazor  and  the 
house  of  Heber  the  Kenite.  And  Jael  went  out  to  meet 
Sisera,  and  said  unto  him,  Turn  in,  my  lord,  turn  in  to  me;  fear 
not.  And  when  he  had  turned  in  unto  her  into  the  tent,  she 


220  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

covered  him  with  a  mantle.  And  he  said  unto  her,  Give  me,  I 
pray  thee,  a  little  water  to  drink,  for  I  am  thirsty ;  and  she 
opened  a  bottle  of  milk  and  gave  him  drink,  and  covered  him. 
Again  he  said,  Stand  in  the  door  of  the  tent,  and  it  shall  be, 
when  any  man  doth  come  and  inquire  of  thee,  and  say,  Is  there 
any  man  here  ?  that  thou  shalt  say,  No.  Then  Jael,  Heber's 
wife,  took  a  nail  of  the  tent,  and  took  a  hammer  in  her  hand, 
and  went  softly  unto  him,  and  smote  the  nail  into  his  temples, 
and  fastened  it  into  the  ground,  (for  he  was  fast  asleep  and 
weary,)  so  he  died.  And  behold,  as  Barak  pursued  Sisera,  Jael 
came  out  to  meet  him,  and  said  unto  him,  Come,  and  I  will 
show  thee  the  man  whom  thou  seekest.  And  when  he  came 
into  her  tent,  behold  Sisera  lay  dead,  and  the  nail  was  in  his 
temples :  so  God  subdued  on  that  day  Jabin  the  king  of  Ca- 
naan before  the  children  of  Israel." 

Upon  occasion  of  this  victory,  Deborah  and  Barak  sang  a 
song  of  triumph  and  of  praise.  It  abounds  with  striking 
thoughts  and  bold  figures,  and  may  be  taken  as  a  specimen  of 
the  earliest  poetry.  The  only  song  or  poem,  of  earlier  date, 
which  has  come  down  to  us,  is  the  song  composed  by  Moses, 
and  sung  by  Miriam,  with  her  female  companions,  after  cross- 
ing the  Red  sea.  The  reader  will  be  gratified  by  some  extracts 
from  an  ancient  poetical  composition. 

"  Praise  ye  the  Lord,  for  the  avenging  of  Israel, 
When  the  people  willingly  offered  themselves. 
Hear,  0  ye  kings,  give  ear,  0  ye  princes : 
I,  even  I,  will  sing  unto  the  Lord, 
I  will  sing  praise  to  the  God  of  Israel. 
Lord,  when  thou  wentest  out  of  Seir, 
When  thou  marchedst  out  of  the  field  of  Edom, 
The  earth  trembled,  and  the  heavens  dropped ; 
The  clouds  also  dropped  water. 
The  mountains  melted  from  before  the  Lord ; 
That  Sinai  from  before  the  Lord  God  of  Israel. 
In  the  days  of  Shamgar  the  son  of  Anath  ; 
In  the  days  of  Jael,  the  highways  were  unoccupied, 
And  the  travellers  walked  through  by-ways. 
The  inhabitants  of  the  villages  ceased, 
They  ceased  in  Israel,  until  that  I,  Deborah,  arose — 
That  I  arose,  a  mother  in  Israel. 
They  chose  new  gods — then  was  war  in  the  gates ; 
Was  there  a  shield  or  a  spear  seen  among  forty  thousand  in  Israel? 
My  heart  is  toward  the  governors  of  Israel, 
That  offered  themselves  willingly  among  the  people. 

Bless  ye  the  Lord. 
Speak,  ye  that  ride  on  white  asses, 
Ye  that  sit  in  judgment,  and  walk  by  the  way. 
— From  the  noise  of  archers,  in  the  places  of  drawing  water ; 
There  shall  they  rehearse  the  righteous  acts  of  the  Lord ; 
Even  the  righteous  acts  towards  the  villages  in  Israel ; 
Then  shall  the  people  of  the  Lord  go  down  to  the  gates. 


THE  ISRAELITES.  221 

Awake,  awake,  Deborah,  awake,  awake,  utter  a  song : 
Arise,  Barak,  and  lead  thy  captivity  captive, 

Thou  son  of  Abinoam. 

Then  he  made  him  that  remaineth  have  dominion 
Over  the  nobles,  among  the  people. 
The  Lord  made  me  have  dominion  over  the  mighty. 
Out  of  Ephraim  was  a  root  of  them  against  Amalek. 
After  thee,  Benjamin,  among  thy  people. 
Out  of  Machir  came  down  governors, 
And  out  of  Zebulun  they  that  handle  the  pen  of  the  writer. 
And  the  princes  of  Issachar  were  with  Deborah, 
Even  Issachar  ;  and  also  Barak. 
He  was  sent  on  foot  into  the  valley. 

For  the  divisions  of  Reuben,  were  great  thoughts  of  heart. 
Why  abodest  thou  among  the  sheep-folds, 
To  hear  the  bleatings  of  the  flocks? 

For  the  divisions  of  Reuben  were  great  searchings  of  heart. 
Gilead  abode  beyond  Jordan : 
And  why  did  Dan  remain  in  ships  ? 

Asher  continued  on  the  sea-shore,  and  abode  in  his  breaches. 
Zebulun  and  Naphtali  were  a  people 

That  jeoparded  their  lives  unto  the  death,  in  the  high-places  of  the  field. 
The  kings  came  and  fought ; — 
Then  fought  the  kings  of  Canaan, 
In  Taanach,  by  the  waters  of  Megiddo. 
They  took  no  gain  of  money. 
They  fought  from  heaven — 
The  stars  in  their  courses  fought  against  Sisera. 
The  river  of  Kishon  swept  them  away — 
That  ancient  river — the  river  of  Kishon. 
0,  my  soul,  thou  hast  trodden  down  strength. 
Then  were  the  horse-hoofs  broken 

By  the  means  of  their  prancings — the  prancings  of  their  mighty  ones. 
Curse  ye  Meroz — said  the  angel  of  the  Lord — 
Curse  ye  bitterly  the  inhabitants  thereof: 
Because  they  came  not  to  the  help  of  the  Lord — 
To  the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty. 

Blessed  among  women  shall  Jael  the  wife  of  Heber  the  Kenite  be : 
Blessed  shall  she  be  above  women,  in  the  tent. 
He  asked  water,  and  she  gave  him  milk  ; 
She  brought  forth  butter  in  a  lordly  dish. 
She  put  her  hand  to  the  nail, 
And  her  right  hand  to  the  workman's  hammer ; 
And  with  the  hammer  she  smote  Sisera: 
She  smote  off  his  head,  when  she  had  pierced, 
And  stricken  through  his  temples. 
At  her  feet  he  bowed — he  fell — he  lay  down — 
At  her  feet  he  bowed — he  fell — 
Where  he  bowed,  there  he  fell  down  dead. 

The  mother  of  Sisera  looked  out  at  a  window, 

And  cried  through  the  lattice, 

Why  is  his  chariot  so  long  in  coming? 

Why  tarry  the  wheels  of  his  chariots  .? 

Her  wise  ladies  answered  her — 

Yea,  she  returned  answer  to  herself: 

Have  they  not  sped — have  they  not  divided  the  prey? 

To  every  man  a  damsel  or  two — 

To  Sisera  a  prey  of  divers  colours  of  needle-work — 


222  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

Of  divers  colours  of  needle-work  on  both  sides, 
Meet  for  the  necks  of  them  that  take  the  spoil. 

So  let  thine  enemies  perish,  0  Lord : 

But  let  them  that  love  him  be  as  the  sun 

When  he  goeth  forth  in  his  might." 

In  this  song,  those  tribes  who  "willingly  came  forward  to  fight 
the  battles  of  the  Lord,  are  celebrated  with  due  praise ;  but 
severe  censures  are  passed  on  those  who  remained  at  home  at 
this  time,  when  the  services  of  all  were  needed.  Ephraim,  Ben- 
jamin, Zebulun,  and  Naphtali,  are  recorded  as  having  done  their 
duty.  While  Reuben,  on  account  of  his  divisions  and  internal 
distractions,  was  not  in  a  situation  to  render  any  aid.  And 
Dan  and  Asher,  though  near  to  the  field  of  battle,  clung  to  their 
ships  and  sea-coast,  and  furnished  no  help  in  the  contest.  But 
•why  do  we  hear  nothing  of  Judah,  commonly  the  foremost  in 
all  pious  enterprises;  and  on  whose  borders  the  battle  was 
fought?  I  know  not  the  answer  to  this  question.  One  place, 
no  where  else  mentioned  in  Scripture,  is  here  made  memorable, 
by  the  curse  denounced  against  it  by  the  angel  of  the  Lord, 
for  not  coming  up  to  the  help  'of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty. 
Why  Meroz  was  singled  out  for  this  anathema,  when  so  many 
others  were  delinquent,  cannot  now  be  ascertained.  But  this 
city  stands  as  a  beacon  to  all  future  generations. 


SECTION  XVIII. 

MIDIAN  OPPRESSES  ISRAEL — A  NAMELESS  PROPHET  IS  SENT  WITH  A  MESSAGE  FROM 
GOD  TO  ISRAEL THE  ANGEL  OF  THE  LORD  APPEARS  TO  GIDEON,  WHO  SACRI- 
FICES A  KID  TO  JEHOVAH,  AND  THE  ANGEL,  AFTER  DELIVERING  HIS  MESSAGE, 

ASCENDS    IN    THE    FLAME GIDEON  THROWS  DOWN  THE  ALTAR    OF  BAAL    BY  DIVINE 

DIRECTION — JOASH,  GIDEON'S  FATHER,  REFUSES  TO  GIVE  HIM  UP — A  GREAT  HOST 
GATHERED  AGAINST  ISRAEL — GIDEON  COLLECTS  THE  PEOPLE — ASKS  FOR  A  TWO- 
FOLD SIGN,  WHICH  IS  GRANTED. 

THE  national  distresses  of  Israel,  in  every  instance,  were  owing 
to  their  transgressions.  The  language  of  the  sacred  history  is, 
"The  children  of  Israel  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,"  and 
then  the  Lord  "sold  them,"  or  "delivered  them  into  the  hands 
of  their  enemies."  The,  nation  which  next  obtained  the  domi- 
nion over  them,  was  Midian ;  and  their  rule  was  exceedingly 
oppressive ;  so  that  the  children  of  Israel  were  driven  to  take 
refuge  in  the  dens  of  the  mountains,  and  in  the  caves  and 
strongholds.  And  the  labours  of  agriculture  were  rendered  al- 
most useless,  for  when  "  Israel  had  sown,  the  Midianites  and 
Amalekites,  and  the  children  of  the  east,  carne  up  against  them. 
And  they  encamped  against  them,  and  destroyed  the  increase 
of  the  earth,  till  thou  came  unto  Gaza ;  and  left  no  sustenance 
for  Israel,  neither  sheep,  nor  ox,  nor  ass.  Tor  they  came  up 


THE   ISRAELITES.  223 

with  their  cattle,  and  their  tents,  and  they  came  as  grasshop- 
pers, for  multitude ;  for  both  they  and  their  camels  were  with- 
out number,  and  they  entered  into  the  land  to  destroy  it.  And 
Israel  was  greatly  impovei'ished  because  of  the  Midianites,  and 
the  children  of  Israel  cried  unto  the  Lord."  It  is  a  remarka- 
ble evidence  of  the  goodness,  long-suffering,  and  gracious  con- 
descension of  the  Lord,  that  in  all  cases  when  the  people  cried 
unto  him,  he  mercifully  interposed  for  their  deliverance.  On 
this  occasion,  he  sent  a  prophet,  who  said,  "  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  God  of  Israel,  I  brought  you  up  out  of  Egypt,  and 
brought  you  forth  out  of  the  house  of  bondage.  And  I  de- 
livered you  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Egyptians,  and  out  of  the 
hand  of  all  that  oppressed  you ;  and  drove  them  out  from  be- 
fore you,  and  gave  you  their  land.  And  I  said  unto  you,  that 
I  am  the  Lord  your  God.  Fear  not  the  gods  of  the  Amorites 
in  whose  land  ye  dwell;  but  ye  have  not  obeyed  my  voice." 
Whence  this  prophet  came,  or  whither  he  went  after  he  had  de- 
livered his  message,  we  are  not  informed;  neither  are  we  able 
to  tell  his  name,  or  designate  the  family  or  tribe  to  which  he 
belonged.  This  mission  of  a  prophet  was  evidently  intended 
to  bring  the  people  to  repentance  for  their  sins  in  departing 
from  the  worship  of  Jehovah,  and  going  after  the  gods  of  the 
Amorites. 

But  a  more  august  ambassador  was  now  sent.  "  The  angel 
of  the  Lord  came  and  sat  under  an  oak,  which  was  in  Ophrah, 
that  belonged  to  Joash,  the  Abi-ezrite ;  and  his  son  Gideon 
threshed  wheat  by  the  wine-press,  to  hide  it  from  the  Midian- 
ites. And  the  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  unto  him,  and  said 
unto  him,  The  Lord  is  with  thee,  thou  mighty  man  of  valour. 
And  Gideon  said  unto  him,  0  my  Lord,  if  the  Lord  be  with 
us,  why  then  is  all  this  befallen  us  ?  And  where  be  all  his 
miracles  which  our  fathers  told  us  of,  saying,  Did  not  the  Lord 
bring  us  up  from  Egypt  ?  But  now  the  Lord  hath  forsaken  us, 
and  delivered  us  into  the  hands  of  the  Midianites.  And  the 
Lord  looked  upon  him,  and  said,  Go  in  this  thy  might,  and  thou 
shalt  save  Israel  from  the  hand  of  the  Midianites :  have  not  I 
sent  thee?  And  he  said  unto  him,  0  my  Lord,  wherewith 
shall  I  save  Israel  ?  Behold  my  family  is  poor  in  Manasseh, 
and  I  am  the  least  in  my  father's  house.  And  the  Lord  said 
unto  him,  Surely  I  will  be  with  thee,  and  thou  shalt  smite  the 
Midianites  as  one  man.  And  he  said  unto  him,  If  now  I  have 
found  grace  in  thy  sight,  then  show  me  a  sign  that  thou  talkest 
with  me.  Depart  not  hence,  I  pray  thee,  until  I  come  unto 
thee,  and  bring  forth  my  present,  and  set  it  before  thee.  And 
he  said,  I  will  tarry  until  thou  come  again.  And  Gideon  went 
in  and  made  ready  a  kid,  and  leavened  cakes  of  an  ephah  of 
flour ;  the  flesh  he  put  in  a  basket,  and  he  put  the  broth  in  a 


224  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISBAELITISH  NATION. 

pot,  and  brought  it  out  to  him  under  the  oak,  and  presented  it. 
And  the  angel  of  God  said  unto  him,  Take  the  flesh  and  the 
unleavened  cakes,  and  lay  them  upon  the  rock,  and  pour  out 
the  broth ;  and  he  did  so.  Then  the  angel  of  the  Lord  put 
forth  the  end  of  the  staff  that  was  in  his  hand,  and  touched  the 
flesh  and  the  unleavened  cakes,  and  there  rose  up  fire  out  of  the 
rock,  and  consumed  the  flesh  and  the  unleavened  cakes.  Then 
the  angel  of  the  Lord  departed  out  of  his  sight.  And  when 
Gideon  perceived  that  he  was  an  angel  of  the  Lord,  Gideon 
said,  Alas,  0  Lord  God !  for  because  I  have  seen  an  angel  of 
the  Lord  face  to  face.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Peace  be 
unto  thee,  fear  not,  thou  shalt  not  die.  Then  Gideon  built  an 
altar  there  unto  the  Lord,  and  called  it  Jehovah-shalom."  And 
this  altar  remained  for  many  years  in  Ophrah  of  the  Abi- 
ezrites.  The  Lord  now  gave  direction  that  he  should,  on  that 
very  night,  throw  down  the  altar  of  Baal,  which  was  erected  on 
a  rock  in  {hat  place,  and  should  build  there  an  altar  to  the 
Lord,  and  offer  upon  it  the  second  bullock  of  seven  years  old ; 
and  he  was  directed  also  to  cut  down  the  idolatrous  grove, 
which  had  been  planted  by  the  altar  of  Baal,  and  to  use  the 
wood  for  the  burnt-sacrifice  which  he  was  about  to  offer.  "  Then 
Gideon  took  ten  men  of  his  servants,  and  did  as  the  Lord  had 
said  unto  him;  and  so  it  was,  because  he  feared  his  father's 
household,  and  the  men  of  the  city,  that  he  could  not  do  it  by 
day,  he  did  it  by  night.  And  when  the  men  of  the  city  arose 
early  in  the  morning,  behold  the  altar  of  Baal  was  cast  down, 
and  the  grove  was  cut  down  that  was  by  it,  and  the  second  bul- 
lock was  offered  on  the  altar  that  was  built.  And  they  said 
one  to  another,  Who  hath  done  this  thing  ?  And  when  they 
inquired  and  asked,  they  said,  Gideon,  the  son  of  Joash,  hath 
done  this  thing.  Then  the  men  of  the  city  said  unto  Joash, 
Bring  out  thy  son,  that  he  may  die:  because  he  hath  cast 
down  the  altar  of  Baal,  and  because  he  hath  cut  down  the 
grove  that  was  by  it.  And  Joash  said  to  all  that  stood  against 
him,  Will  ye  plead  for  Baal  ?  Will  ye  save  him  ?  He  that 
will  plead  for  him,  let  him  be  put  to  death,  whilst  it  is  yet 
morning.  If  he  be  a  god,  let  him  plead  for  himself,  because 
one  hath  cast  down  his  altar.  Therefore  on  that  day  he  called 
him  Jerubbaal." 

"  Then  all  the  Midianites,  and  Amalekites,  and  the  children 
of  the  east,  were  gathered  together ;  and  they  went  over  and 
pitched  in  the  valley  of  Jezreel.  But  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
came  upon  Gideon,  and  he  blew  a  trumpet,  and  Abi-ezer  was 
gathered  after  him.  And  he  sent  messengers  throughout  all 
Manasseh,  who  also  was  gathered  after  him.  And  he  sent 
messengers  unto  Asher,  and  unto  Zebulun,  and  unto  Naphtali, 
and  they  came  up  to  meet  them.  And  Gideon  said  unto  God, 


THE   ISRAELITES.  225 

If  thou  wilt  save  Israel  by  my  hand,  as  thou  hast  said,"  let  the 
sign  which  I  request  be  granted.  "  Behold,  I  will  put  a  fleece 
of  wool  in  the  floor,  and  if  the  dew  be  on  the  fleece  only,  and  it 
be  dry  upon  all  the  earth  beside,  then  shall  I  know  that  thou 
wilt  save  Israel  by  mine  hand,  as  thou  hast  said.  And  it  was 
so:  for  he  rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  thrust  the  fleece 
together,  and  wringed  the  dew  out  of  the  fleece;  a  bowl-full  of 
water.  And  Gideon  said  unto  God,  Let  not  thine  anger  be  hot 
against  me,  and  I  will  speak  but  this  once :  let  me  prove,  I  pray 
thee,  but  this  once  with  the  fleece ;  let  it  now  be  dry  only  upon 
the  fleece,  and  upon  all  the  ground  let  there  be  dew.  And  God 
did  so  that  night ;  for  it  was  dry  upon  the  fleece  only,  and 
there  was  dew  on  all  the  ground." 


SECTION  XIX. 

GIDEON   COLLECTS   HIS  FORCES — A    MERE   HANDFUL    IN   COMPARISON  OF   MIDIAN,  YET 

THE    LORD  TELLS    HIM    THERE  ARE  TOO    MANY ALL  ARE  DISMISSED  EXCEPT  THREE 

HUNDRED — GIDEON  GOES  TO  THE  MIDIANITISH  HOST,  AND  HEARS  A  DREAM 
WHICH  ENCOURAGES  HIM — THE  ENEMY  ARE  THROWN  INTO  CONFUSION,  AND  SLAY 
ONE  ANOTHER — TWO  PRINCES  OF  THE  MIDIANITES  ARE  TAKEN,  ORES  AND  ZEEB 
— THEIR  HEADS  CUT  OFF. 

WHEN  Gideon  had  collected  his  forces,  he  pitched  by  the  well  of 
Harod ;  and  the  Midianites  were  on  the  north  side  of  them,  in 
the  valley,  by  the  hill  Moreh.  Although  the  men  of  Israel  who 
were  with  Gideon,  were  few  in  comparison  of  the  host  of  Midian, 
yet  in  the  Lord's  account  they  were  too  many;  for  he  said  unto 
Gideon,  "  The  people  that  are  with  thee  are  too  many  for  me 
to  give  the  Midianites  into  their  hands,  lest  Israel  vaunt  them- 
selves against  me,  saying,  Mine  own  hand  hath  saved  me.  Now, 
therefore,  go  to,  proclaim  in  the  ears  of  the  people,  saying, 
Whosoever  is  fearful  and  afraid,  let  him  return,  and  depart  early 
from  mount  Gilead ;  and  there  returned  of  the  people  twenty 
and  two  thousand;  and  there  remained  ten  thousand.  And  the 
Lord  said  unto  Gideon,  The  people  are  yet  too  many,  bring 
them  down  unto  the  water,  and  I  will  try  them  for  thee  there." 
The  method  of  trial,  which,  by  Divine  direction,  decided  who 
were  to  go  and  who  return,  was  singular.  Gideon  was  com- 
manded to  place  by  themselves  as  many  of  the  men  as  took  up 
the  water  in  their  hands,  and  lapped  it  as  a  dog ;  but  all  those 
who  bowed  down  on  their  knees  to  drink  were  directed  to  re- 
turn home.  And  the  number  of  them  that  lapped,  putting  their 
hand  to  their  mouth,  were  three  hundred  men.  And  the  Lord 
said  unto  Gideon,  By  the  three  hundred  men  that  lapped,  will  I 
save  you,  and  deliver  the  Midianites  into  your  hand.  So  the ' 
people  took  victuals  in  their  hand,  and  their  trumpets,  and  went 
forth  to  meet  the  Midianites,  who  lay  encamped  in  the  valley 
15 


226  HISTORY  OF   THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

beneath.  "And  the  Lord  said  unto  Gideon,  Arise,  get  thee 
down  unto  the  host,  for  I  have  delivered  it  into  thy  hand.  But 
if  thou  fear  to  go  down,  go  thou  with  Phurah  thy  servant, 
down  to  the  host,  and  thou  shalt  hear  what  they  say,  and  after- 
wards shall  thy  hands  be  strengthened  to  go  down  unto  the 
host.  Then  went  he  down  with  Phurah  his  servant,  unto  the 
outside  of  the  armed  men  that  were  in  the  host.  And  the  Midi- 
anites  and  the  Amalekites,  and  all  the  children  of  the  east,  lay 
along  the  valley,  like  grasshoppers  for  multitude,  and  their 
camels  were  without  number,  as  the  sand  by  the  sea-side  for 
multitude.  And  when  Gideon  was  come,  behold  there  was  a 
man  that  told  a  dream  unto  his  fellow,  and  said,  I  dreamed  a 
dream,  and  lo,  a  cake  of  barley-bread  tumbled  into  the  host  of 
Midian,  and  came  unto  a  tent  and  smote  it,  that  it  fell,  and 
overturned  it,  that  the  tent  lay  along.  And  his  fellow  answered 
and  said,  This  is  nothing  else  save  the  sword  of  Gideon,  the  son 
of  Joash,  a  man  of  Israel :  into  his  hand  hath  God  delivered 
Midian,  and  all  the  host.  And  when  Gideon  heard  the  dream, 
and  the  interpretation  thereof,  he  worshipped,  and  returned  to 
the  host  of  Israel,  and  said,  Arise,  for  the  Lord  hath  delivered 
Midian  into  your  hand.  And  he  divided  the  three  hundred 
men  into  three  companies,  and  he  put  a  trumpet  into  every 
man's  hand,  with  empty  pitchers,  with  lamps  within  the  pitchers. 
And  he  said  unto  them,  When  I  come  unto  the  outside  of  the 
camp,  as  I  do,  so  shall  ye  do.  When  I,  and  all  that  are  with 
me,  blow  with  the  trumpet,  then  blow  ye  the  trumpets  also,  on 
every  side  of  all  the  camp,  and  say,  The  sword  of  the  Lord  and 
of  Gideon.  So  Gideon,  and  the  hundred  men  that  were  with 
him,  came  to  the  outside  of  the  camp,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
middle  watch,  and  they  had  but  newly  set  the  watch;  and  they 
blew  the  trumpets,  and  brake  the  pitchers  that  were  in  their 
hands.  And  the  three  companies  blew  the  trumpets,  and  brake 
their  pitchers;  and  held  the  lamps  in  their  hands,  and  the 
trumpets  in  their  right  hands,  to  blow  withal ;  and  they  cried, 
The  sword  of  the  Lord  and  of  Gideon.  And  they  stood,  every 
man  in  his  place,  round  about  the  camp;  and  all  the  host  ran, 
and  cried,  and  fled.  And  the  three  hundred  blew  the  trumpets; 
and  the  Lord  set  every  man's  sword  against  his  fellow,  even 
throughout  all  the  host ;  and  the  host  fled  to  Beth-shittah  in 
Zererath,  and  to  the  border  of  Abel-meholah,  unto  Tabbath. 
And  the  men  of  Israel  gathered  themselves  together,  out  of 
Naphtali,  and  out  of  Asher,  and  out  of  Manasseh,  and  pursued 
after  the  Midianites.  And  Gideon  sent  messengers  through  all 
mount  Ephraim,  saying,  Come  down  against  the  Midianites, 
and  take  before  them  the  waters  unto  Beth-barah  and  Jordan. 
And  they  took  two  princes  of  the  Midianites,  Oreb  and  Zeeb ; 
and  they  slew  Oreb  upon  the  rock  Oreb,  and  Zeeb  they  slew  at 


THE   ISRAELITES.  227 

the  wine-press  of  Zeeb,  and  pursued  Midian  and  brought  the 
heads  of  Oreb  and  Zeeb  to  Gideon." 


SECTION  XX. 

THE  MEN  OF  EPHRAIM  COMPLAIN  OF  GIDEON THE  CONDUCT  OF  THE  MEN  OF  SUCCOTH 

AND  PENUEL ZEBAH  AND  ZALMUNNA,  KINGS  OF  MIDIAN,  TAKEN  AND  SLAIN — THE 

PEOPLE  WISH  TO  MAKE  GIDEON  THEIR    PERMANENT  AND   HEREDITARY  RULER — HE 
REFUSES — HIS  IDOLATRY — MIDIAN  SUBDUED — THE  PEOPLE  ENJOY  A  LONG  REPOSE. 

"AND  the  men  of  Ephraim  said  unto  him,  Why  hast  thou  served 
us  thus,  that  thou  calledst  us  not  when  thou  wentest  to  fight 
with  the  Midianites?  And  they  did  chide  with  him  sharply. 
And  he  said  unto  them,  What  have  I  done  now 'in  comparison 
of  you?  Is  not  the  gleaning  of  the  grapes  of  Ephraim  better 
than  the  vintage  of  Abi-ezer  ?  God  hath  delivered  into  your 
hands  the  princes  of  Midian,  Oreb  and  Zeeb ;  and  what  was  I 
able  to  do  in  comparison  of  you?  Then  their  anger  was  abated 
towards  him,  when  he  had  said  that.  And  Gideon  came  to 
Jordan,  and  passed  over,  he  and  the  three  hundred  men  that 
were  with  him,  faint,  yet  pursuing  them.  And  he  said  unto 
the  men  of  Succoth,  Give,  I  pray  you,  loaves  of  bread  unto  the 
people  that  follow  me ;  for  they  be  faint,  and  I  am  pursuing 
after  Zebah  and  Zalmunna,  kings  of  Midian.  And  the  princes 
of  Succoth  said,  Are  the  hands  of  Zebah  and  Zalmunna  now  in 
thine  hands,  that  we  should  give  bread  unto  thine  army  ?  And 
Gideon  said,  Therefore,  when  the  Lord  hath  delivered  Zebah 
and  Zalmunna  into  mine  hand,  then  will  I  tear  your  flesh  with 
the  thorns  of  the  wilderness,  and  with  briers.  And  he  went  up 
thence  to  Penuel,  and  spake  unto  them  likewise ;  and  the  men. 
of  Penuel  answered  him  as  the  men  of  Succoth  had  answered 
him.  And  he  spake  unto  the  men  of  Penuel,  saying,  When  I 
come  again  in  peace,  I  will  break  down  this  tower.  Now  Zebah 
and  Zalmunna  were  in  Karkor,  and  their  hosts  with  them, 
about  fifteen  thousand  men ;  all  that  were  left  of  all  the  hosts 
of  the  children  of  the  east;  for  there  fell  an  hundred  and 
twenty  thousand  men  that  drew  sword.  And  Gideon  went  up 
by  the  way  of  them  that  dwelt  in  tents,  on  the  east  side  of 
Nobah  and  Jogbehah,  and  smote  the  host,  for  the  host  was 
secure.  And  when  Zebah  and  Zalmunna  fled,  he  pursued  after 
them,  and  took  the  two  kings  of  Midian,  and  discomfited  the 
host,  and  returned  from  the  battle  before  the  sun  was  up,  and 
caught  a  young  man  of  Succoth,  and  inquired  of  him,  and  he 
described  the  princes  of  Succoth,  and  the  elders  thereof;  even 
threescore  and  seventeen  men.  And  he  came  unto  the  men  of 
Succoth,  and  said,  Behold  Zebah  and  Zalmunna  with  whom 
ye  did  upbraid  me,  saying,  are  the  hands  of  Zebah  and  Zal- 


228  HISTORY  OP  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

munna  now  in  thy  hand,  that  we  should  give  bread  unto  thy 
men  that  are  weary?  And  he  took  the  elders  of  the  city,  and 
thorns  of  the  wilderness  and  briers,  and  with  them  he  taught 
the  men  of  Succoth.  And  he  beat  down  the  tower  of  Penuel, 
and  slew  the  men  of  the  city.  And  he  said  unto  Zebah  and 
Zalmunna,  What  manner  of  men  were  they  whom  ye  slew  at 
Tabor?  And  they  answered,  As  thou  art,  so  were  they:  each 
one  resembled  the  children  of  a  king.  And  he  said,  They 
were  my  brethren,  even  the  sons  of  my  mother:  as  the  Lord 
liveth,  if  ye  had  saved  them  alive,  I  would  not  slay  you.  And 
he  said  unto  Jether  his  first-born,  Up,  and  slay  them :  but  the 
youth  drew  not  his  sword ;  for  he  feared,  because  he  was  yet  a 
youth.  Then  Zebah  and  Zalmunna  said,  Rise  thou  and  fall 
upon  us;  for  as  the  man  is,  so  is  his  strength.  And  Gideon 
arose  and  slew  Zebah  and  Zalmunna,  and  took  away  the  orna- 
ments that  were  on  their  camels'  necks." 

So  great  a  deliverance  having  been  wrought  by  the  hands  of 
Gideon,  the  people  were  very  desirous  that  he  should  become 
their  permanent  governor.  "Rule  thou  over  us,"  said  they, 
"both  thou  and  thy  son,  and  thy  son's  son  also;  for  thou  hast 
delivered  us  from  the  hand  of  Midian.  And  Gideon  said  unto 
them,  I  will  not  rule  over  you,  neither  shall  my  son  rule  over 
you.  The  Lord  shall  rule  over  you."  This  conduct  of  Gideon 
was  both  pious  and  disinterested.  Men,  in  common,  are  disposed 
to  grasp  at  power,  whenever  the  prize  is  within  their  reach,  and 
make  little  inquiry  whether  they  can  rightly  exercise  it  or  not. 
But  Gideon  understood  that  God  himself  had  undertaken  to  be 
the  king  over  Israel,  and  therefore  he  was  right  in  declining 
the  authority  with  which  they  wished  to  invest  him.  He  was, 
however,  contaminated  with  the  idolatry  in  the  midst  of  which 
he  had  so  long  lived;  and  now  he  requested  of  his  men,  that 
every  one  should  give  him  the  ear-rings  of  his  prey;  for  many 
of  the  people  whom  they  conquered,  being  Ishmaelites,  wore 
golden  ear-rings.  These  were  they  who  by  the  sacred  historian 
are  called  "the  children  of  the  east;"  for  the  Ishmaelites  or 
Arabians  dwelt  on  the  east  of  Palestine.  It  seems,  however, 
that  from  a  very  early  period,  the  Midianites  and  Ishmaelites 
were  mingled  together,  as  the  travelling  merchants  to  whom 
Joseph  was  sold  by  his  brethren  are  called  both  Midianites  and 
Ishmaelites;  or  the  Ishmaelites  may  have  been  called  Mid- 
ianites. 

Gideon's  army  made  not  the  least  objection  to  this  proposal  of 
their  leader,  but  said,  "  We  will  willingly  give  them.  And  they 
spread  a  garment,  and  did  cast  therein,  every  man,  the  ear- 
rings of  his  prey ;  and  the  weight  of  the  ear-rings  was  a  thou- 
sand and  seven  hundred  shekels  of  gold,  besides  ornaments,  and 
collars,  and  purple  raiment  that  was  on  the  kings  of  Midian, 


THE  ISRAELITES.  229 

and  the  chains  that  were  on  their  camels'  necks."  Now  the 
request  of  Gideon  did  not  proceed  from  avarice,  but  from  a  love 
of  idols ;  for  having  received  this  large  present  of  gold,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  make  an  ephod,  and  placed  it  in  Ophrah,  the  city 
where  he  dwelt.  And  this  became  a  snare  not  only  to  himself, 
but  to  all  Israel ;  for  they  were  led  away  to  worship  this  golden 
ephod. 

Midian  being  completely  subdued,  the  people  of  Israel  en- 
joyed a  long  repose;  and  Gideon  continued  long  among  them, 
even  forty  years ;  but  he  married  many  wives,  and  had  a  nume- 
rous offspring;  for  the  sacred  historian  informs  us,  that  he  had 
no  less  than  seventy  sons  by  his  wives ;  and  one,  afterwards 
more  distinguished  than  all  the  rest,  by  his  concubine,  who 
dwelt  in  Shechem.  The  name  of  this  last  was  Abimelech. 
Gideon,  who  was  also  called  Jerubbaal,  "  died  in  a  good  old 
age,  and  was  buried  in  the  sepulchre  of  Joash  his  father,  in 
Ophrah  of  the  Abi-ezrites." 

Perhaps  Gideon's  object  in  making  the  golden  ephod,  which 
became  a  snare  to  Israel,  was  to  draw  the  people  off  from  the 
worship  of  Baalim;  for  as  soon  as  he  was  dead,  we  read  "that 
they  made  Baal-berith  their  god.  And  they  remembered  not 
the  Lord  their  God,  who  had  delivered  them  out  of  the  hands 
of  all  their  enemies  on  every  side.  Neither  showed  they  kind- 
ness to  the  house  of  Gideon,  according  to  all  the  goodness  which 
he  had  showed  unto  Israel." 


SECTION  XXI. 

AMBITION    OF    ABIMELECH    THE   SON     OF    GIDEON HIS     CRUELTY THE     PARABLE    OF 

JOTHAM — TRANSACTIONS  AT  SHECHEM — CONTEST  OF  OAAL  AND  ZEBUL — ABIMELECH 
SUDDENLY  COMES  AND  SMITES  BAAL  AND  HIS  PAKTY — ABIMELECH  KILLED  BY  A 
WOMAN. 

ALTHOUGH  Gideon  was  free  from  ambition,  and  refused  to  be 
king  over  his  people  when  they  requested  it,  and  promised  to 
make  the  office  hereditary  in  his  family,  yet  a  very  different 
spirit  actuated  Abimelech,  his  son  by  his  concubine;  for  no 
sooner  was  his  father  out  of  the  way,  than  he  began  to  intrigue 
with  the  inhabitants  of  Shechem,  where  his  mother's  friends 
appear  to  have  had  influence,  to  make  him  king  over  them. 
And  as  the  seventy  legitimate  sons  of  Gideon  stood  in  the  way 
of  his  ambition,  he  did  not  cease  from  his  machinations  until  he 
accomplished  the  destruction  of  all  of  them  except  one,  who 
escaped  the  general  massacre  of  his  brothers  at  Ophrah,  by 
concealing  himself.  The  name  of  this  only  survivor  of  the 
seventy  sons  of  Jerubbaal  was  Jotham.  The  people  of  Shechem 
and  Millo  now  proceeded  to  make  Abimelech  king,  which  trans- 


230  HISTORY   OF    THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

action  took  place  "  by  the  plain  of  the  pillar  that  was  in  She- 
chem."  When  Jotham  heard  of  this  ungrateful  proceeding 
towards  his  father's  house,  "he  went  and  stood  in  the  top  of 
mount  Gerizim,  and  lifted  up  his  voice,  and  cried,  and  said  unto 
them,  Hearken  unto  me,  ye  men  of  Shechem,  that  God  may 
hearken  unto  you."  Then  he  delivered  the  following  apologue 
or  parable,  the  first  composition  of  this  kind  of  which  we  have 
any  account,  and  which  contained  a  cutting  sarcasm  on  the  in- 
habitants of  Shechem,  for  making  such  a  worthless  man  as  Abi- 
melech  their  king.  "The  trees,"  said  he,  "went  forth  on  a  time 
to  anoint  a  king  over  them ;  and  they  said  unto  the  olive  tree, 
Reign  thou  over  us ;  but  the  olive  tree  said  unto  them,  Should  I 
leave  my  fatness,  whereby  they  honour  God  and  man,  and  go  to 
be  promoted  over  the  trees  ?  And  the  trees  said  to  the  fig  tree, 
Come  thou  and  reign  over  us ;  but  the  fig  tree  said  unto  them, 
Should  I  forsake  my  sweetness  and  my  good  fruit,  and  go  to  be 
promoted  over  the  trees  ?  Then  said  the  trees  unto  the  vine, 
Come  thou  and  reign  over  us;  and  the  vine  said  unto  them, 
Should  I  leave  my  wine,  which  cheereth  God  and  man,  and  go  to 
be  promoted  over  the  trees?  Then  said  all  the  trees  unto  the 
bramble,  Come  thou  and  reign  over  us ;  and  the  bramble  said  unto 
the  trees,  If  in  truth  ye  anoint  me  king  over  you,  then  come  and 
put  your  trust  in  my  shadow;  and  if  not,  let  fire  come  out  of 
the  bramble,  and  devour  the  cedars  of  Lebanon."  Jotham 
having  uttered  this  beautiful  but  cutting  fable  in  the  hearing  of 
the  Shechemites,  with  great  severity  reproached  them  for  their 
ungrateful  and  cruel  conduct  towards  his  father's  house ;  putting 
it  to  their  own  consciences  to  answer  whether  they  had  acted 
"truly  and  sincerely  in  making  Abimelech  king;"  and  whether 
they  had  "dealt  well  with  Jerubbaal  and  his  house,  according 
to  the  deserving  of  his  hands."  "For,"  said  he,  "my  father 
fought  for  you,  and  adventured  his  life  far;  and  delivered  you 
out  of  the  hand  of  Midian :  and  ye  are  risen  up  against  my 
father's  house  this  day,  and  have  slain  his  sons,  threescore  and 
ten  persons  upon  one  stone,  and  have  made  Abimelech,  the  son 
of  his  maid-servant,  king  over  the  men  of  Shechem,  because  he 
is  your  brother.  If  ye  then  have  dealt  truly  and  sincerely  with 
Jerubbaal  and  with  his  house  this  day,  then  rejoice  ye  in  Abi- 
melech, and  let  him  also  rejoice  in  you;  but  if  not,  let  fire  come 
out  from  Abimelech,  and  devour  the  men  of  Shechem,  and  the 
house  of  Millo;  and  let  fire  come  out  from  the  men  of  Shechem, 
and  from  the  house  of  Millo,  and  devour  Abimelech."  "And 
Jotham,"  having  delivered  this  speech  on  mount  Gerizim,  "ran 
away,  and  fled,  and  went  to  Beer,  and  dwelt  there  for  fear  of 
Abimelech,  his  brother." 

Men  of  cruelty  and  blood  are,  in  the  course  of  a  righteous 
providence,  commonly  overtaken  sooner  or  later  with  condign 


THE   ISRAELITES.  231 

punishment:  "Their  sin  will  find  them  out."  And  frequently 
the  very  people  whom  they  have  made  the  instruments  of  their 
cruelty  become  the  executors  of  God's  vengeance  upon  them. 
This  was  the  fact  in  regard  to  the  Shechemites,  whom  Abime- 
lech  had  employed  as  his  agents  in  putting  to  a  violent  death 
the  seventy  sons  of  his  father;  for  these  same  people  began 
now  to  conspire  against  Abimelech  their  king;  or,  as  it  is 
strongly  expressed  in  the  sacred  history,  "  God  sent  an  evil 
spirit  between  Abimelech  and  the  men  of  Shechem;  and  the 
men  of  Shechem  dealt  treacherously  with  Abimelech ;  that  the 
cruelty  done  unto  the  three-score  and  ten  sons  of  Jerubbaal 
might  come,  and  their  blood  be  laid  upon  Abimelech  their  bro- 
ther, who  slew  them ;  and  upon  the  men  of  Shechem  Avho  aided 
him  in  the  killing  of  his  brethren." 

Abimelech  did  not  make  Shechem  his  usual  place  of  resi- 
dence, but  Arumah,  which  was  at  some  distance;  and  Zebul 
acted  as  his  deputy  at  Shechem,  where  he  had  been  left  the 
governor.  But  there  came  into  the  city  a  certain  man  by  the 
name  of  Gaal,  with  a  number  of  others,  his  associates;  thia 
man  appears  to  have  been  of  insinuating  manners  and  popular 
address ;  for  he  soon  gained  the  confidence  of  the  Shechemites, 
which  Zebul  the  deputy  of  Abimelech  could  not  prevent. 
At  the  season  of  the  vintage,  which  was  always  a  time  of  joy 
and  festivity,  and  also  of  religious  services  in  honour  of  their 
gods,  this  man  went  out  with  the  people  to  the  vineyards. 
When  the  people  of  Shechem  had  gathered  their  grapes,  and 
trode  them  in  the  wine-press,  and  when  they  were  thus  feast- 
ing in  the  house  of  their  god,  and  their  hearts  were  merry ; 
while  they  did  eat  and  drink,  they  were  induced,  no  doubt 
by  the  influence  of  Gaal  and  his  associates,  to  curse  Abimelech 
the  king,  whom  they  had  placed  over  them.  "And  Gaal  him- 
self said,  who  is  Abimelech,  that  we  should  serve  him  ?  Is  not 
he 'the  son  of  Jerubbaal?  and  is  not  Zebul  his  deputy?" 
"  Would  to  God  the  people  were  under  my  hand,  I  would  soon 
remove  Abimelech."  This  seditious  discourse  of  Gaal  and 
the  people  greatly  provoked  Zebul  the  governor ;  and  he  sent 
messengers  privily  unto  Abimelech,  and  informed  the  king  of 
the  treasonable  speeches  which  had  been  made ;  and,  moreover, 
that  they  were  about  fortifying  the  city  against  him.  He 
advised  Abimelech  to  rise  up  by  night  with  his  people,  and  to 
lie  in  wait  in  the  fields  or  forests  near  the  city ;  that  as  soon  as 
the  sun  was  up,  and  the  gates  should  be  opened,  he  might 
attack  the  city ;  and  when  Gaal  and  the  people  came  forth  to 
repel  the  assault,  and  to  pursue  the  assailants,  as  being  igno- 
rant of  their  number,  Abimelech  might  fall  upon  them  and 
obtain  an  easy  victory.  This  course  was  pursued  by  Abime- 
lech, and  he  arose  in  the  night ;  and  dividing  his  men  into  four 


232  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

companies,  he  laid  wait  round  about  Shechem.  In  the  morn- 
ing Gaal  went  out  and  stood  in  the  gate,  not  being  aware  of 
the  ambush  which  was  round  about  the  town ;  and  when  he  saw 
the  men  of  Abimelech  approaching,  who  had  risen  up  from 
their  ambush,  he  said  to  Zebul,  the  governor  of  the  city, 
"Behold  there  come  people  down  from  the  top  of  the  moun- 
tains. And  Zebul  said  unto  him,  Thou  seest  the  shadow  of  the 
mountains,  as  if  they  were  men.  And  Gaal  spoke  again,  and 
said,  See,  there  come  people  down  by  the  middle  of  the  land ; 
and  another  company  comes  along  by  the  plain.  Zebul  well 
knew  who  they  were  that  were  approaching;  and  feeling  con- 
fident that  Abimelech  would  be  able  to  overcome  the  conspi- 
rators, and  seize  the  city,  he  said,  "Where  is  now  the  mouth 
which  said,  Who  is  Abimelech,  that  we  should  serve  him  ?  Is 
not  this  the  people  whom  thou  hast  despised  ?  Go  out,  now,  I 
pray  thee,  and  fight  with  them."  Gaal,  finding  that  he  must 
either  fight  or  submit,  went  out  with  the  men  of  Shechem  who 
had  conspired  with  him,  and  fought  with  Abimelech ;  but  he 
was  unable  to  withstand  him,  and  fled  before  him,  and  many 
were  overthrown  and  wounded,  even  unto  the  entering  in  of 
the  gate.  On  the  next  day,  Gaal  and  the  people  of  Shechem 
went  forth  from  the  city ;  for  Zebul  the  governor  forced  them 
to  depart;  his  party  having,  by  this  time,  become  the  strongest. 
As  soon  as  Abimelech  had  notice  of  this  movement,  he  divided 
his  forces  into  three  companies,  and  laid  wait ;  so  that  as  soon 
as  they  came  into  the  field  he  arose  upon  them  and  smote 
them.  And  Abimelech  and  his  company  rushed  forward  and 
stood  in  the  entering  of  the  gate  of  the  city,  to  cut  off  the 
retreat  of  the  conspirators;  and  then  the  other  companies  fell 
upon  those  that  were  in  the  field,  and  slew  them ;  and  having 
defeated  those  that  had  come  out,  he  now  assaulted  the  city 
and  took  it,  the  same  day,  and  slew  the  inhabitants  who  had 
rebelled  against  him ;  and  beat  down  the  walls  and  sowed  the 
place  with  salt.  Part  of  the  people  of  Shechem,  however,  had 
retreated  to  a  hold  connected  with  the  temple  of  the  god 
Berith.  When  Abimelech  was  informed  that  many  had  taken 
refuge  in  this  tower,  he  took  an  axe  in  his  hand,  and  cut  down 
a  bough  from  the  trees;  and  took  it  and  laid  it  on  his  shoulder, 
and  commanded  his  men  to  do  likewise,  and  they  set  fire  to  the 
hold  and  burnt  it,  with  about  a  thousand  persons  who  had  fled 
thither  for  refuge.  Thus  the  city  of  Shechem  was  brought  to 
desolation,  and  its  inhabitants  were  utterly  destroyed ;  a  just 
punishment  for  their  cruel  and  ungrateful  conduct  towards  the 
house  of  Gideon. 

And  Abimelech  himself  did  not  long  escape  the  vengeance  of 
a  righteous  Providence ;  for  having  obtained  such  a  signal  vic- 
tory over  the  Shechemites,  he  went  on  to  besiege  another  city, 


THE   ISRAELITES.  233 

the  name  of  which  was  Thebez ;  and  he  took  it ;  but  there  was 
here  also  a  strong  tower,  into  which  the  inhabitants  fled,  and 
into  which  they  carried  their  most  valuable  property.  While 
he  was  pressing  on  the  siege  of  this  tower,  and  had  come  near 
to  it  to  set  it  on  fire,  as  he  had  done  at  Shechem,  "  a  certain 
woman  cast  a  piece  of  a  mill-stone  upon  Abimelech's  head, 
and  all  to  break  his  skull.  Then  he  called  hastily  unto  the 
young  man,  his  armour-bearer,  and  said  unto  him,  Draw  thy 
sword,  and  slay  me,  that  men  say  not  of  me,  a  woman  slew  him. 
And  his  young  man  thrust  him  through,  and  he  died."  Here  we 
see  that  the  ruling  passion  of  this  ambitious  man  was  strong  in 
death.  "Thus  God  rendered  the  wickedness  of  Abimelech, 
which  he  did  unto  his  father's  house,  in  slaying  his  seventy 
brethren.  And  all  the  evil  of  the  men  of  Shechem  did  God 
render  upon  their  heads ;  and  upon  them  came  the  curse  of 
Jotham  the  son  of  Jerubbaal." 


SECTION  XXII. 

TOLA  JUDGES  ISRAEL  FOR  TWENTY  TEARS — IS  SUCCEEDED  BY  JAIR — THE  ISRAEL- 
ITES DECLINE  TO  IDOLATRY — FALL  UNDER  THE  DOMINION  OF  AMMON — A  RE- 
FORMATION COMMENCED — JEPTHAH  CALLED  TO  LEAD  THE  ARMY. 

AFTER  the  death  of  Abimelech,  the  chief  power,  for  twenty- 
three  years,  was  in  the  hands  of  Tola,  the  son  of  Puah,  the  son 
of  Dodo,  of  the  tribe  of  Issachar.  His  usual  place  of  residence 
was  at  Shamir,  on  mount  Ephraim.  In  this  place  also  was  he 
buried ;  but  of  his  character,  or  achievements,  no  record  has 
been  left. 

Tola  was  succeeded  by  Jair,  a  Gileadite,  who  continued  in 
office  two  and  twenty  years.  The  only  remarkable  thing  which 
is  recorded  of  him,  is,  that  he  had  thirty  sons,  who  rode  on 
thirty  ass-colts,  and  possessed  thirty  cities,  which  for  a  long 
time  were  called  Havoth-jair.  These  cities  were  situated  in 
the  land  of  Gilead.  We  are  not  informed  in  what  city  Jair  had 
his  residence,  but  the  place  of  his  burial  was  Camon. 

"And  the  children  of  Israel  did  evil  again  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord,  and  served  Baalim,  and  Ashtaroth,  and  the  gods  of  Syria, 
and  the  gods  of  Zidon,  and  the  gods  of  Moab,  and  the  gods  of 
the  children  of  Ammon,  and  the  gods  of  the  Philistines,  and 
forsook  the  Lord,  and  served  not  him.  And  the  anger  of  the 
Lord  was  hot  against  Israel,  and  he  sold  them  into  the  hands 
of  the  Philistines,  and  into  the  hands  of  the  children  of  Am- 
mon." The  oppression  which  took  place  bore  heaviest  on  the 
tribes  who  inhabited  the  east  side  of  Jordan,  in  the  land  of 
Gilead ;  but  after  a  while  the  Ammonites  passed  over  Jordan, 
and  invaded  the  territory  of  Judah,  Benjamin,  and  Ephraim, 


234  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

so  that  the  whole  of  Israel  was  sorely  distressed.  In  this  ex- 
tremity, "the  children  of  Israel  cried  unto  the  Lord,  saying, 
We  have  sinned  against  thee,  both  because  we  have  forsaken 
our  God,  and  have  served  Baalim.  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
the  children  of  Israel,  Did  not  I  deliver  you  from  the  Egyptians, 
and  from  the  Amorites ;  from  the  children  of  Ammon,  and  from 
the  Philistines.  The  Zidonians  also,  and  the  Amalekites,  and 
the  Maonites,  did  oppress  you,  and  I  delivered  you  out  of  their 
hand :  yet  ye  have  forsaken  me,  and  served  other  gods ;  where- 
fore I  will  deliver  you  no  more.  Go  and  cry  unto  the  gods 
which  ye  have  chosen  ;  let  them  deliver  you  in  the  time  of  your 
tribulation.  And  the  children  of  Israel  said  unto  the  Lord, 
We  have  sinned :  do  thou  unto  us  whatsoever  seemeth  good  unto 
thee :  deliver  us  only,  we  pray  thee,  this  day.  And  they  put 
away  the  strange  gods  from  among  them,  and  served  the  Lord ; 
and  his  soul  was  grieved  for  the  misery  of  Israel." 

As  the  children  of  Israel  had  now,  by  penitence  and  public 
confession,  commenced  a  reformation,  and  of  course  would  be 
disposed  to  cast  off  the  oppressive  yoke  of  their  enemies,  the 
Ammonites,  their  oppressors,  collected  an  army,  and  encamped 
in  Gilead,  intending  to  inflict  a  heavy  punishment  upon  the 
tribes  of  Israel.  But  the  children  of  Israel  were  not  disposed 
any  longer  to  submit,  and  therefore  they  also  assembled  their 
forces,  and  encamped  in  Mizpeh.  "And  the  people  and  princes 
of  Gilead  said  one  to  another,  What  man  is  he  that  will  begin 
to  fight  against  the  children  of  Ammon?  He  shall  be  head 
over  all  the  inhabitants  of  Gilead."  There  lived,  at  this  time, 
"a  mighty  man  of  valour,"  by  the  name  of  Jephthah.  He  was 
an  illegitimate  son  of  Gilead;  but  as  he  had  sons  by  his  lawful 
wives,  these,  as  soon  "as  they  were  grown  up,  thrust  out  Jeph- 
thah, and  said  unto  him,  thou  shalt  not  inherit  our  father's 
house ;  for  thou  art  the  son  of  a  strange  woman.  Then  Jeph- 
thah fled  from  his  brethren,  and  dwelt  in  the  land  of  Tob,  where 
he  gained  influence,  and  probably  lived  by  predatory  incursions 
into  the  neighbouring  countries ;  for  we  read,  "  that  there  were 
gathered  vain  men  to  Jephthah,  and  went  out  with  him."  Tob 
was  probably  in  Arabia,  which  was  adjacent  to  the  country  of 
Gilead ;  and  we  know  that  the  inhabitants  of  that  country, 
from  the  days  of  their  forefather  Ishmael,  have  been  "wild 
men,"  and  have  subsisted  by  carrying  on  a  predatory  warfare 
against  the  surrounding  nations.  Their  hands  were  against 
every  man,  and  every  man's  hand  was  against  them. 

The  elders  of  Gilead  being  well  acquainted  with  the  valour 
and  military  talents  of  Jephthah,  sent  a  deputation  of  their  num- 
ber to  fetch  him  from  Tob,  to  aid  them,  or  rather  preside  over 
them,  as  their  captain,  in  the  existing  war  against  the  Ammon- 
ites; for  their  message  to  him  was,  "Come,  and  be  our  captain, 


THE   ISRAELITES.  235 

that  we  may  fight  with  the  children  of  Ammon."  "And  Jeph- 
thah  said  unto  the  elders  of  Gilead,  Did  not  ye  hate  me,  and 
expel  me  out  of  my  father's  house  ?  And  why  are  ye  come 
unto  me  now  when  ye  are  in  distress?"  The  elders  of  Gilead 
assured  Jephthah  that  they  were  now  sincerely  desirous  of  having 
him  for  their  chief  and  head,  over  all  the  inhabitants  of  Gilead. 
And  they  confirmed  their  declaration  by  a  solemn  oath,  saying, 
"  The  Lord  be  witness  between  us,  if  we  do  not  so  according  to 
thy  words."  Upon  which,  Jephthah  consented  to  go  with  them, 
and  to  take  upon  himself  the  charge  of  the  war  against  the  Am- 
monites. "And  the  people  made  him  head  and  captain  over 
them:"  and  Jephthah  entered  into  a  solemn  engagement  with 
them,  before  the  Lord,  in  Mizpeh. 


SECTION  XXIII. 

JEPHTHAH   ATTEMPTS    TO    SETTLE  THE   DISPUTE     BY     NEGOTIATION CLAIMS    OF   THE 

KING   OF   AMJHOK JEPHTHAH'S  JUST   VIEW   OF   THE   WHOLE  SUBJECT   IN   HIS   ABLE 

AN8WEK. 

JEPHTHAH  being  now  invested  with  the  chief  command  of  the 
forces  of  Israel,  determined,  as  became  a  wise  and  patriotic 
man,  to  make  an  effort  to  obtain  a  redress  of  grievances  by 
negotiation.  He,  therefore,  sent  ambassadors  to  the  king  of 
the  Ammonites,  instructed  to  address  to  him  a  solemn  memorial 
and  remonstrance,  in  which  he  clearly  exhibited  the  justice  of 
the  cause  of  Israel.  These  ambassadors  were  directed,  first,  to 
say,  "What  hast  thou  to  do  with  me,  that  thou  art  come  against 
me  to  fight  in  my  land?"  To  which  message,  the  king  of  Am- 
mon answered,  "Because  Israel  took  away  my  land,  when  they 
came  up  out  of  Egypt,  even  from  Arnon  unto  Jabbok,  and  unto 
Jordan ;  now,  therefore,  restore  those  lands  again  peaceably."  To 
which  Jephthah,  by  his  messengers,  replied,  "Israel  took  not 
away  the  land  of  Moab,  nor  the  land  of  the  children  of  Ammon. 
But  when  Israel  came  up  from  Egypt,  and  walked  through  the 
wilderness  unto  the  Red  sea,  and  came  to  Kadesh,  then  Israel 
sent  messengers  unto  the  king  of  Edom,  saying,  Let  me,  I  pray 
thee,  pass  through  thy  land ;  but  the  king  of  Edom  would  not 
hearken  thereto ;  and  in  like  manner  they  sent  unto  the  king  of 
Moab,  and  he  would  not  consent:  and  Israel  abode  in  Kadesh. 
Then  they  went  through  the  wilderness,  and  compassed  the 
land  of  Edom;  and  came  by  the  east  side  of  the  land  of  Moab, 
and  pitched  on  the  other  side  of  Arnon,  but  came  not  within 
the  border  of  Moab,  for  Arnon  was  the  border  of  Moab.  And 
Israel  sent  messengers  unto  Sihon  king  of  the  Amorites,  the 
king  of  Heshbon.  And  Israel  said  unto  him,  Let  us  pass,  we 
pray  thee,  through  thy  land,  unto  our  place.  But  Sihon  trusted 


236  HISTORY  OF  THE    ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

not  Israel  to  pass  through  his  coast ;  but  Sihon  gathered  all 
his  people  together,  and  pitched  in  Jahaz,  and  fought  against 
Israel ;  and  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  delivered  Sihon,  and  all  his 
people,  into  the  hand  of  Israel,  and  they  smote  them ;  so  Israel 
possessed  all  the  land  of  the  Amorites,  the  inhabitants  of  that 
country.  And  they  possessed  all  the  coasts  of  the  Amorites, 
from  Arnon  even  unto  Jabbok ;  and  from  the  wilderness  even 
unto  Jordan.  So  now  the  God  of  Israel  hath  dispossessed 
the  Amorites  from  before  his  people  Israel,  and  shouldest  thou 
possess  it  ?  Wilt  not  thou  possess  that  which  Chemosh  thy  god 
giveth  thee  to  possess  ?  So  whomsoever  the  Lord  our  God  shall 
drive  out  from  before  us,  them  will  we  possess.  And  now,  art 
thou  any  thing  better  than  Balak,  the  son  of  Zippor,  king  of 
Moab  ?  Did  he  ever  strive  against  Israel,  or  did  he  ever  fight 
against  them,  while  Israel  dwelt  in  Heshbon  and  her  towns, 
and  in  Aroer  and  her  towns,  and  in  all  the  cities  that  be  along 
by  the  coasts  of  Arnon,  three  hundred  years  ?  Why,  therefore, 
did  ye  not  recover  them  within  that  time  ?  Wherefore  I  have 
not  sinned  against  thee,  but  thou  doest  me  wrong  to  war  against 
me.  The  Lord,  the  Judge,  be  judge  this  day  between  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  and  the  children  of  Ammon."  From  this  sensi- 
ble and  just  remonstrance  of  Jephthah,  it  appears,  that  he  pos- 
sessed an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  past  history  of  the  Israel- 
ites. The  narrative  of  events  which  he  gives,  agrees  exactly 
•with  the  history  contained  in  the  books  of  Moses.  There  is 
here  also  an  important  note  of  the  period  of  time  which  had 
elapsed  since  the  children  of  Israel  arrived  at  Jordan,  on  their 
march  from  Egypt.  Perhaps,  however,  a  round  number  is  used 
by  Jephthah,  as  coming  near  to  the  time;  for  precision  as  to  the 
exact  number  of  years  was  not  essential  to  his  argument.  He 
mentions  three  hundred  years,  as  the  period  during  which  the 
children  of  Israel  had  had  possession  of  the  country  now  in 
dispute.  This  period  would  be  of  great  importance  in  fixing 
the  chronology  of  the  Bible,  if  we  could  depend  upon  it  as  being 
entirely  exact,  for  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  ascertain  the  time 
which  had  elapsed  from  the  length  of  the  government  of  the 
successive  judges,  since  there  might  have  been  intervals  when 
no  judge  exercised  authority  over  the  people ;  and  we  do  not 
know  exactly  how  long  it  was  from  the  entering  Canaan  to  the 
commencement  of  the  authority  of  the  first  judge,  after  the 
death  of  Joshua. 


THE   ISRAELITES.  237 


SECTION  XXIV. 

JEPHTHAH'S  VOW — HIS  DAUGHTER  COMES   OUT  TO    MEET  HER    FATHER HIS  DISTRESS 

HER  PIETY  AND  SUBMISSION — AN    INQUIRY  WHETHER   JEPHTHAH  ACTUALLY  PUT 

HIS  DAUGHTER  TO  DEATH — LAMENTATION  FOR  HER  BY  THE  DAUGHTERS  OF  ISRAEL. 

NEGOTIATION  having  proved  ineffectual  to  bring  the  Ammonites 
to  reasonable  terms,  Jephthah  prepared  for  war.  "  Then  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  Jephthah,  and  he  passed  over 
Gilead  and  Manasseh,  and  passed  over  Mizpeh  of  Gilead,  and 
he  passed  over  unto  the  children  of  Ammon.  And  Jephthah 
vowed  a  vow  unto  the  Lord,  and  said,  If  thou  shalt  without  fail 
deliver  the  children  of  Ammon  into  my  hands,  then  it  shall  be 
that  whatsoever  cometh  forth  of  the  doors  of  my  house  to  meet 
me,  when  I  return  in  peace  from  the  children  of  Ammon,  shall 
surely  be  the  Lord's,  and  I  will  offer  it  up  for  a  burnt-offering." 
In  the  marginal  reading,  we  have  or  instead  of  and,  in  this  last 
sentence;  and  this,  many  learned  commentators  consider  the 
true  interpretation ;  for  although  the  Hebrew  particle  is  used 
for  and,  in  a  vast  majority  of  instances,  yet  there  are  many 
cases  in  which  it  must  be  rendered  or,  to  make  a  sense  con- 
sistent with  the  context.  And  in  this  passage  there  exist 
strong  reasons  for  such  an  interpretation.  Jephthah  seems  to 
have  been  a  man  of  sense,  and  to  have  had  a  regard  for  justice 
and  right.  He  was,  moreover,  according  to  the  testimony  of 
Paul,  a  man  distinguished  for  his  faith,  as  his  name  is  inserted 
in  the  catalogue  of  eminent  believers,  which  this  apostle  has 
given  us  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  his  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews : 
and  in  this  very  passage,  he  is  represented  as  acting  under  the 
impulse  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Now  it  is  not  reasonable  to  sup- 
pose that  such  a  man  would  make  a  vow  to  offer  as  a  burnt- 
offering  a  human  being,  much  less  his  own  daughter,  if  one  of 
these  should  first  come  out  of  the  house  to  meet  him  ?  Or, 
suppose  a  dog,  or  a  swine,  to  have  been  the  animal  to  meet 
him,  would  he,  as  an  Israelite,  have  dared  to  offer  such  a  sacri- 
fice on  the  altar  of  God  ?  Or  would  the  high-priest  have  per- 
mitted such  a  profanation.  The  vow  to  offer  as  a  burnt-offer- 
ing a  human  being,  or  an  unclean  animal,  would  have  been  an 
impious  vow,  which  God  never  could  have  accepted  and  an- 
swered :  but  the  vow  of  Jephthah  was  effectual.  He  obtained  of 
the  Lord  the  very  favour  which  he  petitioned  for  in  making  this 
vow.  From  all  these  considerations,  I  am  disposed  to  favour 
the  marginal  reading,  and  this  opinion  is  confirmed  by  the 
manner  in  which  the  execution  of  the  vow  is  related;  of  which 
an  account  will  immediately  be  given.  The  sense  of  the  vow, 
then,  according  to  this  explanation,  is,  that  if  he  should  be  suc- 
cessful in  overcoming  Ammon,  Jephthah  promises,  that  what- 


238  HISTORY  OF   THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

ever  person  or  animal  should  come  out  of  his  house  to  meet 
him,  should  be  devoted  unto  God ;  or  if  an  animal  suitable  for 
sacrifice,  should  be  offered  up  as  a  burnt-offering.  "  So  Jeph- 
thah  passed  over  unto  the  children  of  Ammon  to  fight  against 
them,  and  the  Lord  delivered  them  into  his  hands.  And  he 
smote  them  from  Aroer  even  until  thou  came  to  Minnith, 
twenty  cities,  and  unto  the  plain  of  the  vineyards,  with  a  very 
great  slaughter.  Thus  the  children  of  Ammon  were  subdued 
before  the  children  of  Israel. 

"And  Jephthah  came  to  Mizpeh  to  his  house,  and,  behold,  his 
daughter  came  out  to  meet  him  with  timbrels  and  with  dances : 
and  she  was  his  only  child.  Beside  her  he  had  neither  son 
nor  daughter.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  saw  her,  that 
he  rent  his  clothes,  and  said,  Alas,  my  daughter!  thou  hast 
brought  me  very  low,  and  thou  art  one  of  them  that  trouble 
me ;  for  I  have  opened  my  mouth  unto  the  Lord,  and  I  cannot 
go  back.  And  she  said  unto  him,  My  father,  if  thou  hast 
opened  thy  mouth  unto  the  Lord,  do  to  me  according  to  that 
which  hath  proceeded  out  of  thy  mouth;  forasmuch  as  the 
Lord  hath  taken  vengeance  for  thee  on  thine  enemies,  even  of 
the  children  of  Ammon.  And  she  said  unto  her  father,  Let 
this  thing  be  done  for  me:  let  me  alone  two  months,  that  I 
may  go  up  and  down  upon  the  mountains,  and  bewail  my  vir- 
ginity :  I  and  my  fellows.  And  he  said,  Go.  And  he  sent  her 
away  for  two  months ;  and  she  went  with  her  companions,  and 
bewailed  her  virginity  upon  the  mountains.  And  it  came  to 
pass,  at  the  end  of  two  months,  that  she  returned  unto  her 
father,  who  did  with  her  according  to  the  vow  which  he  had 
vowed :  and  she  knew  no  man.  And  it  was  a  custom  in  Israel, 
that  the  daughters  of  Israel  went  yearly  to  lament  the  daugh- 
ter of  Jephthah  the  Gileadite,  four  days  in  a  year." 

The  lamentation  made  in  this  case  by  Jephthah,  was  not 
greater  than  was  natural,  upon  the  supposition  that  his 
daughter  was  to  spend  her  life  in  celibacy,  in  some  re- 
tired place:  for  this  cut  off  all  hope  of  offspring,  the  desire 
of  which  is  instinctive,  and  among  the  Israelites  was  pecu- 
liarly strong ;  so  that  to  be  without  any  one  to  be  their  heir 
and  successor,  was  deemed  in  that  nation  a  grievous  curse. 
But  if  Jephthah  had  now  felt  himself  bound  by  his  vow  to  offer 
up  his  daughter  as  a  burnt-offering,  his  signs  of  sorrow  would 
have  been  much  more  violent.  We  may  well  suppose  that  he 
would,  instead  of  being  contented  with  a  single  pathetic  lamen- 
tation, have  rent  his  clothes,  and  laid  himself  down  upon  the 
ground,  covered  with  sackcloth  and  ashes,  for  at  least  seven 
days.  It  is  also  reasonable  to  conjecture,  that  his  eyes  would 
now  have  been  opened  to  perceive  the  rashness  and  impiety  of 
such  a  vow ;  and  that  he  would  now  deeply  lament  his  sin  in 


THE   ISRAELITES.  239 

making  it.  And  if  the  army  of  Israel  interposed  by  force  to 
prevent  king  Saul  from  putting  Jonathan  to  death,  when  he 
had  brought  himself  under  the  obligation  of  a  vow  to  that  effect, 
we  may  well  suppose  that  Jephthah  would  not  have  been  per- 
mitted to  sacrifice  his  only  child,  if  he  had  felt  himself  bound 
to  perform  the  act.  The  truth,  however,  is,  that  all  such  vows, 
as  being  contrary  to  the  law  of  God,  cannot  create  a  moral 
obligation ;  for  then  man,  by  his  own  wicked  act,  might  nullify 
the  law  of  God. 

Again,  the  way  in  which  Jephthah's  daughter  received  the 
information  of  her  father's  vow,  shows  that  it  could  not  be 
that  she  understood  that  she  was  to  be  offered  up  as  a  burnt- 
offering.  Certainly,  the  offering  of  human  victims,  except  to 
Moloch,  was  a  thing  unknown  in  Israel ;  and  the  idea  of  being 
thus  sacrificed,  must,  at  the  first  hearing  of  the  intention,  have 
been  shocking  and  overwhelming  to  the  feelings  of  a  young 
female;  and  however  ardent  her  filial  piety,  she  could  not  so 
calmly  and  cheerfully  have  requested  her  father  to  fulfil  his 
vow;  especially,  her  piety  if  at  all  enlightened,  would  have 
revolted  against  being  made  a  sacrifice  in  direct  violation  of  the 
law  of  God.  The  request  to  spend  two  months  with  her  com- 
panions, "to  lament  her  virginity,"  seems  to  prove  that  the 
vow  of  Jephthah  related  not  to  the  death  of  his  daughter,  but  to 
a  life  of  celibacy  in  some  recluse  place.  That  there  did  exist 
some  custom  of  this  kind  in  Israel,  is  probable,  from  many 
sources  of  evidence.  The  same  conclusion  is  deducible  from 
the  statement,  that  she  never  had  intercourse  with  any  man ; 
which  on  any  other  supposition  would  be  a  strange  and  irrele- 
vant remark. 

The  record,  "that  Jephthah  did  with  her  according  to  his 
vow"  is  scarcely  reconcilable  with  the  idea  that  he  killed  his 
child.  The  sacred  historian  would  have  entered  more  into  the 
circumstances  of  an  action  so  extraordinary,  as  we  find  done  in 
the  case  of  Abraham,  when  commanded  to  offer  up  Isaac  for  a 
burnt-offering.  And  we  might  have  expected  some  remark  to 
justify  or  condemn  the  act,  lest  it  should  be  inferred  from  the 
bare  mention  of  the  fact,  that  such  vows,  and  such  actions  in 
fulfilment  of  them,  were  lawful  to  other  persons. 

The  last  sentence  in  the  history  of  this  transaction  is  difficult 
of  interpretation.  "  That  it  became  a  custom  for  the  daugh- 
ters of  Israel  to  lament  the  daughter  of  Jepthah  the  Gileadite, 
four  days  in  the  year."  This  does,  indeed,  as  here  translated, 
seem  to  indicate  that  she  had  been  sacrificed,  at  least,  was  dead. 
But  this  version  is  not  literally  exact,  and  was  evidently  made 
to  suit  the  hypothesis  which  we  reject.  The  literal  translation 
here  is,  as  in  many  other  places,  set  down  in  the  margin: 
"The  daughters  of  Israel  went  yearly  to  talk  with  the  daughter 


240  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

of  Jephthah,  four  days  in  the  year."  Now,  while  this  is  utterly 
repugnant  to  the  common  interpretation,  it  not  only  accords 
with  that  which  we  defend,  but  furnishes  a  convincing  evidence 
of  its  truth.  For  if  the  daughters  of  Israel  could  talk  with  her, 
she  certainly  was  still  in  the  land  of  the  living.  And  if  she 
was  shut  up  in  some  recluse  place,  this  visit  would  be  a  very 
natural  and  proper  thing.  One  other  remark  on  this  passage 
is,  that  we  never  find  that  it  was  a  custom  in  Israel  to  have  an 
anniversary  mourning  for  the  dead. 

From  all  these  considerations,  the  opinion  that  Jephthah  did 
not  offer  up  his  daughter  as  a  burnt-offering,  seems  to  be  highly 
probable,  if  not  absolutely  certain. 


SECTION  XXV. 

INGRATITUDE  OF  THE  PEOPLE  TOWARDS  JEPHTHAH — HIS  VINDICATION  OF  HIMSELF 
AND  BRETHREN — THE  MEN  OF  EPHRAIM  SMITTEN  AT  THE  FORDS  OF  JORDAH — 
DETECTED  BY  THEIR  PRONUNCIATION  OF  A  WORD JEPHTHAH  DIES,  AFTER  A  GOV- 
ERNMENT OF  ONLY  SIX  YEARS. 

INGRATITUDE  to  benefactors  and  deliverers,  and  discontent  with 
the  most  favourable  circumstances,  are  the  characteristics  of  the 
multitude  in  every  country.  The  men  of  Ephraim  were  not 
satisfied  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  Jephthah's  great  victory.  When 
the  country  of  Gilead,  the  possession  of  the  Reubenites,  was 
subdued  and  oppressed  by  the  Ammonites,  earnest  application 
had  been  made  to  the  tribes  on  the  west  of  Jordan,  to  aid  in 
expelling  these  oppressors ;  but  they,  being  themselves  in  no 
immediate  danger,  neglected  to  send  any  assistance  to  their 
suffering  brethren,  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  But  now, 
when  a  great  victory  had  been  obtained  by  the  courage  and 
generalship  of  Jephthah,  the  Ephraimites  made  it  the  ground  of  a 
fierce  accusation  against  him,  that  they  had  not  been  invited  to 
take  part  in  the  war.  "Wherefore,"  said  they,  "passedst  thou 
over  to  fight  against  the  children  of  Ammon,  and  didst  not  call 
us  to  go  with  thee?  We  will  burn  thy  house  upon  thee  with  fire. 
And  Jephthah  said  unto  them,  I  and  my  people  were  at  great 
strife  with  the  children  of  Ammon ;  and  when  I  called  you,  ye 
delivered  me  not  out  of  their  hands.  And  when  I  saw  that  ye 
delivered  me  not,  I  put  my  life  in  my  hands,  and  passed  over 
against  the  children  of  Ammon,  and  the  Lord  delivered  them 
into  my  hand ;  wherefore,  then,  are  ye  come  up  unto  me,  this 
day,  to  fight  against  me?"  But  these  unreasonable  men  would 
not  be  satisfied  with  any  explanation.  Jephthah  was  under  the 
necessity  of  contending  with  them  in  battle,  or  of  giving  him- 
self and  his  property  into  their  hands.  To  threats,  the  men  of 
Ephraim  also  added  bitter  reproaches,  saying,  "Ye  Gileadites 


THE   ISRAELITES.  241 

are  fugitives  of  Ephraim."  But  their  insolence  met  with  a 
signal  chastisement;  for  in  the  battle  -which  ensued,  they  were 
beaten,  and  fled:  but  the  Gileadites  seized  the  fords  of  Jordan, 
and  intercepted  and  slew  the  fugitives.  It  was  difficult,  how- 
ever, for  the  men  who  guarded  the  fords  to  distinguish,  in  all 
cases,  between  friends  and  foes ;  therefore,  when  any  one  asked 
permission  to  go  over,  "they  said  unto  him,  Art  thou  an 
Ephraimite?  If  he  said  Nay,  then  said  they  unto  him,  Say 
now  shibboleth;  and  he  said  sibboleth,  for  he  could  not  frame  to 
pronounce  it  aright."  Then  they  took  him  and  slew  him,  at 
the  passages  of  Jordan;  and  there  fell  at  that  time  of  the 
Ephraimites  forty  and  two  thousand.  This  was  a  severe  stroke 
on  this  proud  tribe ;  but  they  had  nobody  to  blame  but  them- 
selves: they  engaged  in  this  war  without  the  shadow  of  a  rea- 
son, and  God  in  just  displeasure  gave  the  victory  to  Jephthah, 
who  trusted  in  him.  From  this  narrative  it  appears,  that  by 
this  time  some  difference  had  arisen  in  the  pronunciation  of  the 
Hebrew  language;  at  any  rate,  a  difference  in  the  sound  of  one 
letter;  and,  as  is  often  the  case,  the  men  of  Ephraim  were  un- 
able to  frame  their  organs  so  as  to  give  the  true  sound  to  the 
word  selected  as  a  test.  Hence,  probably,  the  origin  of  the 
double  sound  which  that  letter  has  to  this  day. 

The  government  of  Jephthah  lasted  no  more  than  six  years. 
He  seems  to  have  died  a  natural  death,  as  we  read  that  he 
"was  buried  in  one  of  the  cities  of  Gilead." 


SECTION  XXVI. 

IBZAN    OF    BETH-LEHEM NATUHE     OF     THE     THEOCKACT — ELON    OF     ZEBULON   NEXT 

JUDGES  ISRAEL ABDON  OF  EPHEAIM — GREAT  INCREASE    OF  POPULATION  AND  THE 

NUMBER   IN    THEIR   ARMIES. 

THE  next  judge  or  ruler  in  Israel,  was  Ibzan  of  Beth-lehem. 
This  man  seems  to  have  lived  in  peaceable  times,  as  there  is  no 
account  of  any  enemy  infesting  Israel  in  his  days :  the  success- 
ful war  against  the  Ammonites,  under  Jephthah,  seems  to  have, 
for  a  while,  intimidated  the  foes  of  Israel.  The  only  thing 
which  the  sacred  historian  has  thought  proper  to  relate  of  this 
JBeth-lehemite  is,  the  remarkable  fact,  that  he  was  the  father  of 
thirty  sons  and  thirty  daughters;  and  by  means  of  these  he 
formed  an  extensive  connexion,  and  thus  enlarged  his  influence ; 
for  he  sent  abroad  his  daughters,  giving  them  in  marriage  to 
the  men  of  the  land ;  and  sent  and  took  wives  to  his  sons  from 
abroad.  The  period  of  Ibzan's  government  was  also  short ;  he 
judged  Israel  only  seven  years,  and  died,  and  was  buried  at 
Beth-lehem. 

The  rulers  of  Israel,  during  the  period  of  which  we  are  now 
16 


242  HISTORY   OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

treating,  were  not  taken  from  any  particular  family  or  tribe, 
but  were  brought  forward  by  the  providence  of  God,  or  by  the 
inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  government  of  Israel,  so 
far  as  the  enacting  of  laws  was  concerned,  was  a  theocracy:  no 
rulers,  prophets,  judges,  or  priests,  had  any  authority  to  alter 
these  laws.  The  elders  of  the  people,  seventy  in  number,  and 
the  officers  of  different  degrees  of  authority,  who  were  established 
by  Moses,  were  regularly  continued,  and  in  all  that  related  to 
the  ritual  law  and  the  worship  of  the  tabernacle,  the  high  priest 
and  other  priests  had  the  right  to  regulate  every  thing  agree- 
ably to  the  commandments  of  the  Lord  by  Moses.  But  when 
the  country  was  invaded  by  a  foreign  foe,  or  fell  under  the 
power  of  some  oppressive  tyrant,  there  was  need  of  an  extraor- 
dinary ruler,  with  something  of  the  power  of  a  dictator,  who 
might  concentrate  the  forces  of  the  tribes,  and  lead  them  out  to 
battle.  Or,  when  disputes  arose  between  the  tribes  themselves, 
there  was  required  a  judge,  whose  authority  would  be  respected 
on  account  of  his  tried  wisdom  and  public  services;  or  more 
especially,  because  he  gave  evidence  that  he  was  acting  under 
the  direction,  and  as  the  vicegerent  of  God. 

The  next  judge  raised  up  by  the  providence  of  God,  was 
Elon,  a  Zebulonite.  I  do  not  remember  that  mention  is  made 
of  any  prophet  or  other  distinguished  man  beside,  arising  out 
of  this  tribe.  To  this  fact  reference  seems  to  have  been  had, 
when  it  was  said,  "  Search  and  see,  whether  any  prophet  ariseth 
out  of  Galilee."  Elon  judged  Israel  ten  years,  and  died,  and 
was  buried  in  Ajalon,  in  the  country  of  Zebulon:  and  this  is 
the  only  circumstance  left  on  record  concerning  him. 

The  next  judge  or  ruler  was  of  the  tribe  of  Ephraim.  His 
native  place,  which  was  also  the  place  of  his  burial,  was  Pira- 
thon.  His  name  was  Abdon,  and  that  circumstance  by  which  he 
was  chiefly  distinguished,  was,  that  he  had  forty  sons  and  thirty 
nephews,  that  rode  upon  seventy  ass-colts.  The  duration  of  his 
reign  was  eight  years.  His  father's  name  was  Hillel,  and  his 
native  town  was  in  the  mount  of  the  Amalekites. 

From  the  number  of  children  which  are  frequently  mentioned 
in  the  sacred  history  as  belonging  to  one  family,  we  are  led  to 
believe  that  the  increase  of  population  among  the  Israelites  was 
extraordinary.  A  former  judge  had  thirty  sons,  and  as  many 
daughters ;  and  Abdon  had  no  less  than  forty  sons.  It  is  by 
no  means  necessary  to  suppose,  nor,  indeed,  is  it  at  all  proba- 
ble, that  all  these  were  born  of  one  mother.  The  custom  or 
polygamy,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  prevailed  through  all  the 
period  of  which  we  are  now  treating.  Though  never  expressly 
sanctioned  by  divine  authority,  like  divorce,  it  was  permitted  to 
exist.  From  these  instances  of  a  numerous  progeny,  we  may 
account  for  the  greatness  of  the  population,  the  accounts  of 


THE   ISRAELITES.  243 

which  have  appeared  to  some  altogether  extravagant,  and  in- 
commensurate with  the  narrow  limits  of  the  country;  and  it 
must  be  remembered,  that,  in  those  days,  every  man  was  a 
soldier,  and  was  expected  to  turn  out  when  an  enemy  invaded 
the  country. 


SECTION  XXVII. 

AN    ANGEL   APPEARS    TO   THE    WIFE   OP     MANOAH — AND   AGAIN     TO     HER    AND     HER 

HUSBAND — SAMSON   IS    BORN A  NAZARITE  FROM  THE  WOMB — ISRAEL  UNDER    THE 

TORE   OF   THE   PHILISTINES — SAMSON   SEEKS   A    WIFE    OF     THIS   RACE   AT    TIMNATH 

SLAYS   A   LION     ON   HIS   WAT  TO  VISIT    HER — HIS     MARRIAGE — HIS     RIDDLE ITS 

MEANING   DISCOVERED    BY   HIS  WIFE HIS  METHOD  OF  PAYING   THE    FORFEIT — HIS 

WIFE    GIVEN   TO    ANOTHER. 

THE  children  of  Israel  furnish  a  striking  proof  of  the  proneness 
of  human  nature  to  depart  from  God.  They  were  probably  no 
worse  than  any  other  nation  would  have  been  in  the  same  cir- 
cumstances; and  yet  they  were  for  ever  disposed  to  revolt 
against  the  Divine  government,  although,  in  the  providence  of 
God,  they  uniformly  suffered  for  their  disobedience.  The  sur- 
rounding nations,  through  whose  influence  they  were  led  astray, 
were  also  the  instruments  made  use  of  by  a  just  sovereign,  to 
chastise  them  for  their  sins.  For  forty  years  they  were  under 
the  grinding  oppression  of  the  Philistines.  At  the  close  of  this 
long  period  of  affliction  the  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  unto 
the  wife  of  Manoah,  of  the  tribe  of  Dan,  who  had  never  borne 
a  child,  and  said  unto  her,  "  Thou  shalt  conceive  and  bear  a 
son.  Now,  therefore,  beware,  I  pray  thee,  and  drink  not  wine 
nor  strong  drink,  and  eat  not  any  unclean  thing.  For  lo,  thou 
shalt  conceive  and  bear  a  son:  and  no  razor  shall  come  on  his 
head;  for  the  child  shall  be  a  Nazarite  unto  God  from  the 
womb ;  and  he  shall  begin  to  deliver  Israel  out  of  the  hand  of 
the  Philistines.  Then  the  woman  came  and  told  her  husband, 
saying,  A  man  of  God  came  unto  me,  and  his  countenance  was 
like  the  countenance  of  an  angel  of  God,  very  terrible ;  but  I 
asked  him  not  whence  he  was,  neither  told  he  me  his  name." 
"  Then  Manoah  entreated  the  Lord,  and  said,  0  my  Lord,  let 
the  man  of  God  which  thou  didst  send  come  again  unto  us,  and 
teach  us  what  we  shall  do  unto  the  child  that  shall  be  born. 
And  God  hearkened  unto  the  voice  of  Manoah,  and  the 
angel  of  God  came  again  unto  the  woman,  as  she  sat  in  the 
field ;  but  Manoah  her  husband  was  not  with  her.  And  the 
woman  made  haste,  and  ran,  and  showed  her  husband,  and  said 
unto  him,  behold  the  man  hath  appeared  unto  me  that  came 
unto  me  the  other  day.  And  Manoah  arose,  and  went  after  his 
wife,  and  came  to  the  man,  and  said  unto  him,  Art  thou  the  man 
that  spakest  unto  the  woman?  And  he  said,  I  am.  And  Ma- 


244  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

noah  said,  Now  let  thy  words  come  to  pass :  how  shall  we  order 
the  child?  and  how  shall  we  do  unto  him?  And  the  angel  of 
the  Lord  said  unto  Manoah,  Of  all  that  I  said  unto  the  woman, 
let  her  heware.  She  may  not  eat  of  any  thing  that  cometh  of 
the  vine,  neither  let  her  drink  wine  or  strong  drink,  nor  eat 
any  unclean  thing:  all  that  I  commanded  her  let  her  observe. 
And  Manoah  said  unto  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  I  pray  thee,  let 
us  detain  thee,  until  we  shall  have  made  ready  a  kid  for  thee. 
And  the  angel  of  the  Lord  said  unto  Manoah,  Though  thou  de- 
tain me,  I  will  not  eat  of  thy  bread ;  and  if  thou  wilt  offer  a 
burnt-offering,  thou  must  offer  it  unto  the  Lord:  for  Manoah 
knew  not  that  he  was  an  angel  of  the  Lord.  And  Manoah  said 
unto  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  What  is  thy  name,  that  when  thy 
sayings  come  to  pass  we  may  do  thee  honour?  And  the  angel 
of  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Why  askest  thou  thus  after  my  name, 
seeing  it  is  secret  ?  So  Manoah  took  a  kid  with  a  meat-offer- 
ing, and  offered  it  upon  a  rock  unto  the  Lord.  And  the  angel 
did  wondrously ;  and  Manoah  and  his  wife  looked  on.  For  it 
came  to  pass  when  the  flame  went  up  toward  heaven  from  off 
the  altar,  that  the  angel  of  the  Lord  ascended  in  the  flame  of 
the  altar :  and  Manoah  and  his  wife  looked  on  it,  and  fell  on 
their  faces  to  the  ground.  But  the  angel  of  the  Lord  did  no 
more  appear  to  Manoah  and  to  his  wife.  Then  Manoah  knew 
that  he  was  an  angel  of  the  Lord.  And  Manoah  said  unto  his 
wife,  We  shall  surely  die,  because  we  have  seen  God.  But  his 
wife  said  unto  him,  If  the  Lord  were  pleased  to  kill  us,  he  would 
not  have  received  a  burnt-offering  and  a  meat-offering  at  our 
hands ;  neither  would  he  have  showed  us  all  these  things ;  nor 
would,  as  at  this  time,  have  told  us  such  things  as  these. 

"And  the  woman  bare  a  son,  and  called  his  name  Samson: 
and  the  child  grew,  and  the  Lord  blessed  him."  When  he  be- 
came a  man,  he  was,  at  certain  seasons,  under  a  divine  impulse 
from  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  in  the  camp  of  Dan,  between  Zo- 
rah  and  Eshtaol. 

Samson  was  a  man  of  supernatural  strength  of  body,  which 
endowment  was  connected  with  his  condition  as  a  Nazarite ;  but 
he  seems  to  have  been  also  a  man  of  strong  passions,  over  which 
he  did  not  exercise  that  control  which  the  principles  of  virtue 
and  piety  required.  One  of  the  evils  arising  to  the  Israelites 
from  their  subjection  to  the  Philistines  was,  the  intermarriages 
to  which  it  gave  rise,  between  their  young  people.  Samson, 
among  others,  fell  into  this  snare.  Happening,  at  Timnath,  to 
see  a  young  woman  of  the  daughters  of  the  Philistines,  with 
whom  he  was  greatly  pleased,  he  requested  his  parents  to  pro- 
cure her  as  a  wife  for  him.  In  vain  did  they  remonstrate 
against  his  purpose,  for  his  passion  had  obtained  the  complete 
mastery  over  him,  and  he  insisted  that  his  father  should  get 


THE   ISRAELITES.  245 

this  woman  for  him.  His  parents,  finding  it  useless  to  oppose 
the  headstrong  inclination  of  their  son,  yielded  to  his  wishes 
with  great  reluctance;  not  knowing  that  Providence  was  order- 
ing and  disposing  of  this  event  to  bring  about  a  deliverance  of 
the  people  from  the  yoke  of  the  Philistines.  They,  however, 
judged  it  expedient  to  go  down  with  their  son  to  Timnath. 

And  when  Samson  came  to  the  vineyards  of  Timnath,  a 
young  lion  came  roaring  against  him:  "and  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  came  mightily  upon  him,  and  he  rent  him  as  he  would 
have  rent  a  kid,  and  he  had  nothing  in  his  hand."  At  this 
time  his  parents  were  not  present  with  him,  and  he  did  not  in- 
form them  when  they  came  up  of  the  event  which  had  occurred. 
This  visit  to  the  woman  of  Timnath  served  to  rivet  his  attach- 
ment, and  at  this  time  all  matters  were  agreed  upon  between 
the  parties.  Accordingly,  at  the  appointed  time,  Samson  re- 
turned to  Timnath  to  celebrate  his  nuptials;  and  feeling  a 
curiosity  to  see  what  had  become  of  the  carcass  of  the  lion 
which  he  had  slain  on  his  former  visit,  he  turned  aside,  and 
"behold  there  was  a  swarm  of  bees,  and  honey  in  the  carcass 
of  the  lion.  And  he  took  thereof  in  his  hands,  and  went  on 
eating,  and  came  to  his  father  and  mother,  and  he  gave  them, 
and  they  did  eat;  but  he  told  them  not  that  he  had  taken  the 
honey  out  of  the  carcass  of  the  lion."  From  this  account  it  is 
evident  that  some  months  must  have  elapsed  between  these  two 
visits ;  for  that  was  required  to  render  it  practicable  for  a  swarm 
of  bees  to  build  their  combs  and  prepare  their  honey  in  the  car- 
cass of  the  lion.  In  that  warm  region,  where  it  rains  but  sel- 
dom in  the  summer  season,  it  is  probable  that  the  carcass  had 
become  dry,  and  so,  the  intestines  being  taken  out,  and  the 
body  suspended  on  the  limb  of  a  tree,  might  furnish  a  very 
convenient  receptacle  for  a  swarm  of  bees. 

The  marriage  feast  was  celebrated  for  seven  days,  according 
to  the  custom  of  the  place ;  and  thirty  companions  were  pro- 
vided to  attend  on  the  bridegroom.  "And  Samson  said  unto 
them,  I  will  now  put  forth  a  riddle  unto  you :  if  ye  can  cer- 
tainly declare  it  me,  within  the  seven  days  of  the  feast,  and  find 
it  out,  then  I  will  give  you  thirty  sheets  and  thirty  change  of 
garments:  but  if  ye  cannot  declare  it  me,  then  shall  ye  give 
me  thirty  sheets  and  thirty  change  of  garments.  And  they 
said  unto  him,  Put  forth  thy  riddle,  that  we  may  hear  it.  And 
he  said  unto  them,  Out  of  the  eater  came  forth  meat,  and  out 
of  the  strong  came  forth  sweetness.  And  they  could  not  in 
three  days  expound  the  riddle.  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the 
seventh  day,  that  they  said  unto  Samson's  wife,  entice  thy 
husband  that  he  may  declare  unto  us  the  riddle,  lest  we  burn 
thee  and  thy  father's  house  with  fire.  Have  ye  called  us  to 
take  that  we  have  ?  Is  it  not  so  ?  And  Samson's  wife  wept 


246  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

before  him,  and  said,  Thou  dost  but  hate  me,  and  lovest  me 
not.  Thou  hast  put  forth  a  riddle  unto  the  children  of  my 
people,  and  hast  not  told  it  me.  And  he  said  unto  her,  Behold, 
I  have  not  told  it  my  father  nor  my  mother,  and  shall  I  tell 
it  thee  ?  And  she  wept  before  him  the  seven  days,  while  their 
feast  lasted;  and  it  came  to  pass  on  the  seventh  day,  that  he 
told  her,  because  she  lay  sore  upon  him.  And  she  told  the 
riddle  to  the  children  of  her  people.  And  the  men  of  the  city 
said  unto  him  on  the  seventh  day,  before  the  sun  went  down, 
What  is  sweeter  than  honey,  and  what  is  stronger  than  a  lion  ? 
And  he  said  unto  them,  If  ye  had  not  ploughed  with  my  heifer, 
ye  had  not  found  out  my  riddle.  And  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
came  upon  him,  and  he  went  down  to  Ashkelon,  and  slew  thirty 
men  of  them,  and  took  their  spoil,  and  gave  change  of  garments 
unto  them  which  expounded  the  riddle.  And  his  anger  was 
kindled,  and  he  went  up  to  his  father's  house.  But  Samson's 
wife  was  given  to  his  companion,  whom  he  had  used  as  his 
friend." 

This  history  furnishes  us  with  an  instructive  example  of  the 
evils  which  attend  intermarriages  between  the  children  of  God, 
and  his  enemies.  We  see  also,  that  that  which  begins  in  sport 
may  end  in  death.  A  wedding  feast  has  often  generated  broils 
which  terminated  in  woful  disaster. 


SECTION  XXVIII. 

SAMSON,  NOT  KNOWING  WHAT  WAS  DONE,  COMES  TO  VISIT  HIS  WIFE — HER  YOUNGER 
SISTER  IS  OFFERED  BY  THE  FATHER SAMSON  DECLINES  ALL  FURTHER  CONNEX- 
ION, AND  SETS  THE  GRAIN  OF  THE  PHILISTINES  ON  FIRE — SLAYS  A  THOUSAND 
MEN  IN  LEHI — A  MIRACULOUS  FOUNTAIN  OPENED  IN  THIS  PLACE. 

IT  appears  that  Samson  was  not  informed  that  his  wife  had  been 
given  to  another,  and  being  sincerely  attached  to  this  treacher- 
ous woman,  he  came  down  in  the  time  of  harvest,  with  the  pre- 
sent of  a  kid,  to  visit  her,  and  was  about  to  enter  her  chamber, 
but  was  prevented  by  her  father,  who  now  informed  him  that 
his  wife  had  been  given  to  his  companion.  For  this  strange 
proceeding  her  father  offered  no  other  reason  than  the  impres- 
sion which  he  had  received,  that  he,  Samson,  had  lost  all  affec- 
tion for  his  wife.  But  willing  to  conciliate  a  man  whom  he  had 
so  much  injured,  and  fearing  the  displeasure  of  a  man  whose 
passions  were  impetuous,  and  whose  strength  was  irresistible, 
he  offered  to  him  as  a  wife  his  younger  daughter.  And, 
said  he,  "Is  not  her  younger  sister,  fairer  than  she  ?  Take  her, 
I  pray  thee,  instead  of  her."  Samson  declined  all  further  con- 
nexion with  this  family,  and  began  to  meditate  vengeance 
against  the  whole  nation  of  the  Philistines.  Having  suffered  so 


THE   ISRAELITES.  247 

heavy  an  injury,  he  laid  a  plan  to  destroy  their  corn  which 
was  standing  in  the  field,  and  also  that  which  was  gathered  into 
shocks.  The  plan  adopted  was,  to  catch  three  hundred  foxes, 
(or  jackals  as  some  suppose,)  and  to  tie  them  two  and  two  by 
the  tails,  and  to  insert  a  burning  brand,  or  torch,  between  each 
pair,  and  then  to  let  them  go  into  the  standing  corn  of  the 
Philistines.  And  the  conflagration  proved  destructive  not  only 
to  the  standing  corn  and  the  shocks  of  grain  already  reaped, 
but  also  to  the  vineyards  and  olives.  When  the  Philistines 
found  that  this  destruction  of  their  property  had  been  caused 
by  Samson  the  son-in-law  of  the  Timnite,  because  his  father-in- 
law  had  taken  away  his  wife  and  had  given  her  to  his  com- 
panion, they  determined  to  wreak  their  vengeance  on  him,  as 
having  given  the  provocation;  and  accordingly  they  came  up  and 
burnt  her  and  her  father  with  fire.  And  Samson,  when  he  un- 
derstood that  the  Philistines  had  come  up  with  hostile  inten- 
tions, attacked  them  and  slew  many  of  them,  and  then  retired 
from  their  country  and  dwelt  on  the  top  of  the  rock  Etam. 
The  Philistines  being  determined  to  revenge  themselves  for 
all  these  injuries,  marched  with  a  considerable  force  into  Judah, 
and  spread  themselves  in  Lehi.  "  And  the  men  of  Judah  said, 
Why  are  ye  come  up  against  us  ?  And  they  answered,  To  bind 
Samson  are  we  come  up,  and  to  do  to  him  as  he  hath  done  to 
us.  Then  three  thousand  men  of  Judah  went  to  the  top  of 
the  rock  Etam,  and  said  to  Samson,  Knowest  thou  not  that  the 
Philistines  are  rulers  over  us?  What- is  this  thou  hast  done 
unto  us?  And  he  said,  As  they  did  unto  me,  so  have  I  done 
unto  them.  And  they  said  unto  him,  We  are  come  down  to 
bind  thee,  that  we  may  deliver  thee  into  the  hand  of  the  Philis- 
tines. And  Samson  said,  Swear  unto  me  that  ye  will  not  fall 
upon  me  yourselves.  And  they  spake  unto  him,  saying,  No, 
but  we  will  bind  thee  fast,  and  deliver  thee  into  their  hands. 
But  surely  we  will  not  kill  thee.  And  they  bound  him  with 
two  new  cords,  and  brought  him  from  the  rock.  And  when  he 
came  to  Lehi,  the  Philistines  shouted  against  him:  and  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  came  mightily  upon  him,  and  the  cords  that 
were  upon  his  arms  became  as  flax  that  was  burnt  with  fire,  and 
his  bands  loosed  from  off  his  hands.  And  he  found  a  new  jaw- 
bone of  an  ass,  and  put  forth  his  hand  and  took  it,  and  slew  a 
thousand  men  therewith."  And  "  he  cast  away  the  jaw-bone  out 
of  his  hand,  and  called  that  place  Ramath-lehi,"  the  import  of 
which  is,  the  lifting  up  of  the  jaw-bone.  "  And  he  was  sore 
athirst,  and  called  on  the  Lord,  and  said,  Thou  hast  given  this 
great  deliverance  into  the  hand  of  thy  servant,  and  now  shall  I 
die  for  thirst,  and  fall  into  the  hand  of  the  uncircumcised  ?  But 
God  clave  a  hollow  place  that  was  in  the  jaw,  (or  rather  in  Lehi, 
for  the  place  had  already  received  this  name,)  and  there  came 


248  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

water  thereout,  and  when  he  had  drunk,  his  spirit  came  again, 
and  he  revived ;  therefore  he  called  the  name  thereof  En-hak- 
kore,"  that  is,  the  well  of  him  that  catted;  which,  says  the 
sacred  historian,  "is  in  Lehi  unto  this  day." 

From  these  last  words,  it  is  evident  that  our  translators 
were  mistaken  in  supposing  that  the  water  issued  from  the  jaw- 
bone ;  for  it  appears  that  the  bursting  forth  of  the  waters  was 
not  temporary  but  permanent;  and  surely  this  perennial 
spring  did  not  run  continually  from  a  jaw-bone.  The  simple 
fact  is  most  obvious.  From  the  weapon  which  Samson  employ- 
ed, the  place  received  its  denomination  of  Lehi.  In  this  place 
there  was  a  hollow,  from  which  God  caused  a  fountain  to  issue 
to  allay  Samson's  thirst,  and  this  became  a  perennial  spring  or 
well. 


SECTION  XXIX. 

MORAL    CHARACTER  OF    SAMSON — HIS   LOVE  OF    DELILAH BY  TAMPERING  WITH    HER 

THE    PHILISTINES     LEARN    WHEREIN    HIS    GREAT    STRENGTH    CONSISTED HIS  HEAD 

SHORN    AND    HIS    EYES     PUT    OUT — IS     PUT   INTO    THE   PRISON   AT     GAZA   AND    KEPT 
AT    HARD   LABOUR. 

THE  character  of  Samson  was  not  very  consistent.  Although 
a  consecrated  Nazarite  from  his  birth,  yet  he  was  a  man  much 
under  the  dominion  of  his  passions.  If  we  had  nothing  else  to 
guide  our  judgment  but  this  history  of  his  acts,  we  should  not 
be  ready  to  draw  the  conclusion  that  he  was  a  pious  man :  but 
as  Paul  has  given  him  a  place,  as  well  as  Jephthah,  among  dis- 
tinguished believers,  we  must  not  hesitate  to  admit  that,  with 
all  his  imperfections,  Samson  was  a  sincere  servant  of  God. 
The  most  objectionable  part  of  his  recorded  life,  was  his  illicit 
connexion  with  strange  women,  of  which  we  have  several  exam- 
ples; but  in  every  instance,  these  amours  became  a  snare  to 
him.  At  Gaza  his  enemies  surrounded  the  city,  and  only 
waited  for  the  morning  light,  to  put  him  to  death ;  but  this 
man,  of  more  than  human  strength,  "rose  at  midnight,  and 
took  the  doors  of  the  gate  of  the  city,  and  the  two  posts,  and 
went  away  with  them,,  bar  and  all,  and  put  them  upon  his 
shoulders,  and  carried  them  up  to  the  top  of  an  hill  that  is 
before  Hebron." 

The  most  fatal  attachment,  however,  which  Samson  cherished 
for  the  daughters  of  the  Philistines  was  for  a  deceitful  woman 
"in  the  valley  of  Sorek,  whose  name  was  Delilah."  The  lords 
of  the  Philistines,  understanding  how  much  he  was  under  her 
influence,  offered  her  a  very  large  reward  if  she  would  find  out 
and  reveal  to  them  the  secret  of  his  astonishing  strength  of 
body,  and  on  what  it  depended.  Samson  at  first  deluded  her, 


THE  ISRAELITES.  249 

and  said,  "If  they  bind  me  with  seven  green  withes  that  were 
never  dried,  then  shall  I  he  weak,  and  be  as  another  man." 
Accordingly,  they,  receiving  the  green  withes  from  the  lords  of 
the  Philistines,  had  him  bound  with  them ;  but  as  soon  as  the 
men  who  lay  in  wait  attempted  to  seize  him,  "he  brake  the 
withes  as  a  thread  of  tow  is  broken,  when  it  toucheth  the  fire. 
So  his  strength  was  not  known."  Again  he  was  beset  by  this 
ensnaring  woman  to  reveal  the  secret;  and  she  now  added 
reproaches  to  her  entreaties.  Upon  which  he  told  her,  if  they 
would  bind  him  with  new  cords  which  had  never  been  used,  he 
would  be  helpless  as  another  man ;  but  when  this  experiment 
was  also  tried,  "he  brake  them  off  his  arms  as  a  thread."  A 
third  time  he  deceived  her,  by  saying,  "If  thou  weavest  the 
seven  locks  of  my  head  with  the  web,"  I  shall  be  weak  as 
another  man ;  but  when  this  was  done  while  he  was  asleep,  and 
the  Philistines  arose  upon  him,  "he  awaked  out  of  his  sleep 
and  went  away  with  the  pin  of  the  beam  and  with  the  web." 
Delilah  now  became  exceedingly  importunate,  and  called  in 
question  Samson's  love  for  her.  "And  she  pressed  him  daily 
with  her  words,  and  urged  him  so  that  his  soul  was  vexed  unto 
death."  He  therefore,  at  length,  revealed  unto  her  his  whole 
heart,  and  said,  "  There  hath  not  come  a  razor  upon  my  head, 
for  I  have  been  a  Nazarite  unto  God  from  my  mother's  womb : 
if  I  be  shaven,  then  my  strength  will  go  from  me,  and  I  shall 
become  weak,  and  be  like  any  other  man."  From  this  it 
appears,  that  Samson's  extraordinary  strength  did  not  depend 
on  any  muscular  force  which  he  naturally  possessed,  but  was  a 
supernatural  endowment;  and  this  is  also  signified  in  those 
passages  where  it  is  said,  that  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon. 
him.  Delilah  perceiving  that  she  had  now  succeeded  in  eliciting 
from  him  the  secret  which  he  had  so  industriously  concealed 
before,  caused,  while  Samson  slept,  a  man  to  shave  the  seven 
locks  of  his  head;  and  then  brought  his  enemies  upon  him. 
"And  he  awoke  out  of  his  sleep,  and  said,  I  will  go  out  as  at 
other  times  before,  and  shake  myself,  and  he  wist  not  that  the 
Lord  was  departed  from  him."  The  Philistines,  now  finding 
that  their  formidable  enemy  was  completely  in  their  power, 
proceeded  in  the  first  place  to  put  out  his  eyes;  and  then 
took  him  down  to  Gaza,  "  and  bound  him  with  fetters  of  brass; 
and  he  did  grind  in  the  prison-house." 

Wretched,  indeed,  was  the  condition  of  Samson,  and  small 
was  the  prospect  that  he  would  ever  again  have  it  in  his  power 
to  retaliate  upon  his  enemies,  and  the  enemies  of  God,  for  their 
treachery  and  cruelty ;  but  the  providence  of  God  is  mysterious, 
and  the  retributions  of  vindicatory  justice  are  often  terrible, 
even  in  this  world.  It  was  so  ordered,  that  this  judge  in  Israel, 
who  had  in  his  lifetime  destroyed  so  great  a  number  of  this 


250  HISTORY  OP  THE    ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

accursed  people,  should  be  able,  in  the  moment  of  his  death,  to 
destroy  more  of  the  Philistines  than  during  his  whole  life. 

While  immured  in  the  prison  his  hair  began  again  to  grow, 
and  his  former  extraordinary  strength  was  restored.  The  Phil- 
istines were  all  gross  idolaters,  and  of  the  devoted  race  of  the 
Canaanites,  whom  the  Israelites  were  commanded  to  extirpate. 
The  god  which  they  worshipped  was  called  Dagon,  and  was  re- 
presented by  an  image  or  idol,  which  was  partly  a  fish,  and 
partly  man,  of  which  an  account  has  heretofore  been  given.  In 
Gaza  there  was  a  spacious  temple  dedicated  to  this  idol ;  and 
the  Philistines,  having  now  overcome  their  greatest  enemy,  cele- 
brated a  feast  in  this  temple,  and  "  offered  a  great  sacrifice  unto 
Dagon  their  god,  and  to  rejoice:  for  they  said,  Our  god  hath 
delivered  Samson  our  enemy  into  our  hand.  And  when  the  peo- 
ple saw  him,  they  praised  their  god;  for  they  said.  Our  god  hath 
delivered  into  our  hands  our  enemy,  and  the  destroyer  of  our 
country,  which  slew  many  of  us.  And  when  their  hearts  were 
merry,  they  said,  Call  for  Samson,  that  he  may  make  us  sport. 
And  when  he  was  brought  out  of  the  prison,  he  made  them 
sport.  And  they  set  him  between  the  pillars."  It  seems  that 
this  huge  edifice  rested  upon  two  large  pillars,  which  stood  near 
to  each  other.  "And  Samson  said  unto  the  lad  that  held  him 
by  the  hand,  Suffer  me  that  I  may  feel  the  pillars  whereupon 
the  house  standeth,  that  I  may  lean  upon  them.  Now  the 
house  was  full  of  men  and  women,  and  all  the  lords  of  the  Phi- 
listines were  there ;  and  there  were  upon  the  roof  about  three 
thousand  men  and  women,  that  beheld  while  Samson  made 
sport.  And  Samson  called  unto  the  Lord,  and  said,  0  Lord 
God,  remember  me,  I  pray  thee,  only  this  once,  0  God,  that  I 
may  be  at  once  avenged  on  the  Philistines  for  my  two  eyes. 
And  Samson  took  hold  of  the  two  middle  pillars  upon  which  the 
house  stood,  and  on  which  it  was  borne  up ;  of  the  one  with  his 
right  hand,  and  of  the  other  with  his  left.  And  Samson  said, 
Let  me  die  with  the  Philistines.  And  he  bowed  himself  with 
all  his  might;  and  the  house  fell  upon  the  lords,  and  upon  all 
the  people  that  were  therein.  So  the  dead  which  he  slew  at 
his  death  were  more  than  they  which  he  slew  in  his  life.  Then 
his  brethren,  and  all  the  house  of  his  father,  came  down,  and 
took  him,  and  brought  him  up,  and  buried  him  between  Zorah 
and  Eshtaol,  in  the  burying-place  of  Manoah  his  father.  And 
he  judged  Israel  twenty  years." 


THE   ISRAELITES.  251 


SECTION  XXX. 

ORIGIN  OF  IDOLATRY  IN    ISRAEL  IN  THE    HOUSE  OF  MICAH THE    DANITES   SEND  SPIES 

TO  SEEK  A  NEW  HABITATION — SIX  HUNDRED  MEN  ARE  SENT  OUT  TO  SEIZE  A 
COUNTRY  VISITED  BY  THE  SPIES — THEY  CARRY  OFF  BIICAH'S  GODS  AND  THE  PRIEST 
WHO  OFFICIATED THESE  IDOLS  THEY  SET  UP  AND  WORSHIPPED  FOR  A  LONG  TIME. 

THE  sacred  historian,  after  finishing  the  history  of  Samson, 
who  is  thought  to  have  been  contemporary  with  Eli,  goes  back 
to  give  an  account  of  the  rise  of  idolatry  among  the  people  of 
Israel,  after  the  death  of  Joshua.  A  certain  woman  of  mount 
Ephraim  had  amassed  a  considerable  sum  of  money,  which  her 
son,  whose  name  is  Micah,  stole.  The  old  woman,  who  had  no 
pious  feelings,  seemed  to  have  suspected  her  son  of  the  theft, 
and  poured  out  curses  on  the  person,  whoever  he  might  be,  who 
had  taken  her  treasure.  Micah  feeling  uneasy  in  his  con- 
science, and  finding  that  he  was  suspected,  came  forward  and 
confessed  his  crime,  and  restored  the  money  to  his  mother. 
She  now  declared  that  she  had  "wholly  dedicated  the  silver  unto 
the  Lord."  This,  at  first  view,  seems  to  have  been  a  very  pious 
act ;  but  the  truth  was,  that  her  religion  was  deeply  infected 
with  the  spirit  of  superstition  and  idolatry;  for  she  designed  it 
for  "  a  graven  image,  and  a  molten  image."  And,  accordingly, 
a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  restored  silver  was  put  into  the 
hands  of  the  founder,  and  these  images  were  formed,  and  placed 
in  the  house  of  Micah :  and  that  this  idolatrous  worship  might 
be  conducted  with  suitable  ceremony  and  pomp,  this  man 
erected  a  building  or  temple,  purposely  for  the  reception  of  his 
gods.  He  also  "made  an  ephod,  and  teraphira,  and  consecrated 
one  of  his  sons,  who  became  his  priest."  This  introduction  of 
idolatry  met  with  no  resistance,  for  at  that  time  there  existed 
no  king  in  Israel,  nor  any  other  governing  power  to  restrain  the 
practice  of  iniquity,  "  but  every  man  did  that  which  was  right 
in  his  own  eyes." 

Soon  after  the  erection  of  this  house  of  idolatrous  worship,  a 
young  Levite  from  Beth-lehem-judah,  who  by  the  mother's  side 
seems  to  have  been  descended  from  the  tribe  of  Judah,  left  his 
native  place,  and  wandered  off  in  search  of  a  place,  until  he 
came  to  the  house  of  Micah,  who  invited  him  to  take  up  his 
abode  with  him  and  officiate  as  his  priest ;  for  he  thought  that 
this  young  man  being  a  Levite  was  better  suited  for  the  sacer- 
dotal office  than  his  own  son,  whom  he  had  before  consecrated. 
To  this  proposal,  the  young  Levite  acceded,  and  Micah  pro- 
mised to  give  him  ten  shekels  of  silver,  by  the  year,  and  a  suit  of 
apparel,  and  his  victuals.  "Then  said  Micah,  now  I  know 
that  the  Lord  will  do  me  good,  seeing  I  have  a  Levite  to  my 
priest." 


I 

252  HISTORY   OF  THE    ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

In  those  days  of  anarchy,  the  Danites  feeling  themselves 
straitened  for  want  of  room,  sent  five  men  of  valour  to  look 
out  a  suitable  place  to  which  some  of  them  might  emigrate. 
These  men  came,  in  their  expedition,  to  the  house  of  Micah, 
where  they  recognized  the  young  Levite,  and  finding  that  he 
officiated  here  as  a  priest,  they  requested  him  to  ask  counsel  of 
God,  whether  their  way  would  be  prosperous.  The  priest  soon 
gave  them  a  favourable  response,  saying,  "  Go  in  peace :  before 
the  Lord  is  your  way  wherein  ye  go."  It  may  be  remarked 
here,  that  in  the  first  advances  towards  idolatry,  the  object  was 
not  to  introduce  other  gods,  but  to  worship  the  true  God  by 
images,  or  other  visible  representations.  Thus,  when  the 
Israelites  forced  Aaron  to  make  the  golden  calf,  Jehovah  was 
professedly  the  object  of  their  worship;  and  when  Jeroboam 
set  up  the  idolatrous  calves  in  Dan  and  Beth-el,  the  object  was, 
to  worship  Jehovah  by  these  images.  And  so,  in  this  case, 
Micah  and  his  priest  considered  their  images  as  means  of  wor- 
shipping the  true  God. 

These  five  spies  of  Dan,  having  received  an  encouragement 
from  the  young  priest,  proceeded  on  their  journey,  until  they 
came  to  Laish,  where  they  found  a  good  country,  and  a  people 
living  quietly  and  securely ;  and  they  appeared  to  be  without 
any  means  of  effectual  defence  against  invasion,  "for  there  was 
no  magistrate  in  the  land,"  and  no  man  was  restrained  from 
following  his  own  inclinations  by  any  fear  of  civil  rulers. 
These  people  seem  to  have  nominally  appertained  to  the  Zido- 
nians,  but  being  far  off,  and  not  engaged  in  commerce,  they 
were  suffered  to  pursue  their  own  course  unmolested.  When 
the  spies  returned  to  Zorah  and  Eshtaol,  whence  they  had  gone 
out,  they  gave  a  very  favourable  account  of  the  country  which 
they  had  discovered.  They  represented  it  as  "  a  very  good 
land" — "a  place  where  there  is  no  want  of  anything  that  is  in 
the  earth,"  and  as  one  of  sufficient  extent  and  easy  to  be  pos- 
sessed. Upon  hearing  this  report,  the  Danites  despatched  "  six 
hundred  men,  appointed  with  weapons  of  war."  This  little 
army,  conducted  by  the  spies,  came  to  mount  Ephraim,  to  the 
house  of  Micah;  and  being  informed  of  the  "house  of  gods" 
which  was  here,  they  sent  in  the  five  men  who  were  acquainted 
with  the  place,  "to  take  the  graven  image,  and  the  ephod,  and 
the  teraphim,  and  the  molten  image."  And  when  the  priest 
said,  "What  do  ye?  they  said,  Hold  thy  peace,  lay  thine  hand 
upon  thy  mouth  and  go  with  us,  and  be  to  us  a  father  and  a 
priest.  Is  it  better  for  thee  to  be  a  priest  unto  the  house  of 
one  man,  or  that  thou  be  a  priest  unto  a  tribe  and  a  family  in 
Israel?  And  the  priest's  heart  was  glad,  and  he  took  the 
ephod,  and  the  teraphim,  and  the  graven  image,  and  went  in 
the  midst  of  the  people."  As  soon  as  Micah  and  the  men  of 


THE  ISRAELITES. 

his  house  were  informed  of  the  robbery  which  had  been  com- 
mitted, they  pursued  after  the  children  of  Dan,  and  overtook 
them,  and  cried  after  them.  "And  they  turned  their  faces  and 
said  unto  Micah,  What  aileth  thee,  that  thou  comest  with  such 
a  company?  And  he  said,  Ye  have  taken  away  my  gods  which 
I  made,  and  what  have  1  more  ?  And  what  is  this  that  ye  say 
unto  me,  What  aileth  thee  ?  And  the  children  of  Dan  said, 
Let  not  thy  voice  be  heard  among  us,  lest  angry  fellows  run 
upon  thee,  and  thou  lose  thy  life,  with  the  lives  of  thy  house- 
hold. And  the  children  of  Dan  went  their  way;  and  when 
Micah  saw  that  they  were  too  strong  for  him,  he  turned  and 
went  back  unto  his  own  house." 

This  company  of  the  tribe  of  Dan  now  prosecuted  their  enter- 
prise against  the  people  of  Laish,  whom  they  found  in  the  same 
careless  and  defenceless  state  which  had  been  represented  by 
the  spies.  "And  they  smote  them  with  the  edge  of  the  sword, 
and  burnt  the  city  with  fire ;  and  there  was  no  deliverer,  because 
it  was  far  from  Zidon ;  and  they  had  no  business  with  any  man." 
"  And  they  built  a  city  and  dwelt  therein ;  and  they  called  the 
name  of  the  city  Dan,  after  the  name  of  Dan  their  father." 
"  And  the  children  of  Dan  set  up  the  graven  image :  and  Jona- 
than the  son  of  Gershom,  the  son  of  Manasseh,  he  and  his 
sons  were  priests  to  the  tribe  of  Dan  until  the  day  of  the  cap- 
tivity of  the  land.  And  they  set  up  Micah's  graven  image, 
which  he  made,  all  the  time  that  the  house  of  God  was  in 
Shiloh." 

Although  idolatry  was  a  capital  crime,  according  to  the  laws 
given  to  the  Israelites,  as  being  the  highest  treason  against  God 
their  king,  yet  during  this  period  of  anarchy,  which  preceded 
the  raising  up  of  judges  to  govern  the  land  and  enforce  the 
laws,  no  notice  was  taken  of  this  open  defection  of  the  children 
of  Dan  from  the  worship  of  the  true  God.  It  seems  that  the 
worship  of  these  images  of  Micah  continued  for  a  long  time, 
even  as  long  as  the  tabernacle  remained  at  Shiloh. 

The  transactions  mentioned  in  this  section,  and  also  those 
recorded  in  the  following,  are  commonly  believed  to  have  oc- 
curred while  Phinehas  was  high-priest. 


SECTION  XXXI. 

HISTORY   OF    THE    LEVITE    AND    HIS    CONCUBINE,  AND   THE    WAR    AGAINST  BENJAMIN. 

How  much,  under  God,  we  are  indebted  to  the  existence  of 
civil  government,  can  only  be  known  by  contemplating  a  people 
among  whom  there  is  no  such  institution ;  or  where  the  ordi- 
nance is  so  far  perverted,  and  salutary  authority  so  far  relaxed, 


254  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

that  wickedness  is  left  without  restraint,  and  lust  and  violence 
reign  triumphantly.  Some  memorable  examples  of  this  kind 
we  have  on  record  for  our  instruction  and  warning  in  the  sacred 
volume,  as  in  the  case  of  the  people  whose  wickedness  provoked 
the  Almighty  to  inundate  the  world  with  a  flood  of  waters. 
Such  also  was  the  character  of  the  cities  of  the  plain,  which 
were  overwhelmed  with  a  storm  of  fire  and  brimstone ;  and  such 
likewise  was  the  character  of  the  seven  nations  of  Canaan, 
whom  God  ordered  the  Israelites  to  exterminate,  lest  they 
should  be  led  to  learn  their  abominable  ways.  And  this  pre- 
caution was  not  unnecessary,  for  we  find  here  recorded,  a  de- 
gree of  shameful  wickedness  in  a  town  inhabited  by  the  children 
of  Benjamin,  which  places  them  upon  a  level  with  Sodom  itself. 
A  certain  Levite,  who  sojourned  on  the  side  of  mount  Ephra- 
im,  married  a  woman  of  Beth-lehem-judah.  She  is  indeed  called 
a  concubine,  but  concubines,  among  the  Israelites,  were  really 
wives  of  an  inferior  order;  and,  as  such,  were  required  to  be 
true  to  their  husbands.  This  woman,  however,  proved  unfaith- 
ful, and  she  also  went  away  from  her  lord  to  her  father's 
house,  at  Beth-lehem-judah,  and  remained  there  "four  whole 
months."  "And  her  husband  arose,  and  went  after  her,  to 
speak  friendly  unto  her,  and  to  bring  her  again,  having  his  own 
servant  with  him,  and  a  couple  of  asses.  And  she  brought  him 
in  to  her  father's;  and  when  the  father  of  the  damsel  saw  him, 
he  rejoiced  to  meet  him."  And  for  three  days  his  father-in- 
law  entertained  him  in  the  most  friendly  and  hospitable  man- 
ner. And  when,  on  the  fourth  day,  the  Levite  was  ready  with 
his  wife  and  servant,  to  proceed  on  his  journey  homeward,  his 
father-in-law  pressed  him  to  take  some  refreshment  before  he 
took  his  departure ;  and  when  they  had  eat  and  drunk  together, 
he  then  urged  him  to  be  contented  to  remain  all  night.  And 
the  next  morning,  it  being  the  fifth  of  his  sojourning  with  his 
father-in-law,  the  same  friendly  urgency  was  used  to  detain  him 
longer;  and  while  they  enjoyed  themselves  in  feasting  together, 
the  day  wore  away,  and  his  father-in-law  said,  "  The  day  draw- 
eth  towards  evening,  I  pray  you.  tarry  all  night.  Behold  the 
day  groweth  to  an  end :  lodge  here,  that  thine  heart  may  be 
merry ;  and  to-morrow,  get  you  early  on  your  way,  that  you  may 
go  hence.  But  the  man  would  not  tarry  that  night,  but  rose  up 
and  departed,  and  came  over  against  Jebus  (which  is  Jerusa- 
lem). And  his  wife,  his  servant,  and  the  two  asses,  accompa- 
nied him.  And  when  they  were  by  Jebus,  the  day  was  far 
spent,  and  the  servant  said  unto  his  master,  Come,  I  pray  thee, 
and  let  us  turn  into  this  city  of  the  Jebusites,  and  lodge  in  it. 
And  the  master  said  unto  him,  We  will  not  turn  aside  hither 
into  the  city  of  a  stranger  that  is  not  of  the  children  of  Israel. 


THE  ISRAELITES.  255 

We  "will  pass  over  to  Gibeah.  And  he  said  to  his  servant, 
Come,  and  let  us  draw  near  to  one  of  these  places  to  lodge  all 
night,  in  Gibeah,  or  in  Ramah." 

The  general  principles  by  which  the  Levite  was  governed  in 
selecting  a  place  of  lodging  for  himself  and  company,  were 
sound  and  good ;  for,  so  far  as  we  consistently  can,  we  should 
avoid  familiar  intercourse  with  the  wicked,  and  should  be  reluc- 
tant to  partake  of  their  hospitalities ;  and  we  should  always  seek 
to  cast  in  our  lot,  and  take  up  our  residence,  among  the  pro- 
fessed people  of  God.  "  The  righteous  is  more  excellent  than 
his  neighbour."  But,  sometimes,  the  worst  people  are  found 
within  the  pale  of  the  visible  church ;  and  certainly  no  descrip- 
tion of  wicked  men  are  more  to  be  dreaded  than  hypocrites.  It 
would  be  better  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  savages  of  the  wil- 
derness, than  to  come  under  the  power  of  false  professors.  The 
event,  in  the  case  before  us,  was  very  unhappy.  "  For  they 
passed  on  and  went  their  way,  and  the  sun  went  down  upon 
them  when  they  were  by  Gibeah,  which  belongeth  to  Benjamin. 
And  they  turned  aside  to  go  in,  and  lodge  in  Gibeah.  And 
when  he  went  in  he  sat  him  down  in  a  street  of  the  city ;  for 
there  was  no  man  that  took  them  into  his  house  to  lodging." 
This  want  of  common  hospitality  was  remarkable  a  in  city  of  the 
east,  and  particularly  among  the  descendants  of  Abraham ;  and 
was  indicative  of  a  wretched  state  of  morals.  In  most  places, 
in  ancient  and  modern  times,  there  was  a  competition  to  get 
possession  of  strangers,  as  is  now  remarkably  the  case  in  the 
interior  of  Arabia.  But  Gibeah  seems  to  have  resembled 
Sodom  in  this  respect,  as  well  as  being  addicted  to  crimes 
against  nature.  At  length,  however,  "an  old  man  came  from 
his  work,  out  of  the  field,  at  even;"  and  when  he  saw  a  way- 
faring man  in  the  street  of  the  city,  he  inquired  of  him,  whence 
he  was  and  whither  going.  To  which  the  Levite  gave  him  a 
direct  and  satisfactory  answer ;  and  let  him  know  that  no  per- 
son who  should  receive  them  would  be  subjected  to  expense  on. 
their  account,  for  they  had  come  furnished  with  straw  and  pro- 
vender for  the  asses,  and  with  bread  and  wine  for  himself,  his 
handmaid,  and  the  young  man  who  was  with  him.  "And  the 
old  man  said,  Peace  be  unto  you,  howsoever,  let  all  thy  wants 
lie  upon  me,  only  lodge  not  in  the  street.  So  he  brought  him 
into  his  house,  and  gave  provender  unto  the  asses :  and  they 
washed  their  feet,  and  did  eat  and  drink."  While  the  Levite  was 
enjoying  himself  in  a  convivial  manner,  the  house  was  beset  by 
a  company  of  lawless  wretches,  the  sons  of  Belial,  who  beat  at 
the  door,  and  demanded  of  the  master  of  the  house,  that  the 
guest  whom  he  entertained  should  be  brought  out  unto  them, 
for  the  vilest  purposes.  Entreaties  and  expostulation  availed 
nothing  in  restraining  these  monsters  of  iniquity  j  and  as  the 


256  HISTORY  OF  THE'ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

least  of  two  evils,  the  Levite  gave  up  his  wife  to  be  treated  by 
these  men  raging  with  lust,  agreeably  to  their  pleasure.  The 
result  was,  that  in  the  morning  the  woman  was  found  dead  at 
the  door  of  the  house  where  her  lord  was ;  and  her  hands  were 
on  the  threshold.  Her  husband,  not  suspecting  at  first  that 
she  was  dead,  said,  "Up,  and  let  us  be  going;"  but  none 
answered.  Finding  that  she  was  really  dead,  "he  put  her 
upon  an  ass,  and  gat  him  unto  his  place.  And  when  he  was 
come  into  his  house,  Ke  took  a  knife  and  divided  her  into  twelve 
pieces,  and  sent  her  into  all  the  coasts  of  Israel.  And  it  was 
so,  that  all  that  saw  it,  said,  There  was  no  such  deed  done  nor 
seen  from  the  day  the  children  of  Israel  came  up  out  of  the 
land  of  Egypt,  unto  this  day.  Consider  of  it,  take  advice,  and 
speak  your  minds."  The  method  pursued  by  the  Levite  had 
the  effect  of  arousing  the  people  to  indignation ;  so  that  they 
assembled  at  Mizpeh,  from  Dan  even  to  Beer-sheba,  with  the 
land  of  Gilead.  The  host  now  convened  amounted  to  the  num- 
ber of  four  hundred  thousand  men  that  drew  the  sword.  And, 
although  the  messengers  who  passed  through  the  land  with  the 
pieces  of  the  murdered  woman,  had  spread  the  report  of  the 
horrid  transaction;  yet  before  inflicting  deserved  punishment 
on  the  inhabitants  of  Gibeah,  they  called  for  the  Levite,  the 
husband  of  the  woman,  and  demanded  of  him  a  full  declaration 
of  the  affair,  "saying,  Tell  us  how  was  this  wickedness  ?"  And 
he  related  the  matter  distinctly  before  them ;  and  concluded  by 
saying,  "they  have  committed  lewdness  and  folly  in  Israel. 
Behold  ye  are  all  children  of  Israel ;  give  here  your  advice  and 
counsel."  When  they  heard  his  narrative,  all  the  people  arose 
as  one  man,  and  determined  on  taking  vengeance  on  the  wicked 
,city;  but  as  so  large  an  army  did  not  seem  to  be  needed  for 
the  enterprise,  they  selected  by  lot  one  tenth  part  of  the  whole 
number,  and  appointed  others  to  supply  them  with  provisions. 
Thus  were  the  men  of  Israel  knit  together  as  one  man,  resolved 
to  inflict  condign  punishment  on  this  devoted  city. 


SECTION  XXXII. 

THE  TRIBE  OF  BENJAMIN  REFUSE  TO  GIVE  UP  THE  GUILTY  PERPETRATORS  OF  THE 
ENORMOUS  WICKEDNESS — THEY  DEFEAT  THE  OTHER  TRIBES  WITH  GREAT  SLAUGH- 
TER IN  TWO  SUCCESSIVE  BATTLES — ON  THE  THIRD  DAY  THE  MEN  OF  ISRAEL 

'  PLACED  AN  AMBUSH,  AND  DREW  THE  MEN  OF  BENJAMIN  FROM  GIBEON,  BY  A 
PRETENDED  FLIGHT — THE  TRIBE  NEARLY  EXTINGUISHED — THE  ISRAELITES  RE- 
PENT OF  THEIR  EXTERMINATING  SEVERITY. 

HERE  we  have  a  striking  example  of  the  strength  of  the  spirit 
of  party,  or  rather  of  tribe  or  clan.  The  great  body  of  the 
Israelites  being  now  prepared  to  punish  the  wicked  inhabitants 
o£  Gibeah,  did  not  wish  to  involve  the  residue  of  the  tribe  of 


THE  ISRAELITES.  257 

Benjamin  in  the  guilt  and  punishment  of  this  city.  They 
therefore  sent  messengers  through  all  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  to 
expostulate  with  them,  and  to  demand  that  the  perpetrators  of 
this  wicked  act  should  be  delivered  up  to  them,  that  they  might 
be  put  to  death,  and  thus  evil  be  put  away  from  Israel.  "But 
the  children  of  Benjamin  would  not  hearken  unto  the  voice  of 
their  brethren,  the  children  of  Israel,"  and  immediately  pre- 
pared for  war,  determined  with  their  small  force  to  go  out 
against  the  assembled  host  of  all  Israel.  Upon  being  numbered, 
it  appeared  that  their  whole  available  force  was  no  more  than 
twenty-six  thousand  men;  but  this  number  did  not  include  the 
men  of  Gibeah,  who  amounted  to  seven  hundred.  But  the 
Benjamites  were  skilled  in  war,  and  of  desperate  courage.  In 
their  army,  at  this  time,  they  had  a  very  remarkable  corps  of 
seven  hundred  men,  who  were  all  left-handed,  every  one  of 
whom  could  sling  stones  at  a  hair-breadth,  and  not  miss.  As 
was  before  stated,  the  men  of  war  from  the  other  tribes  formed 
an  army  of  four  hundred  thousand  men ;  but  it  was  not  judged 
necessary  that  more  than  a  part  of  these  should  actually  go  up 
against  their  brethren;  and  feeling  the  solemn  crisis  which 
had  arrived,  they  wished  to  take  no  important  step  without 
asking  counsel  of  God.  They  therefore  assembled  at  the 
house  of  God,  at  Shiloh,  particularly  to  inquire  which  of  the 
tribes  should  first  go  up  to  the  battle  against  the  children  of 
Benjamin.  "And  the  Lord  said,  Judah  shall  go  up  first." 
"And  the  children  of  Israel  rose  up  in  the  morning,  and 
encamped  against  Gibeah,  and  went  out  to  battle  against  Ben- 
jamin. And  the  children  of  Benjamin  came  forth  out  of 
Gibeah,  and  destroyed  down  to  the  ground  of  the  Israelites 
that  day,  twenty  and  two  thousand  men."  This  was  a  most 
unexpected  and  unaccountable  disaster.  No  doubt  there  was 
something  wrong  in  the  conduct  or  in  the  spirit  of  the  Israel- 
ites, which  had  provoked  the  Lord  thus  to  give  them  into  the 
hands  of  a  small  number  of  wicked  men.  This  event  appears 
the  more  strange,  as  the  people  seemed  to  have  been  actuated 
by  a  spirit  of  piety  in  what  they  had  undertaken,  and  had  in  a 
public  manner  sought  counsel  of  the  Lord.  The  sacred  his- 
tory does  not  unfold  to  us  the  reason  of  Israel's  being  forsaken 
of  God,  on  this  occasion.  Their  conduct,  however,  upon  meet- 
ing with  this  unexpected  defeat,  seems  to  have  been  proper 
and  pious.  They  did  not  abandon  themselves  to  despair,  but 
encouraged  themselves  to  make  another  effort,  hoping  that  in 
a  second  encounter  they  should  be  more  successful  than  in 
the  first :  but  again  they  deemed  it  right  to  ask  counsel  of  the 
Lord ;  and  in  performing  this  act  of  worship,  they  were  much 
affected,  and  wept  before  the  Lord,  saying,  "  Shall  I  go  up 
again  to  battle  against  the  children  of  Benjamin  my  brother  ? 
IT 


258  HISTORY  OF   THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

And  the  Lord  said,  Go  up  against  him."  On  the  second  day, 
battle  was  joined  with  the  children  of  Benjamin,  and  the  result 
was  nearly  as  disastrous  as  on  the  former  day;  for,  on  this 
occasion,  Benjamin  went  forth  from  Gibeah,  "and  destroyed 
down  to  the  ground,  of  the  children  of  Israel,  eighteen  thou- 
sand men."  "Then  all  the  children  of  Israel  and  all  the  peo- 
ple went  up,  and  came  to  the  house  of  God,  and  wept,  and  sat 
there  before  the  Lord,  and  fasted  that  day  until  the  even,  and 
offered  burnt-offerings  and  peace-offerings  before  the  Lord." 

What  was  before  stated,  as  to  the  time  when  these  transac- 
tions occurred,  is  expressly  confirmed,  for  it  is  said,  "that 
Phinehas,  the  son  of  Eleazar,  the  son  of  Aaron,  stood  before 
the  Lord  in  those  days."  The  same  inquiry  was  made  of  the 
Lord,  as  on  the  former  occasions  of  consulting  him,  "  Shall  I 
again  go  out  to  battle  against  the  children  of  Benjamin  my 
brother,  or  shall  I  cease  ?  And  the  Lord  said,  Go  up,  for  to- 
morrow I  will  deliver  them  into  thy  hand."  Israel  had  now, 
taught  by  experience  and  misfortune,  become  less  confident  in 
their  own  prowess,  and  more  attentive  to  those  stratagems  of 
war  by  which  success  is  often  obtained ;  for  they  now  placed 
men  in  ambush  round  about  the  city,  and  then  drew  off  the 
men  of  Benjamin  to  a  distance;  who,  flushed  with  their  two 
recent  and  extraordinary  victories,  thought  of  nothing  else  but 
achieving  a  third  victory,  and  "  began  to  smite  of  the  people, 
and  kill,  as  at  other  times,  in  the  highways,  of  which  one  goeth 
up  to  the  house  of  God,  and  the  other  to  Gibeah."  And  they 
succeeded  in  slaying  about  thirty  men  of  Israel.  "And  the 
children  of  Benjamin,  said,  They  are  smitten  down  before  us, 
as  at  the  first.  But  the  children  of  Israel  said,  Let  us  flee, 
and  draw  them  from  the  city  unto  the  highways."  And  the 
liers-in-wait  of  Israel  came  forth  out  of  their  places,  even  out 
of  the  meadows  of  Gibeah.  And  there  came  against  Gibeah 
ten  thousand  chosen  men  out  of  all  Israel,  and  the  battle  was 
sore,  but  they  knew  not  that  evil  was  near  them.  "And  the 
Lord  smote  Benjamin  before  Israel;  and  the  children  of  Israel 
destroyed  of  the  Benjamites  that  day,  twenty  and  two  thou- 
sand and  an  hundred  men:  all  these  drew  the  sword."  While 
the  men  of  Benjamin  were  engaged  in  the  battle,  and  by 
stratagem  were  drawn  off  to  a  distance  from  the  city,  the  liers- 
in-wait  rushed  into  the  city,  and  slew  the  inhabitants  with  the 
edge  of  the  sword.  As  soon  as  they  had  gained  complete  pos- 
session of  Gibeah,  they  signified  the  fact  to  their  brethren,  by 
kindling  a  great  flame  with  smoke,  which  sign  had  been  agreed 
upon  beforehand.  When  the  men  of  Benjamin  looked  back, 
and  saw  by  the  flame  and  pillar  of  smoke  that  the  city  was  in 
the  possession  of  their  enemies,  they  found  that  they  were 
indeed  in  an  evil  case.  And  when  they  turned  and  fled 


THE   ISRAELITES.  259 

towards  the  way  of  the  wilderness,  still  they  could  not  escape, 
for  "  the  battle  overtook  them ;  and  the  men  of  Israel  inclosed 
the  Benjamites  round  about,  and  trode  them  down  with  ease 
over  against  Gibeah  toward  the  sun-rising.  And  there  fell  of 
Benjamin  eighteen  thousand  men :  all  these  were  men  of  val- 
our." That  is,  this  number  was  slain  in  the  field  of  battle;  but 
to  these  must  be  added  five  thousand  who  were  taken  and  slain 
on  the  highways ;  and  also  two  thousand  who  were  pursued  to 
a  place  called  Gidom,  and  slain  there;  so  that,  omitting  smaller 
numbers,  there  fell  of  Benjamin  that  day  twenty-five  thousand 
valiant  men.  And  the  only  remnant  which  escaped  of  their 
whole  army,  were  six  hundred  men,  who  escaped  to  the  rock 
Rimmon,  where  they  abode  four  months.  The  children  of 
Israel,  not  contented  with  the  signal  vengeance  taken  on  Ben- 
jamin, by  the  destruction  of  all  their  men  of  war,  carried  deso- 
lation into  their  country,  "and  smote  the  people  with  the  edge 
of  the  sword,  as  well  the  men  of  every  city,  as  the  beast,  and 
all  that  came  to  hand."  It  would  seem  that  the  whole  army 
of  Israel  were  now  filled  with  such  indignation  against  the 
whole  tribe  of  Benjamin,  for  their  wicked  conduct  in  screening 
the  men  of  Gibeah  from  deserved  punishment,  and  were  actu- 
ated by  so  strong  a  desire  to  revenge  the  death  of  the  forty 
thousand  men  of  Israel  slain  in  the  first  two  battles,  that  they 
proceeded  to  consign  to  utter  destruction  the  whole  of  this 
tribe  on  whom  they  could  lay  their  hands.  But  when  the 
violence  of  their  wrath  began  to  cool,  and  they  reflected  on 
what  they  had  done,  and  that  one  of  the  twelve  tribes  had  per- 
ished from  Israel,  they  were  penetrated  with  grief,  and  went  up 
to  the  house  of  God  at  Shiloh,  "and  abode  there  till  even 
before  God,  and  lifted  up  their  voices  and  wept  sore ;  and  said, 
0  Lord  God  of  Israel,  why  is  this  come  to  pass  in  Israel,  that 
there  should  be  to-day  one  tribe  lacking  in  Israel?  And  on 
the  morrow  the  people  rose  early,  and  built  there  an  altar,  and 
offered  burnt-oiferings  and  peace-offerings." 


SECTION  XXXIII. 

JABESH-GILEAD  SEVERELY  PUNISHED  FOR  REFUSING  AID — THE  YOUNG  VIRGIN'S  OP 
THIS  PLACE  ONLY  PRESERVED,  FOR  WIVES  TO  THE  SURVIVING  BENJAMITES — THE 
DAUGHTERS  OF  SHILOH  SEIZED  AND  CARRIED  OFF  FOR  THE  SAME  PURPOSE. 

THERE  was  another  affair  which  now  engaged  their  attention, 
and  which  eventually  was  made  to  have  a  connexion  with  the 
preservation  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin  from  becoming  utterly 
extinct.  When  the  people  had  first  assembled  from  the  tribes 
of  Israel,  on  the  unhappy  occasion  which  has  been  mentioned, 
they  were  inspired  with  such  a  zeal  against  the  Benjamites  that 


260  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

they  entered  into  a  solemn  oath  that  none  of  them  would  give 
them  their  daughters  for  wives ;  and  they  moreover  swore,  that 
whatever  city  had  neglected  to  come  up  with  the  congregation 
unto  the  Lord  unto  Mizpeh,  the  inhabitants  thereof  should  surely 
be  put  to  death.  And  when  the  people  were  numbered,  it  ap- 
peared that  none  of  the  inhabitants  of  Jabesh-gilead  were  there ; 
and  in  fulfilment  of  the  great  oath  by  which  they  had  rashly 
bound  themselves,  they  now  despatched  twelve  thousand  men 
of  the  valiantest,  and  commanded  them,  saying,  Go  and  smite 
the  inhabitants  of  Jabesh-gilead  with  the  edge  of  the  sword, 
with  the  women  and  the  children.  They  were,  however,  directed 
to  save  alive  and  bring  back  with  them  all  the  young  virgins 
whom  they  might  find,  that  they  might  serve  for  wives  to  the 
small  remnant  of  the  men  of  Benjamin,  who  were  known  to  be 
concealed  in  the  rock  Rimmon.  This  expedition  speedily  and 
literally  executed  their  orders  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Jabesh- 
gilead,  and  returned  with  four  hundred  virgins.  The  congre- 
gation of  Israel  now  entered  into  a  negotiation  with  the  six 
hundred  Benjamites  in  the  rock  Rimmon :  and  they  entered 
into  a  treaty  of  peace  with  them,  and  gave  them  for  wives  the 
females  who  had  been  saved  alive  from  Jabesh-gilead;  but  as 
their  number  was  six  hundred,  and  the  women  were  only  four 
hundred,  there  was  still  a  deficiency  of  wives  for  the  remnant 
of  Benjamin.  The  human  passions  are  prone  to  oscillate  from 
one  extreme  to  another.  The  indignation  which  had  burned  so 
hotly  and  destructively  against  this  unhappy  tribe,  was  now 
turned  into  the  tenderest  compassion,  and  with  compunction  for 
the  severity  which  led  them  nearly  to  extirpate  one  of  the  tribes 
of  Israel.  Therefore  "the  people  repented  them  for  Benjamin, 
because  that  the  Lord  had  made  a  breach  in  the  tribes  of  Israel. 
Then  the  elders  of  the  congregation  said,  How  shall  we  do  for 
wives  for  them  that  remain,  seeing  the  women  are  destroyed 
out  of  Benjamin?  And  they  said,  There  must  be  an  inheri- 
tance for  them  that  be  escaped  from  Benjamin,  that  a  tribe  be 
not  destroyed  out  of  Israel."  The  device  which  was  now 
adopted  to  supply  the  deficiency  of  wives  for  these  men,  bears 
a  strong  resemblance  to  the  rape  of  the  Sabines  by  the  Romans, 
at  a  later  period.  There  was  shortly  to  be  a  feast  at  Shiloh, 
on  which  occasion  it  was  customary  for  companies  of  young 
damsels  to  amuse  themselves  by  dancing  in  the  vineyards,  which 
were  on  the  way  between  Bethel  and  Shechem.  In  this  place 
the  Benjamites  were  directed  to  lie  in  wait,  and  to  catch  every 
man  his  wife  of  the  daughters  of  Shiloh,  and  to  bear  them  off 
to  the  land  of  Benjamin.  And  the  elders  of  Israel  promised 
that  when  the  fathers  or  brethren  of  the  daughters  of  Shiloh 
came  to  make  complaint,  we  will  say  unto  them,  Be  favourable 
unto  them  for  our  sakes.  And  the  men  of  Benjamin  did  so, 


THE  ISRAELITES.  261 

and  took  wives  according  to  their  number,  whom  they  caught, 
and  returned  unto  their  inheritance,  and  repaired  the  cities, 
and  dwelt  in  them. 


SECTION  XXXIV. 

HISTORY  OF  RUTH,  AND  NAOMI  HER  MOTHER-IN-LAW. 

FROM  the  Bible  history  we  learn,  that  the  occurrence  of  famine 
was  no  uncommon  event  in  Judea.  If  there  was  a  failure  of 
the  former  or  latter  rains,  there  was  of  course  a  deficiency  in 
the  productions  of  the  earth :  the  first  of  these  rains  occurred 
in  autumn,  about  the  time  of  sowing  the  winter  grain ;  the  last 
in  the  spring,  when  the  wheat  and  barley  were  coming  to  ma- 
turity. Between  these  seasons,  during  the  summer  months, 
very  little  rain  fell;  a  shower  in  harvest  was  reckoned  an  ex- 
traordinary occurrence.  As  the  land  was  filled  with  a  dense 
population,  a  famine  was  a  fearful  calamity,  and  occasioned  a 
miserable  death  to  many.  The  usual  method  of  avoiding  it  wag 
to  flee  to  some  of  the  neighbouring  countries,  where  bread  was 
in  abundance.  Thus,  on  one  of  these  emergencies,  during  the 
government  of  the  Judges,  a  man  of  Beth-lehem-judah,  whose 
name  was  Elimelech,  took  his  wife  Naomi,  and  his  two  sons, 
Mahlon  and  Chilion,  and  went  and  abode  in  the  land  of  Moab. 
But  whilst  he  fled  from  death  in  one  form,  it  overtook  him  in 
another,  soon  after  his  emigration.  Often  families  are  induced 
to  seek  new  habitations  on  account  of  the  pressure  of  particular 
evils,  but  while  they  escape  difficulties  of  one  kind,  they  are  apt 
to  fall  into  others  not  less  grievous.  This  man  was  in  good 
circumstances  in  Judea,  but  in  a  strange  land  his  property 
wasted  away,  and  his  own  life  was  cut  short.  As  might  have 
been  expected  also,  his  sons  formed  matrimonial  alliances'  with 
the  daughters  of  Moab,  which  kind  of  connexions,  in  all  ages, 
have  been  a  snare  to  the  people  of  God.  Here,  also,  they 
were  far  removed  from  the  house  and  ordinances  of  Jehovah, 
and  exposed  to  all  the  abominations  of  idolatry.  Calamities 
frequently  come  in  clusters.  After  a  sojourn  of  about  ten 
years,  both  these  young  men  died  also  in  the  land  of  Moab,  it 
would  seem  nearly  about  the  same  time.  Thus  was  Naomi 
bereaved  of  her  husband  and  her  two  sons,  and  left  destitute  in 
a  foreign  country.  The  name  of  one  of  her  daughters-in-law 
was  Orpah,  and  of  the  other  Ruth,  who  after  the  decease  of 
their  husbands  chose  to  live  with  Naomi;  and  they  seem  to 
have  formed  a  strong  attachment  to  their  mother-in-law;  for 
when  she,  upon  hearing  that  the  Lord  had  visited  his  people  in 
the  land  of  Judea,  in  giving  them  bread,  resolved  to  return  to 
her  native  country,  these  young  women,  although  they  had 


262  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

parents  of  their  own,  insisted  upon  accompanying  her.  But  as 
she  was  reduced  to  poverty,  and  had  no  prospect  of  any  easy 
method  of  support,  begged  them  to  relinquish  the  idea  of  going 
with  her,  and  to  return  each  to  her  mother's  house.  "Go," 
said  she,  "return  each  to  her  mother's  house;  the  Lord  deal 
kindly  with  you,  as  ye  have  dealt  with  the  dead,  and  with  me. 
The  Lord  grant  that  ye  may  find  rest,  each  of  you  in  the  house 
of  her  husband.  Then  she  kissed  them,  and  they  lifted  up  their 
voice  and  wept.  And  they  said,  Surely  we  will  return  with 
thee  unto  thy  people.  And  Naomi  said,  Turn  again,  my 
daughters,  why  will  ye  go  with  me?  Are  there  yet  any  more 
sons  in  my  womb,  that  they  may  be  your  husbands  ?  Turn 
again,  my  daughters,  go  your  way,  for  I  am  too  old  to  have  an 
husband.  If  I  should  say,  I  have  hope,  if  I  should  have  an 
husband  also  to-night,  and  should  also  bear  sons,  would  ye 
tarry  for  them  till  they  were  grown  ?  Would  ye  stay  for  them 
from  having  husbands  ?  Nay,  my  daughters,  for  it  grieveth 
me  much  for  your  sakes,  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  gone  out 
against  me.  And  they  lifted  up  their  voice  and  wept  again ; 
and  Orpah  kissed  her  mother-in-law;  but  Ruth  clave  unto  her. 
And  she  said,  Behold,  thy  sister-in-law  is  gone  back  unto  her 
people,  and  unto  her  gods :  return  thou  after  thy  sister-in-law. 
And  Ruth  said,  Entreat  me  not  to  leave  thee,  or  to  return  from 
following  after  thee:  for  whither  thou  gpest,  I  will  go;  and 
where  thou  lodgest,  I  will  lodge :  thy  people  shall  be  my  people, 
and  thy  God  my  God.  Where  thou  diest,  will  I  die,  and  there 
will  I  be  buried.  The  Lord  do  so  to  me,  and  more  also,  if  aught 
but  death  part  thee  and  me."  When  Naomi  saw  that  her  de- 
termination was  fixed,  she  ceased  from  all  further  attempts  to 
dissuade  Ruth  from  going  along  with  her. 

After  this  tender  scene;  the  two  widows,  poor  and  desolate, 
travelled  on  until  they  came  to  Beth-lehem,  the  former  residence 
of  Naomi,  from  which  she,  with  her  husband,  had  emigrated 
many  years  before.  The  inhabitants  of  the  place  were  greatly 
excited  when  they  recognized  their  old  neighbour  again  restored 
to  them  after  so  long  an  absence.  But  they  could  with  difficulty 
be  persuaded  that  she  was  indeed  the  identical  person  whom 
they  had  once  known  as  a  resident  among  them.  Doubtless, 
time  and  sorrow  had  made  a  great  change  in  Naomi's  person ; 
and  her  condition  as  well  as  her  person  was  sadly  altered.  No 
wonder,  therefore,  they  said  to  one  another,  with  surprise  and 
Borne  degree  of  doubt,  "Is  this  Naomi?"  When  the  afflicted 
widow  heard  her  old  neighbours  address  her  by  this  name,  the 
import  of  which  is  "pleasant,"  she  said  with  emotion,  "  Call  me 
not  Naomi,  call  me  Mara,"  the  meaning  of  which  is  "bitter:" 
"for,"  said  she,  "the  Almighty  hath  dealt  very  bitterly  with 
me.  I  went  out  full,  and  the  Lord  hath  brought  me  home  again 


THE  ISRAELITES.  263 

empty.  Why  then  call  ye  me  Naomi,  seeing  the  Lord  hath 
testified  against  me,  and  the  Almighty  hath  afflicted  me?"  The 
time  of  the  arrival  of  Naomi  and  Ruth  at  Beth-lehem  was,  "  in 
the  beginning  of  barley-harvest."  Thus  that  death  from  which 
Elimelech  and  his  sons  fled,  overtook  them  in  the  land  where  they 
sojourned ;  and  that  poverty,  the  dread  of  which  had  induced 
them  to  leave  the  holy  land,  now  came  heavily  upon  the  family. 
Their  substance  had  wasted  away  in  a  foreign  country ;  so  that 
when  Naomi  returned,  she  was  in  a  state  of  abject  poverty. 
This  circumstance  will  account  for  the  earnestness  with  which 
she  entreated  her  daughters-in-law  to  return  and  live  with  their 
friends ;  and  it  furnishes  strong  evidence  of  the  strength  of 
Ruth's  attachment  to  her,  or  rather  the  strength  of  that  piety 
towards  the  God  of  Israel  which  animated  her  breast.  Naomi, 
however,  had  rich  relations  in  Bethlehem,  but  possessing  an  in- 
dependent spirit  she  would  not  obtrude  herself  upon  their  atten- 
tion, much  less  solicit  any  favours  from  them. 

But  Naomi,  though  poor  and  desolate,  trusted  in  God,  and 
was  blessed  with  a  daughter-in-law  who  loved  her  most  tenderly, 
and  was  not  ashamed  to  labour  for  her  subsistence.  As  these 
widows  had  no  harvest  to  gather  in,  their  only  resource  for  a 
living  was  to  avail  themselves  of  that  provision  made  for  the 
poor  in  the  law  of  Moses,  by  which  they  were  permitted  to  fol- 
low the  reapers,  and  glean  such  handfuls  as  they  happened  to 
drop,  or  such  stalks  as  were  left  standing  in  the  corners  of  the 
field.  Ruth,  of  her  own  accord,  proposed  to  engage  in  this 
work ;  and  it  so  happened,  that  the  first  field  into  which  she 
entered,  belonged  to  a  near  relation  of  her  mother-in-law,  whose 
name  was  Boaz,  and  who  was  a  man  of  extensive  property  and 
wealth.  Boaz  appears  to  have  been  a  man  of  piety  as  well  as 
wealth ;  for  when  he  came  out  of  Beth-lehem  to  the  field  to  see 
the  reapers,  his  salutation  was,  "The  Lord  be  with  you."  And 
their  answer  corresponded  with  the  piety  of  the  master's  salu- 
tation; for  they  said,  "The  Lord  bless  thee."  There  is  some- 
thing exceedingly  pleasing  in  these  ancient  forms  of  pious  in- 
tercourse. Very  different  is  often  the  language  of  reapers  and 
their  employers  in  the  harvest-field  in  our  day.  The  attention 
of  Boaz  was  now  directed  to  Ruth,  whom  he  had  not  before  seen; 
and  he  inquired  of  the  overseer  of  the  reapers,  "Whose  damsel 
is  this?"  To  whom  the  servant  answered,  "It  is  the  Moab- 
itish  damsel  that  came  back  with  Naomi  out  of  the  country  of 
Moab.  And  she  said,  I  pray  you  let  me  glean  and  gather  after 
the  reapers  among  the  sheaves,  so  she  came  and  hath  continued 
even  from  the  morning  until  now.  Then  said  Boaz  unto  Ruth, 
Hearest  thou  not,  my  daughter,  go  not  to  glean  in  another  field, 
neither  go  from  hence,  but  abide  here  fast  by  my  maidens.  Let 
thine  eyes  be  on  the  field  that  they  do  reap,  and  go  thou  after 


264  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

them.  Have  I  not  charged  the  young  men  that  they  shall  not 
touch  thee  ?  And  when  thou  art  athirst,  go  unto  the  vessels  and 
drink  of  that  which  the  young  men  have  drawn."  This  unex- 
pected condescension  and  kindness  from  the  wealthy  owner  of 
the  harvest  aifected  this  poor  young  stranger  not  a  little ;  for 
"  she  fell  on  her  face,  and  bowed  herself  to  the  ground,  and  said 
unto  him,  Why  have  I  found  grace  in  thine  eyes,  that  thou 
shouldst  take  knowledge  of  me,  seeing  I  am  a  stranger?  And 
Boaz  answered  and  said  unto  her,  It  hath  fully  been  showed 
me  all  that  thou  hast  done  unto  thy  mother-in-law  since  the 
death  of  thine  husband ;  and  how  thou  hast  left  thy  father  and 
thy  mother,  and  the  land  of  thy  nativity,  and  art  come  unto  a 
people  which  thou  knewest  not  heretofore.  The  Lord  recom- 
pense thy  work,  and  a  full  reward  be  given  thee  of  the  Lord 
God  of  Israel,  under  whose  wings  thou  art  come  to  trust.  Then 
she  said,  Let  me  find  favour  in  thy  sight,  my  lord;  for  that 
thou  hast  comforted  me,  and  for  that  thou  hast  spoken  friendly  to 
thine  handmaid,  though  I  be  not  like  thine  handmaids.  And  Boaz 
said  unto  her,  At  meal-time  come  thou  hither,  and  eat  of  the 
bread,  and  dip  thy  morsel  in  the  vinegar.  And  she  sat  beside  the 
reapers:  and  he  reached  her  parched  corn,  and  she  did  eat,  and 
was  sufficed,  and  left.  And  when  she  was  risen  up  to  glean, 
Boaz  commanded  his  young  men,  saying,  Let  her  glean  even 
among  the  sheaves  and  reproach  her  not,  and  let  fall  also  some 
of  the  handfuls  of  purpose  for  her,  and  leave  them,  that  she 
may  glean  them,  and  rebuke  her  not."  Thus  was  an  acquaint- 
ance formed  between  these  worthy  persons,  who,  though  in 
very  different  external  circumstances,  Providence  had  deter- 
mined should  be  united  in  the  most  intimate  and  tender  bond 
known  upon  earth.  We  see  here,  that  virtuous  and  praise-wor- 
thy conduct,  even  in  humble  circumstances,  may  attract  the 
attention  and  even  the  esteem  of  those  in  superior  stations. 
Boaz  had  heard,  it  seems,  the  whole  story  of  the  devoted  attach- 
ment of  this  young  Moabitess  to  her  afflicted  mother-in-law,  and 
how,  for  her  sake,  and  more  especially  for  the  sake  of  her  reli- 
gion with  which  she  had  become  enamoured,  that  she  was  will- 
ing to  leave  her  own  father  and  mother  and  her  native  land, 
and  to  sojourn  in  a  land  of  strangers,  where  she  was  under  the 
necessity  of  gleaning  in  the  harvest-field  for  a  scanty  subsist- 
ence for  herself  and  her  aged  friend.  But  great  as  were  the 
sacrifices  which  she  had  made,  and  urgent  as  were  the  necessi- 
ties under  which  she  laboured,  and  the  privations  of  abject 
poverty  which  she  endured,  she  neither  repined  nor  murmured 
at  her  hard  lot,  but  cheerfully  submitted  to  her  afflictions,  and 
with  alacrity  performed  the  labours  required  by  her  circum- 
stances. And  until  this  time  it  is  not  probable  that  she  enter- 
tained any  hope  of  rising  into  a  more  favourable  condition.  It 


THE   ISRAELITES.  265 

is  evident  that  Boaz  was  instantly  struck  with  the  appearance 
of  this  young  woman.  Although  it  is  not  recorded,  it  is  more 
than  probable  that,  like  many  other  of  the  good  women  who 
have  been  honoured  with  a  notice  in  the  sacred  Scriptures,  she 
was  of  a  beautiful  aspect,  and  of  a  modest  and  becoming  de- 
meanour. But  Boaz,  a  pious  and  prudent  man,  was  prepared 
by  the  good  report  which  he  had  heard  of  the  kindness  of  Ruth 
to  her  mother-in-law,  his  near  relation,  to  entertain  kind  feel- 
ings towards  her;  yet  it  does  not  appear  that  the  idea  of 
making  her  his  wife  had  yet  taken  possession  of  his  mind. 
The  fact  was,  that  according  to  the  levirate  law  of  Moses,  the 
right  of  claiming  her  in  marriage  belonged  to  another,  who 
stood  in  a  nearer  degree  of  kindred  to  the  husband  of  the 
Moabitess  than  Boaz. 

When  Ruth  returned  in  the  evening  to  her  mother-in-law, 
laden  with  the  fruits  of  her  successful  gleaning,  the  inquiry  was 
made,  "Where  hast  thou  gleaned  to-day?  and  where wroughtest 
thou?"  And  when  Naomi  heard  that  she  happened  to  fall 
into  the  field  of  Boaz — for  this  was  not  the  effect  of  any  pre- 
concerted plan — she  was  sensibly  affected  with  the  providence 
which  led  her  daughter-in-law  to  that  place,  and  also  with  the 
remarkable  kindness  and  condescension  of  her  rich  relative. 
She  exclaimed,  therefore,  "  Blessed  be  he  of  the  Lord,  who 
hath  not  left  off  his  kindness  to  the  living  and  to  the  dead. 
And  Naomi  said  unto  her,  The  man  is  of  near  kin  unto  us ; 
one  of  our  next  kinsmen."  Ruth  also  informed  her  mother-in- 
law,  that  she  had  received  a  pressing  invitation  to  glean  in  the 
field  of  Boaz,  until  the  end  of  the  harvest;  which  was  very 
pleasing  to  Naomi,  for  she  was  glad  that  she  could  labour 
among  those  who  would  treat  her  respectfully.  And  accord- 
ingly she  kept  fast  by  the  maidens  of  Boaz  to  glean  unto  the 
end  of  barley-harvest,  and  wheat-harvest,  and  dwelt  with  her 
mother-in-law. 


SECTION  XXXV. 

BOAZ  MARRIES   RUTH — HER  SON    OBED  WAS    THE  FATHER   OF  JESSE,  THE    FATHER   OF 

DAVID. 

THERE  is  nothing  concerning  which  we  are  more  likely  to  fall 
into  grievous  mistakes,  than  by  judging  of  the  manners  and 
customs  of  ancient  nations  by  what  is  common  among  us. 
That  which  in  one  age  is  reckoned  perfectly  innocent,  and  as 
laying  riot  the  least  foundation  for  censure  or  reproach,  would, 
in  another  country  and  age,  be  considered  highly  indecorous. 

Naomi,  who  understood  the  laws  and  customs  of  the  Jews, 
began  now  to  entertain  the  hope,  that  notwithstanding  their 


266  HISTORY  OP  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

depressed  circumstances,  Boaz  would  be  induced  to  perform  to 
her  amiable  daughter-in-law  the  part  of  a  near  kinsman,  by 
taking  her  to  wife  and  raising  up  seed  to  his  deceased  relative. 
The  only  difficulty  was  to  bring  him  to  understand  that  this 
duty  devolved  on  him,  unless  another  kinsman,  who  was  still 
nearer  should  claim  his  right.  Naomi,  therefore,  formed  a 
plan  for  bringing  the  matter  to  a  crisis.  Whether  her  advice 
was  in  every  respect  prudent  and  becoming,  we  are  not  able  to 
judge.  Many  transactions  of  the  patriarchs  and  early  ages  of 
the  world  cannot  but  appear  strange  to  us ;  and  we  know  that 
the  record  of  a  fact  in  the  sacred  Scriptures  does  not  give  it  the 
stamp  of  divine  approbation.  Bad  actions  as  well  as  good  are 
left  on  record;  and  not  only  the  bad  conduct  of  wicked  men, 
but  the  slips  and  falls  of  the  most  eminent  saints.  Even  if  we 
should  be  obliged  to  censure  the  device  of  Naomi  as  imprudent 
and  unjustifiable,  and  as  an  unwarrantable  exposure  of  the 
chastity  of  her  daughter-in-law,  it  will  reflect  no  discredit  upon 
the  Bible ;  it  will  only  be  another  example  of  the  imperfections 
of  the  saints.  As  has  been  intimated,  however,  we  are  incom- 
petent judges  of  this  transaction,  unless  we  had  a  more  com- 
plete knowledge  of  the  customs  of  the  ancient  Israelites,  rela- 
tive to  such  matters. 

It  was  customary  at  the  end  of  harvest,  to  celebrate  a  feast, 
at  which  the  master  associated  in  a  free  and  friendly  manner 
with  his  labourers,  and  ate  and  drank  with  them  in  a  cheerful 
manner.  Something  of  this  kind  seems  to  have  been  done  by 
Boaz,  at  the  threshing-floor  where  his  servants  were  winnowing 
barley.  Naomi  directed  Ruth  to  wash,  anoint,  and  dress  her- 
self, and  to  go  to  this  place ;  and  told  her  precisely  how  she 
was  to  act.  That  "  when  Boaz  had  eaten  and  drunk,  and  his 
heart  was  merry,  and  he  went  to  lie  down  at  the  end  of  the 
heap  of  corn,  that  she  should  go  and  lay  herself  down  at 
his  feet,  and  uncover  his  feet."  The  young  woman  trusted 
implicitly  to  the  prudence  and  integrity  of  her  mother-in-law, 
and  acted  precisely  as  she  was  directed.  And  doubtless 
Naomi  proceeded  upon  the  full  persuasion  that  Boaz,  being  a 
good  and  honourable  man,  and  a  near  relative,  would  not  take 
advantage  of  the  helpless  young  stranger,  who  was  about  to 
cast  herself  upon  his  generosity.  Circumstances  which  would 
be  a  powerful  temptation  to  one  whose  virtue  is  weak,  may  be 
perfectly  safe  to  another  who  lives  habitually  in  the  fear  of 
God. 

Boaz  knew  not  that  a  woman  lay  at  his  feet,  until  about 
midnight,  he  observed  her,  and  was  afraid;  and  he  said,  "Who 
art  thou?  And  she  answered,  I  am  Ruth,  thine  handmaid, 
spread,  therefore,  thy  skirt  over  thy  handmaid;  for  thou  art  a 
near  kinsman."  These  words,  which  had  been  put  into  her 


THE  ISRAELITES.  267 

mouth,  imported  a  claim  to  be  taken  as  his  wife,  according  to 
the  law  of  the  Lord.  This  claim,  it  appears,  widows  were 
allowed  by  custom  to  make.  Indeed  it  was  no  more  than 
asserting  their  right ;  just  as  a  wife  would  claim  her  own  hus- 
band, to  whom  she  had  been  legally  joined  in  marriage.  But 
if  there  was  any  thing  indecorous  in  making  this  request,  there 
was  certainly  no  iniquity  in  it ;  and  whatever  of  imprudence  or 
forwardness  any  may  judge  to  have  been  in  this  conduct,  it 
must  not  be  charged  upon  the  modest  Ruth,  who  in  the  whole 
business  followed  implicitly  the  directions  of  her  mother-in-law, 
who  had  been  her  only  instructor,  in  all  that  related  to  the  law 
of  the  Lord.  But,  that  the  request  of  Ruth  was  not  considered 
unbecoming  or  improper,  appears  from  the  answer  of  Boaz, 
who  seems  to  have  been  highly  gratified  with  the  opportunity 
of  declaring  his  mind  to  his  fair  kinswoman.  "And  he  said, 
Blessed  be  thou  of  the  Lord,  my  daughter;  for  thou  hast 
showed  more  kindness  in  the  latter  end  than  at  the  beginning, 
inasmuch  as  thou  followest  not  young  men,  whether  poor  or 
rich."  He  considered  it  a  strong  evidence  of  her  virtue  and 
kindness  to  the  family  of  her  deceased  husband,  that  she  who 
was  not  bound  by  the  judicial  law  of  the  Israelites,  but  might 
have  sought  a  husband  among  young  men  of  other  families, 
should  be  disposed  to  yield  a  cheerful  obedience  to  the  laws  of 
her  adopted  country,  and  should  be  disposed  to  claim  him  as 
her  husband's  substitute  and  successor,  who  was  considerably 
advanced  in  years.  This  appears  to  be  his  meaning  when  he 
speaks  of  her  not  following  young  men,  whether  rich  or  poor. 
This  honourable  man  now  promised  to  comply  with  the  request 
of  Ruth,  as  far  as  it  was  legally  in  his  power.  He  said,  "My 
daughter,  fear  not,  I  will  do  to  thee  all  that  thou  requirest ; 
for  all  the  city  of  my  people  doth  know  that  thou  art  a  virtuous 
woman.  And  now,  it  is  true,  I  am  thy  near  kinsman ;  how- 
beit,  there  is  a  kinsman  nearer  than  I.  Tarry  this  night,  and 
it  shall  be  in  the  morning,  that  if  he  will  perform  unto  thee 
the  part  of  a  kinsman,  well ;  let  him  do  the  kinsman's  part ; 
but  if  he  will  not  do  the  part  of  a  kinsman  to  thee,  then  will  I 
do  the  part  of  a  kinsman  to  thee,  as  the  Lord  liveth." 

It  gives  us  a  favourable  opinion  of  the  inhabitants  of  Beth- 
lehem at  this  time,  that  they  were  capable  of  appreciating,  as 
they  did,  the  character  of  Ruth,  in  the  humble  vale  of  poverty 
in  which  she  walked;  and  that  their  chief  citizen  was  a  man 
of  so  much  integrity  and  honour:  that,  although  living  in  the 
possession  of  wealth  and  reputation,  he  was  disposed  to  perform 
a  sacred  duty  towards  a  poor  relative,  if  it  should  not  be  per- 
formed by  another,  to  whom  it  first  appertained. 

When  Ruth  returned  to  Naomi,  bearing  a  valuable  present 
of  six  measures  of  barley  from  Boaz,  and  related  to  her  all 


268  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

that  had  passed  between  them,  her  mother-in-law  said,  "Sit 
still,  my  daughter,  until  thou  know  how  the  matter  will  fall,  for 
the  man  will  not  be  in  rest,  until  he  have  finished  the  thing  this 
day."  This  sagacious  and  pious  mother  in  Israel  saw  the  lead- 
ings of  Providence  in  this  whole  affair,  and  she  perceived  that 
it  would  not  be  long  ere  the  will  of  Heaven  in  regard  to  her 
daughter-in-law  would  be  satisfactorily  developed. 

As  Naomi  correctly  judged,  Boaz  suffered  no  time  to  elapse, 
before  he  brought  this  matter,  in  which  he  was  deeply  inte- 
rested, to  a  decision.  He  took  the  first  opportunity  of  address- 
ing himself  to  the  kinsman  referred  to  above.  And  that  every 
thing  might  be  transacted  in  the  presence  of  a  competent  num- 
ber of  witnesses  of  suitable  weight  of  character,  "he  took  ten 
men  of  the  elders  of  the  city,  and  said,  Sit  ye  down  here, 
and  they  sat  down.  And  he  said  unto  the  kinsman,  Naomi 
that  is  come  again  out  of  the  country  of  Moab,  selleth  a 
parcel  of  land,  which  was  our  brother  Elimelech's.  And 
I  thought  to  advertise  thee,  saying,  Buy  it  before  the  in- 
habitants, and  before  the  elders  of  my  people.  If  thou  wilt 
redeem  it,  redeem  it;  but  if  thou  wilt  not  redeem  it,  then 
tell  me  that  I  may  know,  for  there  is  none  to  redeem  it 
besides  thee,  and  I  am  after  thee.  And  he  said,  I  will  redeem 
it.  Then  said  Boaz,  What  day  thou  buyest  the  field  of  the 
hand  of  Naomi,  thou  must  buy  it  also  of  Ruth  the  Moabitess, 
the  wife  of  the  dead,  to  raise  up  the  name  of  the  dead  upon  his 
inheritance.  And  the  kinsman  said,  I  cannot  redeem  it  for 
myself,  lest  I  mar  my  own  inheritance.  Redeem  thou  my 
right  to  thyself,  for  I  cannot  redeem  it."  At  that  time  it  was 
a  custom  in  Israel  to  confirm  bargains  of  this  kind  by  the  cere- 
mony of  plucking  off  the  shoe  and  giving  it  to  his  neighbour, 
and  this  was  considered  a  testimony  of  the  validity  of  the  con- 
tract. "Therefore,  the  kinsman  said  unto  Boaz,  Buy  it  for 
thee;  so  he  drew  off  his  shoe."  And  Boaz  said  unto  the 
elders  and  unto  all  the  people,  ye  are  witnesses  this  day,  that  I 
have  bought  all  that  was  Elimelech's,  and  all  that  was  Chilion's 
and  Mahlon's  of  the  hand  of  Naomi.  Moreover,  Ruth  the 
Moabitess,  the  wife  of  Mahlon,  have  I  purchased  to  be  my 
wife,  to  raise  up  the  name  of  the  dead  upon  his  inheritance, 
that  the  name  of  the  dead  be  not  cut  off  from  among  his  breth- 
ren, and  from  the  gate  of  his  place.  Ye  are  witnesses  this 
day.  And  all  the  people  that  were  in  the  gate,  and  the  elders 
said,  We  are  witnesses.  The  Lord  make  the  woman  that  is 
come  into  thy  house  like  Rachel  and  like  Leah,  which  two 
did  build  the  house  of  Israel;  and  do  thou  worthily  in  Ephra- 
tah,  and  be  famous  in  Beth-lehem.  And  let  thy  house  be  like 
the  house  of  Pharez,  whom  Tamar  bare  unto  Judah,  of  the 
seed  which  the  Lord  shall  give  thee  of  this  young  woman." 


THE  ISRAELITES.  269 

Although  Naomi  returned  home  in  abject  poverty,  she  still 
had  a  title  to  her  husband's  land ;  and  it  appears  from  the  lan- 
guage of  Boaz  to  his  kinsman,  that  the  widow  had  a  right  to 
sell  her  right.  The  law  requiring  a  brother,  or  the  nearest 
male  kinsman,  to  marry  the  widow  of  a  brother  deceased,  was 
intended  to  preserve  the  inheritance  in  the  family,  and  to  pre- 
vent the  extinction  of  families.  The  first-fruits  of  such  mar- 
riages were  legally  reckoned  to  the  deceased,  and  inherited  as 
if  they  had  been  his  real  posterity.  When  the  widow  of  a  de- 
ceased Israelite  was,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  past  the  age  of 
child-bearing,  the  law  would  not  apply ;  and  this  was  doubtless 
the  fact  in  regard  to  Naomi ;  but  this  did  not  affect  the  rights 
of  her  son's  widows.  As  these  sons  had  as  good  a  title  to  their 
part  of  the  landed  inheritance  as  their  father,  their  widows 
would  have  a  claim.  The  nearest  kinsman  seems  at  first  to 
have  supposed  that  the  inheritance  of  his  deceased  relatives 
would  become  his,  by  paying  Naomi  a  reasonable  sum  for  her 
right ;  but  when  he  found  that  there  was  in  the  family  a  young 
widow  whom  he  must  marry,  in  order  to  comply  with  the  law, 
he  relinquished  his  right  to  Boaz.  The  reason  which  he  as- 
signed for  declining  to  redeem  the  inheritance  was,  lest  he 
should  by  this  means  mar  his  own.  The  meaning  may  be,  that 
to  redeem  the  inheritance  of  these  three  persons  would  require 
such  a  sum  as  would  render  it  necessary  for  him  to  alienate  a 
part  of  his  own  inheritance.  The  Jewish  commentators,  how- 
ever, are  of  opinion,  that  this  kinsman  had  a  wife  and  children 
already,  and  did  not  wish  to  increase  his  expenses  by  enlarging 
his  family,  lest  by  this  means  he  should  waste  or  mar  his  in- 
heritance. 

"So  Boaz  took  Ruth,  and  she  was  his  wife."  "And  the 
Lord  gave  her  conception,  and  she  bare  a  son.  And  the 
women  said  unto  Naomi,  Blessed  be  the  Lord,  which  hath  not 
left  thee  this  day  without  a  kinsman,  that  his  name  may  be 
famous  in  Israel.  And  he  shall  be  unto  thee  a  restorer  of  thy 
life,  and  a  nourisher  of  thine  old  age ;  for  thy  daughter-in-law, 
which  loveth  thee,  which  is  better  to  thee  than  seven  sons,  hath 
borne  him.  And  Naomi  took  the  child  and  laid  it  in  her 
bosom,  and  became  nurse  unto  it.  And  the  women  her  neigh- 
bours gave  it  a  name,  saying,  There  is  a  son  born  to  Naomi, 
and  they  called  his  name  Obed.  He  is  the  father  of  Jesse,  the 
father  of  David. 


270  HISTORY  OF  THE    ISRAELITISH  NATION. 


SECTION  XXXVI. 

BIRTH  OF  SAMUEL. 

IN  the  town  of  Ramathaim-Zophim,  was  a  man  whose  name  was 
Elkanah,  an  Ephrathite.  This  man  had  two  wives,  Hannah  and 
Peninnah;  the  latter  of  whom  bare  children,  the  former,  none. 
Elkanah  was  a  devout  man,  and  "went  up  yearly  to  Shiloh 
to  worship,  and  to  sacrifice  unto  the  Lord  of  hosts."  This 
probably  should  be  interpreted  as  not  meaning  that  he  went  up 
merely  once  in  the  year,  but  that  he  was  regular  in  his  attend- 
ance at  each  of  the  annual  feasts,  according  to  the  prescription 
of  the  law.  At  this  time  Eli  was  the  high-priest,  a  man 
advanced  in  age,  who  had  two  sons,  Hophni  and  Phinehas,  who 
officiated  at  the  tabernacle  as  priests  of  the  Lord.  At  the 
solemn  feasts  which  were  celebrated  at  Shiloh,  Elkanah  dealt 
out  liberal  portions  to  his  wife  Peninnah  and  all  her  children, 
but  to  Hannah,  who  was  his  chiefly  beloved  wife,  he  gave  a  wor- 
thy portion.  But  as  Hannah,  though  the  favourite  of  her  hus- 
band, bare  no  children,  her  rival  took  occasion  to  provoke  and 
fret  her ;  and  this  she  did,  not  once  or  twice  merely,  but  con- 
tinually, especially  when  the  family  went  up  to  Shiloh  to  the 
annual  feasts.  On  this  account  Hannah  was  sore  vexed,  and 
wept,  and  refused  to  eat.  "  Then  said  Elkanah  her  husband 
to  her,  Hannah,  why  weepest  thou?  And  why  eatest  thou 
not?  And  why  is  thy  heart  grieved?  Am  not  I  better  to 
thee  than  ten  sons?"  But,  Hannah,  although  she  arose  up, 
after  the  feast  was  over,  still  continued  to  indulge  her  grief; 
and  in  the  bitterness  of  her  soul  she  prayed  unto  the  Lord,  and 
wept  sore.  "And  she  vowed  a  vow,  and  said,  0  Lord  of  hosts, 
if  thou  wilt  indeed  look  on  the  affliction  of  thine  handmaid  and 
remember  me,  and  not  forget  thine  handmaid,  but  wilt  give 
unto  thine  handmaid  a  man-child,  then  I  will  give  him  unto  the 
Lord  all  the  days  of  his  life,  and  there  shall  come  no  razor  upon 
his  head.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  she  continued  praying  before 
the  Lord,  that  Eli  marked  her  mouth.  Now  Hannah,  she  spake 
in  her  heart ;  only  her  lips  moved,  but  her  voice  was  not  heard ; 
therefore  Eli  thought  she  had  been  drunken.  And  Eli  said 
unto  her,  How  long  wilt  thou  be  drunken  ?  Put  away  thy 
wine  from  thee.  And  Hannah  answered  and  said,  No,  my  lord, 
I  am  a  woman  of  a  sorrowful  spirit.  I  have  drunk  neither  wine 
nor  strong  drink,  but  have  poured  out  my  soul  before  the  Lord. 
Count  not  thine  handmaid  for  a  daughter  of  Belial,  for  out  of 
the  abundance  of  my  complaint  and  grief  have  I  spoken  hither- 
to." No  good  man  was  ever  more  misled  by  appearances  than 
Eli,  in  the  present  instance.  He  imputed  to  intoxication,  what 


THE   ISRAELITES.  271 

•was  the  effect  of  a  spirit  deeply  troubled,  and  earnestly  wrest- 
ling with  God  in  prayer.  But  although  good  men  are  liable  to 
fall  into  mistakes  of  this  kind,  they  are  ever  ready  to  renounce 
their  errors,  when  the  truth  is  clearly  made  known.  Therefore, 
upon  finding  that  Hannah  was  a  very  different  kind  of  person 
from  what  he  had  taken  her  for,  he  changed  his  tone  towards 
her  instantly,  and  addressed  her  in  the  most  affectionate  man- 
ner, and  said,  "  Go  in  peace,  and  the  God  of  Israel  grant  thee 
thy  petition  that  thou  hast  asked  of  him.  And  she  said,  Let 
thine  handmaid  find  grace  in  thy  sight."  From  this  time  Han- 
nah recovered  her  wonted  cheerfulness,  and  her  countenance 
was  no  more  sad.  Believing  prayer  has  a  wonderful  effect  to 
dispel  sorrow,  and  diffuse  cheerfulness  through  the  soul.  Let 
all  who  are  in  bitterness  of  spirit,  and  suffer  under  a  load  of 
grief,  seek  relief  at  a  throne  of  grace.  Let  them  cast  their 
burdens  on  the  Lord  and  he  "will  sustain  them,  and  will  turn 
their  darkness  into  light,  and  cause  them  to  exchange  their  griefs 
and  complaints  for  joy  and  rejoicing. 

The  family  of  Elkanah  having  completed  their  service  at  the 
tabernacle  in  Shiloh,  prepared  to  return  home ;  but  before  they 
set  out  on  their  journey,  as  became  a  pious  household,  they 
engaged  in  a  solemn  act  of  worship  to  Jehovah,  at  the  place 
•where  he  had  recorded  his  name,  and  where  he  had  his  resi- 
dence between  the  cherubim :  and  they  returned  to  Ramah, 
•where  he  dwelt. 

In  due  season  Hannah  received  the  answer  to  her  earnest 
prayer,  and  enjoyed  the  happiness  of  embracing  a  son,  whom  she 
called  Samuel,  saying,  "Because  I  have  asked  him  of  the  Lord." 
When  Elkanah  went  up  to  Shiloh  with  all  his  house,  Han- 
nah did  not  at  this  time  accompany  him ;  "  for  she  said  unto 
her  husband,  I  will  not  go  up  until  the  child  be  weaned,  and 
then  I  will  bring  him,  that  he  may  appear  before  the  Lord,  and 
there  abide  for  ever.  And  Elkanah,  her  husband,  said  unto 
her,  Do  what  seemeth  thee  good.  Tarry  until  thou  have 
weaned  him ;  only  the  Lord  establish  his  word ;  so  the  woman 
abode  and  gave  her  son  suck  until  she  weaned  him.  And  when 
she  had  weaned  him,  she  took  him  up  with  her,  with  three 
bullocks,  and  one  ephah  of  flour,  and  a  bottle  of  wine,  and 
brought  him  unto  the  house  of  the  Lord  at  Shiloh.  And  the 
child  was  young ;  and  they  slew  a  bullock  and  brought  the 
child  to  Eli.  And  she  said,  0  my  lord,  as  thy  soul  liveth,  my 
lord,  I  am  the  woman  that  stood  by  thee  here  praying  unto  the 
Lord.  For  this  child  I  prayed,  and  the  Lord  hath  given  me 
my  petition  which  I  asked  of  him.  Therefore,  also,  I  have  lent 
him  to  the  Lord ;  as  long  as  he  liveth  he  shall  be  lent  unto  the 
Lord.  And  he  worshipped  the  Lord  there." 


272  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 


SECTION  XXXVII. 

HANNAH'S     DIVINE     SONG. 

As  Hannah  manifested  the  ardour  of  her  piety  by  the  fervency 
of  her  prayer,  so  she  was  prompt  and  cordial  in  her  thanks- 
giving to  God  for  his  mercy,  when  her  petition  was  granted. 
The  pious  and  elevated  song  which,  by  the  inspiration  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  she  was  enabled  to  sing  on  this  occasion,  is  left  on 
record  for  the  edification  of  the  church  through  all  succeeding 
ages: 

"My  heart  rejoiceth  in  the  Lord. 
My  horn  is  exalted  in  the  Lord. 
My  mouth  is  enlarged  over  mine  enemies, 
Because  I  rejoice  in  thy  salvation. 
There  is  none  holy  as  the  Lord. 
For  there  is  none  besides  thee ; 
Neither  is  there  any  rock  like  our  God. 
Talk  no  more  so  exceeding  proudly, 
Let  not  arrogancy  come  out  of  your  mouth, 
For  the  Lord  is  a  God  of  knowledge, 
And  by  him  are  actions  weighed. 
The  bows  of  the  mighty  men  are  broken ; 
And  they  that  stumble  are  girt  with  strength. 
They  that  were  full  have  hired  out  themselves  for  bread ; 
And  they  that  were  hungry  ceased : 
So  that  the  barren  hath  borne  seven, 
And  she  that  hath  many  children  is  waxed  feeble. 
The  Lord  killeth  and  maketh  alive : 
He  bringeth  down  to  the  grave,  and  bringeth  up. 
The  Lord  maketh  poor  and  maketh  rich: 
He  bringeth  low  and  he  lifteth  up : 
He  raiseth  up  the  poor  out  of  the  dust, 
And  lifteth  up  the  beggar  from  the  dung-hill, 
To  set  them  among  princes,  and  to  make  them  inherit  the  throne 

of  glory. 

For  the  pillars  of  the  earth  are  the  Lord's, 
And  he  hath  set  the  world  upon  them. 
He  will  keep  the  feet  of  his  saints, 
And  the  wicked  shall  be  silent  in  darkness ; 
For  by  strength  shall  no  man  prevail. 
The  adversaries  of  the  Lord  shall  be  broken  to  pieces; 
Out  of  heaven  shall  he  thunder  upon  them. 
The  Lord  shall  judge  the  ends  of  the  earth, 
And  he  shall  give  strength  unto  his  King, 
And  exalt  the  horn  of  his  anointed." 


THE   ISRAELITES.  273 


SECTION  XXXVIII. 

SAMUEL   IS   LEFT   AT   SHILOH — ELI'S    SONS — GOD'S    MESSAGE    TO    ELI,   BY   A   NAMELESS 

FKOPHET. 

ELKANAH  and  his  family  having  accomplished  the  object  of  their 
visit  to  Shiloh,  returned  again  to  Ramah,  hut  the  child  Samuel 
was  left  at  the  tabernacle  by  his  mother,  according  to  the  vow 
which  she  had  vowed  unto  the  Lord,  that  he  should  be  lent  unto 
the  Lord  as  long  as  he  lived.  Samuel,  therefore,  ministered 
unto  the  Lord,  before  Eli  the  priest ;  and  although  he  was  not 
of  the  sacerdotal  race,  and  could  not  officiate  in  any  service 
which  belonged  peculiarly  to  the  priests,  yet,  as  a  consecrated 
Nazarite,  he  might  have  the  privilege  of  remaining  near  the 
tabernacle,  and  of  performing  such  services  as  were  not  appro- 
priated to  the  family  of  Levi. 

"  The  sons  of  Eli,  Hophni  and  Phinehas,  were  sons  of  Belial ; 
they  knew  not  the  Lord."  They  were  both  rapacious  and  licen- 
tious ;  and  instead  of  setting  an  example  of  piety  before  the 
people  who  frequented  the  tabernacle  at  Shiloh,  they  not  only 
acted  corruptly  themselves,  but  caused  the  people  to  offend 
against  the  Lord.  "Wherefore  the  sin  of  the  young  men  was 
very  great  before  the  Lord ;  for  men  abhorred  the  offering  of 
the  Lord."  Eli,  though  himself  a  pious  man,  had  not  acted 
with  fidelity  towards  his  sons,  but  had  connived  at  their  irregu- 
lar proceedings,  which  neglect  was  very  offensive  in  the  eyes  of 
the  Lord. 

"But  Samuel  ministered  before  the  Lord,  being  a  child,  girded 
with  a  linen  ephod.  Moreover,  his  mother  made  him  a  little 
coat,  and  brought  it  to  him  from  year  to  year,  when  she  came 
up  with  her  husband  to  offer  the  yearly  sacrifice.  And  Eli 
blessed  Elkanah  and  his  wife,  and  said,  The  Lord  give  thee  seed 
of  this  woman  for  the  loan  which  is  lent  to  the  Lord."  And 
this  prayer  of  the  high-priest  was  abundantly  fulfilled;  for 
Hannah  became  the  mother  of  three  sons  and  two  daughters. 
And  the  child  Samuel  remained  at  Shiloh,  and  grew  in  stature, 
and  conducted  himself  so  wisely  and  piously,  that  he  greatly 
pleased  the  Lord;  so  that  he  began  early  to  reveal  himself 
unto  him.  The  sons  of  Eli,  instead  of  reforming  their  vicious 
lives,  increased  in  their  wickedness ;  and  their  father  did  indeed 
speak  to  them  when  he  heard  of  their  repeated  and  enormous 
acts  of  wickedness,  and  said,  "  Why  do  ye  such  things  ?  for  I 
hear  of  your  evil  dealings  by  all  this  people ;  nay,  my  sons,  for 
it  is  no  good  report  that  I  hear.  Ye  make  the  Lord's  people 
to  transgress.  If  a  man  sin  against  another,  the  judge  shall 
judge  him,  but  if  a  man  sin  against  the  Lord,  who  shall  entreat 
18 


274  HISTORY  OP  THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

for  him?"     This  reproof  was  entirely  too  mild,  and  seems  to 
have  been  given  at  too  late  a  period,  for  it  is  assigned  as  a  rea- 
son why  it  took  no  effect,  that  the  Lord  had  determined  to  slay 
them.     These  young  men  ought  to  have  been  removed  entirely 
from  the  service  of  the.  altar  and  the  tabernacle.     There  were 
men  enough  of  the  sacerdotal  order  to  perform  these  sacred 
services :    and  Eli,   as  the  high-priest,   had   the   authority  to 
commit   to  whom  he  would  the  several  parts  of  divine  wor- 
ship which  was  daily  celebrated  at  the  tabernacle.     At  any 
rate,  his  rebukes  should  have  been  more  seasonable,  more  fre- 
quent, and  more  severe,  for  conduct  which  was  so  enormously 
wicked ;  and  it  seems  that  the  young  men  made  no  attempt  to 
conceal  their  transgressions :  their  sin  was  so  public  that  all 
the  people  were  acquainted  with  it,  and,  as  is  commonly  the 
fact,  all  others  knew  it  sooner  than  their  father ;  for  his  know- 
ledge was  derived  from  public  report.     A  pious  father  cannot 
be  held  responsible  for  the  bad  conduct  of  his  sons,-  if  he  has 
faithfully  performed  his  duty  towards  them  ;  but  if  he  has  been 
acquainted  with  their  acts  of  iniquity,  and  yet  has  refrained 
from  reproving  them ;  or  if  he  has  neglected  to  exercise  whole- 
some discipline,  and  to  remove  them  from  those  situations  in 
which  they  have  much  power  to  do  evil,  he  is  guilty  of  a  grievous 
sin,  and  one  for  which  God  will  punish  him  with  chastisements 
which  will  cause  his  own  heart  to  bleed,  and  the  ears  of  every 
one  that  heareth  of  them  to  tingle.     And  perhaps,  among  good 
men,  no  sin  is  more  common  than  undue  lenity  towards  sons, 
who  are  living  in  open  transgression  of  the  commandments  of 
God.     If  they  suffer  the  evil  to  run  on  for  a  long  time,  and 
should  at  last  undertake  to  administer  reproofs,  they  may  come 
too  late,  and,  as  in  the  case  of  Eli,  may  produce  no  salutary 
effect.    Such  parents,  however,  commonly  receive,  in  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  and  from  hi-s  word  and  Spirit,  frequent  admoni- 
tions of  their  duty.     During  the  whole  period  of  the  theocracy, 
there  were  inspired  men  in  Israel.     It  is  probable  that  some  of 
these  received  communications  only  at  particular  times,  and 
were  appointed  to  deliver  special  messages  to  individuals.     In 
a  number  of  cases,  prophets  are  introduced  as  delivering  com- 
munications from  God,  of  whom  we  never  hear  any  thing  more, 
and  whose  names  are  not  even  given  in  the  sacred  record.    We 
have  an  example  of  this  sort  in  the  history  of  Eli.    "  And  there 
came  a  man  of  God  unto  Eli,  and  said  unto  him,  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  Did  I  plainly  appear  unto  the  house  of  thy  father,  when 
they  were  in  Egypt,  in  Pharaoh's  house  ?     And  did  I  choose 
him  out  of  all  the  tribes  of  Israel  to  be  my  priest,  to  offer  upon 
mine  altar,  to  burn  incense,  to  wear  an  ephod  before  me  ?  And 
did  I  give  unto  the  house  of  thy  father  all  the  offerings  made 
by  fire  of  the  children  of  Israel?    Wherefore  kick  ye  at  my 


THE   ISKAELITES.  275 

sacrifice,  and  at  mine  offering,  which  I  have  commanded  in  my 
habitation :  and  honourest  thy  sons  above  me,  to  make  your- 
selves fat  with  the  chiefest  of  all  the  offerings  of  Israel  my 
people?  Wherefore,  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  saith,  I  said,  in- 
deed, that  thy  house  and  the  house  of  thy  father  should  walk 
before  me  for  ever :  but  now  the  Lord  saith,  Be  it  far  from  me, 
for  them  that  honour  me  I  will  honour,  and  they  that  despise 
me  shall  be  lightly  esteemed.  Behold,  the  days  come  that  I  will 
cut  off  thine  arm,  and  the  arm  of  thy  father's  house,  that  there 
shall  not  be  an  old  man  in  thy  house  for  ever.  And  the  man  of 
thine,  whom  I  shall  not  cut  off  from  mine  altar,  shall  be  to  con- 
sume thine  eyes,  and  to  grieve  thy  heart:  and  all  the  increase 
of  thy  house  shall  die  in  the  flower  of  their  age.  And  this 
shall  be  a  sign  unto  thee,  that  shall  come  upon  thy  two  sons, 
Hophni  and  Phinehas,  in  one  day  they  shall  die,  both  of  them. 
And  I  will  raise  me  up  a  faithful  priest,  that  shall  do  according 
to  that  which  is  in  my  heart,  and  in  my  mind;  and  I  will  build 
him  a  sure  house ;  and  he  shall  walk  before  mine  Anointed  for 
ever.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  every  one  that  is  left  in 
thy  house  shall  come  and  crouch  to  him  for  a  piece  of  silver 
and  a  morsel  of  bread,  and  shall  say,  Put  me,  I  pray  thee,  into 
one  of  the  priest's  offices,  that  I  may  eat  a  piece  of  bread." 

This  solemn  message  from  an  anonymous  prophet  claims  the 
attention  of  all  parents,  and  especially  of  the  ministers  of  the 
Lord.  There  is  awful  severity  in  the  judgments  denounced  on 
the  house  of  Eli,  which  were  executed  literally,  as  the  sequel  of 
the  sacred  history  clearly  demonstrates.  The  case  of  Eli's  ini- 
quity is  pointed  out  distinctly  by  this  unknown  man  of  God.  It 
was,  that  he  honoured  his  sons  more  than  he  honoured  God. 
Let  all  parents  beware  of  the  sin  of  preferring  the  indulgence 
and  gratification  of  their  children  to  the  honour  and  glory  of 
God.  Let  them  remember  that  the  temptations  to  this  sin  are 
exceedingly  strong,  on  account  of  the  strength  of  parental  affec- 
tion; and  it  is  an  insidious  evil,  because  it  does  not  consist  in 
any  positive  act,  but  in  the  mere  neglect  of  our  duty:  and  it 
is  often  connected  with  a  kind  and  amiable  disposition,  which 
feels  an  insuperable  reluctance  to  inflict  pain  on  the  persons 
beloved.  But  it  is  a  fair  trial  of  the  state  of  the  heart.  It 
serves  to  show  whether  we  love  God  or  our  children  with 
supreme  affection. 


276  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 


SECTION  XXXIX. 

JEHOVAH   SPEAKS   TO   THE   CHILD    SAMUEL,   AND   REVEALS   HIS     PURPOSE    IN    EEGAKD 
TO    ELI'S    FAMILY — ELI'S   HUMBLE    SUBMISSION. 

ABOUT  this  time  the  instances  of  divine  communications  had 
become  rare  ;  "and  there  was  no  open  vision."  Some  time  had 
elapsed  since  the  anonymous  prophet  had  been  sent  with  God's 
awful  message  to  Eli ;  and  yet  no  reformation  had  taken  place 
in  his  sons ;  and  it  does  not  appear  that  he  had  become  more 
faithful  and  decisive  in  the  treatment  of  his  sons,  and  probably 
the  deep  impression  which  the  prophet's  words  must  have  made 
upon  his  mind,  was  nearly  obliterated,  when  it  pleased  God  to 
send  him  another  message  by  his  young  servant  Samuel,  who 
ministered  unto  the  Lord  before  him.  "And  it  came  to  pass, 
at  that  time,  when  Eli  was  laid  down  in  his  place,  and  his  eyes 
began  to  wax  dim,  that  he  could  not  see ;  and  ere  the  lamp  of  God 
went  out  in  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  where  the  ark  of  God  was, 
and  Samuel  was  laid  down  to  sleep,  that  the  Lord  called  Sam- 
uel, and  he  answered,  Here  am  I.  And  he  ran  unto  Eli,  and 
said,  Here  am  I,  for  thou  calledst  me.  And  he  said,  I  called  not ; 
lie  down  again ;  and  he  went  and  lay  down.  And  the  Lord 
called  yet  again,  Samuel.  And  Samuel  arose  andvwent  to  Eli, 
and  said,  Here  am  I,  for  thou  didst  call  me.  And  he  answered, 
I  called  not,  my  son ;  lie  down  again.  Now  Samuel  did  not  yet 
know  the  Lord ;  neither  was  the  word  of  the  Lord  yet  revealed 
unto  him.  And  the  Lord  called  Samuel  again  the  third  time. 
And  he  arose  and  went  to  Eli,  and  said,  Here  am  I,  for  thou 
didst  call  me.  And  Eli  perceived  that  the  Lord  had  called  the 
child.  Therefore  Eli  said  unto  Samuel,  Go,  lie  down  :  and  it 
shall  be,  if  he  call  thee,  that  thou  shalt  say,  Speak,  Lord,  for 
thy  servant  heareth.  And  the  Lord  came  and  stood,  and  called 
as  at  other  times,  Samuel,  Samuel :  then  Samuel  answered, 
Speak,  for  thy  servant  heareth.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Samuel, 
Behold  I  will  do  a  thing  in  Israel,  at  which  both  the  ears  of 
every  one  that  heareth  it  shall  tingle.  In  that  day  I  will  per- 
form against  Eli  all  things  which  I  have  spoken  concerning  his 
house.  When  I  begin  I  will  also  make  an  end,  for  I  have  told 
him  that  I  will  judge  his  house  for  ever,  for  the  iniquity  which 
he  knoweth,  because  his  sons  made  themselves  vile  and  he  res- 
trained them  not.  And,  therefore,  I  have  sworn  to  the  house 
of  Eli,  that  the  iniquity  of  Eli's  house  shall  not  be  purged  with 
sacrifice  nor  offering  for  ever.  And  Samuel  lay  until  the  morn- 
ing, and  opened  the  doors  of  the  house  of  the  Lord ;  and  Sam- 
uel feared  to  show  Eli  the  vision.  Then  Eli  called  Samuel,  and 
said,  Samuel,  my  son,  and  he  answered,  Here  am  I.  And  he 


THE   ISRAELITES.  277 

said,  "What  is  the  thing  that  the  Lord  hath  said  unto  thee  ?  I 
pray  thee  hide  it  not  from  me.  God  do  so  to  thee,  and  more 
also,  if  thou  hide  any  thing  from  me,  of  all  the  things  that  he 
said  unto  thee.  And  Samuel  told  him  every  whit,  and  hid  no- 
thing from  him.  And  he  said,  It  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do  what 
seemeth  him  good."  As  the  Lord  is  very  merciful  and  repent- 
eth  him  of  the  evil  which  he  has  intended  and  threatened,  it 
cannot  be  doubted,  that  if  Eli,  upon  the  first  divine  warning, 
had  immediately  set  himself  to  reform  his  house  and  to  restrain 
his  sons,  or  to  put  them  out  of  the  way  of  doing  so  much  evil, 
the  dreadful  judgments  denounced  against  his  family  would 
have  been  averted ;  for  in  such  threatenings  there  is  commonly 
an  implied  condition,  that  if  the  parties  concerned  repent  and 
turn  unto  God  with  all  their  heart,  their  iniquities  shall  be  for- 
given. But  when  men  persevere  in  transgression,  there  is  a 
certain  point  beyond  which  mercy  will  not  pursue  them ;  when 
the  Lord  utterly  refuses  to  hear  any  intercessions  or  accept  any 
sacrifices  or  offerings  in  behalf  of  the  guilty  transgressor.  There 
is  a  day  of  grace ;  and  there  is  a  time  when,  in  just  judgment, 
the  things  which  make  for  peace  are  hidden  from  the  eyes  of 
men.  Eli  and  his  sons  might  have  escaped  from  these  heavy 
judgments,  if  they  had  repented  when  the  man  of  God  was  sent 
with  the  solemn  admonition,  which  we  have  recorded  above ; 
but  now,  the  clay  of  grace  was  past.  Now  the  purpose  of  God 
is  irrevocably  fixed,  that  his  house  shall  not  be  purged,  and  that 
the  threatened  punishment  shall  fall  upon  him.  The  submission, 
of  Eli  to  the  divine  will  in  this  matter  is  truly  remarkable. 
He  was  conscious  of  his  own  ill-desert,  and  was  convinced  that 
he  justly  deserved  to  suffer  all  that  had  been  threatened.  He 
said  not  a  word,  therefore,  in  extenuation  of  his  sin ;  nor  did 
he  complain  of  the  severity  of  the  divine  wrath;  nor  ask 
that  the  awful  curse  should  be  averted  or  mitigated.  He 
bows  in  submission  to  the  divine  will,  and  meekly  says,  "It 
is  the  Lord,  let  him  do  what  seemeth  him  good."  He  knew 
,  that  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  would  do  right ;  and  as  he  had 
revealed  that  his  sin  should  not  escape  punishment,  he  sees  no- 
thing left  for  him  but  humble  submission.  There  is  a  remarka- 
ble parallelism  between  the  conduct  of  Eli  and  that  of  Aaron. 
Indeed,  the  resemblance  between  these  two  saints  is  very  strik- 
ing, and  also  between  the  calamities  which  befel  them.  Both 
were  high-priests — both  had  irreligious  sons,  who,  while  they 
ministered  at  the  altar,  by  their  transgressions  provoked  Jeho- 
vah to  cut  them  off;  and  it  is  probable  that,  in  either  case, 
the  oldest  of  these  young  men,  if  he  had  lived,  would  have  been 
advanced  to  the  office  of  high-priest.  When  Nadab  and  Abihu 
were  struck  dead,  "Aaron  held  his  peace;"  and  Eli  spoke,  but 
only  said,  "It  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do  what  seemeth  him  good." 


278  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

From  the  time  that  the  Lord  made  himself  known  unto  Samuel, 
•when  a  child,  he  continued  more  and  more  to  make  commu- 
nications unto  him,  until  it  was  well  understood  from  Dan  even 
to  Beer-sheba,  "  that  Samuel  was  established  to  be  a  prophet 
of  the  Lord."  "And  Samuel  grew,  and  the  Lord  was  with 
him,  and  did  let  none  of  his  words  fall  to  the  ground."  "And 
the  Lord  appeared  again  in  Shiloh:  for  the  Lord  revealed  him- 
self to  Samuel  by  the  Word  of  the  Lord."  And  the  word  of 
Samuel  was  regarded  by  all  Israel  as  a  revelation  from  God ; 
and  he  was  respected  and  venerated  as  a  prophet  of  the  Lord. 


SECTION  XL. 

THE  ISRAELITES  DEFEATED  BY  THE  PHILISTINES — THE  TWO  SONS  OF  ELI  SLAIN,  AND 
THE  ARK  TAKEN — THE  INTELLIGENCE  OVERCOMES  ELI,  WHO  FALLS  BACK  AND 
BREAKS  HIS  NECK — THE  WIFE  OF  FHINEHAS  ALSO  EXPIRES. 

IN  this  period  a  war  occurred  between  the  Israelites  and  their 
inveterate  foes,  the  Philistines.  The  Israelites  encamped  in  a 
place  which  afterwards  received  the  name  of  Ebenezer,  on  ac- 
count of  a  circumstance  which  shall  hereafter  be  mentioned. 
The  Philistines  pitched  not  far  off,  in  a  place  called  Aphek. 
The  contending  armies  soon  joined  battle,  and  Israel  was  smit- 
ten before  the  Philistines ;  and  they  slew  of  the  army  in  the 
field  about  four  thousand  men.  "When  the  people  were  come 
into  the  camp,  the  elders  of  Israel  said,  Wherefore  hath  the 
Lord  smitten  us  to-day  before  the  Philistines  ?  Let  us  fetch 
the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  out  of  Shiloh  unto  us,  that 
when  it  cometh  among  us,  it  may  save  us  out  of  the  hand  of  our 
enemies."  This  was  a  very  unlawful  enterprise.  The  ark,  when 
deposited  in  the  tabernacle,  was  not  to  be  removed,  but  by 
divine  direction ;  and  on  this  occasion,  no  prophet  was  con- 
sulted, and  no  inquiry  was  made  of  the  Lord  by  Urim  and 
Thummim,  or  by  any  other  means ;  but  a  hasty  resolution  was 
formed  in  the  camp,  under  the  consternation  produced  by  their 
recent  defeat.  Besides,  it  was  a  weak  and  superstitious  opinion 
that  the  mere  presence  of  the  ark  could  save  them  from  their 
enemies.  If  God  was  not  on  their  side,  in  vain  did  they  trust 
to  the  ark,  which  was,  indeed,  a  symbol  of  the  divine  presence, 
but  possessed  no  power  whatever  independent  of  God.  Eli,  to 
whom  the  care  of  the  ark  belonged,  ought  firmly  and  strenu- 
ously to  have  resisted  this  desecration  of  the  ark  of  the  cove- 
nant; but  it  was  the  weakness  of  this  good  man  not  to  be  able 
to  oppose  the  will  of  others,  even  when  it  was  evil.  And  his 
two  wicked  sons,  who  seem  to  have  had  the  charge  of  the  taber- 
nacle and  its  sacred  furniture,  would  be  disposed  to  comply 
with  the  wishes  of  the  people  and  the  elders.  Accordingly, 


THE  ISRAELITES.  279 

they  sent  to  Shiloh  and  brought  from  thence  the  ark  of  the 
covenant  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  which  dwelleth  between  the 
cherubims.  Hophni  and  Phinehas  accompanied  the  impious 
and  mad  expedition.  "And  when  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the 
Lord  came  into  the  camp,  all  Israel  shouted  with  a  great  shout, 
so  that  the  earth  rang  again.  And  when  the  Philistines  heard 
the  noise  of  the  shout,  they  said,  What  meaneth  the  noise  of 
this  great  shout  in  the  camp  of  the  Hebrews  ?  And  they  un- 
derstood that  the  ark  of  the  Lord  was  come  into  the  camp. 
And  the  Philistines  were  afraid,  for  they  said,  God  is  come  into 
the  camp,  and  they  said,  Wo  unto  us,  for  there  hath  not  been 
such  a  thing  heretofore.  Wo  unto  us,  who  shall  deliver  us  out 
of  the  hand  of  these  mighty  Gods  ?  These  are  the  Gods  that 
smote  the  Egyptians  with  all  the  plagues  in  the  wilderness.  Be 
strong  and  quit  yourselves  like  men,  0  ye  Philistines,  that  ye 
be  not  servants  unto  the  Hebrews,  as  they  have  been  to  you. 
Quit  yourselves  like  men,  and  fight."  Battle  was  now  joined, 
and  again  Israel  was  smitten,  and  the  people  fled  to  their  tents, 
and  there  was  a  very  great  slaughter ;  for  there  fell  of  Israel 
thirty  thousand  footmen.  And  the  ark  of  God  was  taken ;  and 
the  two  sons  of  Eli,  Hophni  and  Phinehas,  were  slain.  The 
sad  tidings  of  this  disastrous  defeat  was  brought  to  Shiloh  by  a 
man  of  Benjamin,  who  came  the  same  day  with  his  clothes 
rent,  and  with  earth  upon  his  head.  Eli,  who  was  in  great 
anxiety,  had  taken  his  seat  by  the  wayside,  watching;  "for  his 
heart  trembled  for  the  ark  of  God."  As  soon  as  the  tidings 
were  heard,  there  arose  a  general  cry  of  distress  among  the 
people,  which,  when  Eli  heard,  he  said,  "What  meaneth  the 
noise  of  this  tumult  ?  And  the  man  came  in  hastily  and  told 
Eli.  Now  Eli  was  ninety  and  eight  years  old,  and  his  eyes 
were  dim  that  he  could  not  see."  And  when  he  was  informed 
that  this  man  had  come  immediately  from  the  camp,  he  said, 
"What  is  there  done,  my  son?  And  the  messenger  answered 
and  said,  Israel  is  fled  before  the  Philistines,  and  there  has 
been  also  a  great  slaughter  among  the  people :  and  thy  two 
sons  also,  Hophni  and  Phinehas,  are  dead,  and  the  ark  of  God 
is  taken.  And  it  came  pass,  when  he  made  mention  of  the 
ark  of  God,  that  Eli  fell  from  the  seat  backward,  by  the  side 
of  the  gate,  and  his  neck  brake,  and  he  died ;  for  he  was  an  old 
man  and  heavy;  and  he  had  judged  Israel  forty  years.  And 
his  daughter-in-law,  Phinehas'  wife,  was  with  child,  near  to  be 
delivered :  and  when  she  heard  the  tidings,  that  the  ark  of  God 
was  taken,  and  that  her  father-in-law  and  her  husband  were 
dead,  she  bowed  herself  and  travailed;  for  her  pains  came  upon 
her.  And  about  the  time  of  her  death,  the  women  that  stood 
by  her  said  unto  her,  Fear  not,  for  thou  hast  borne  a  son.  But 
she  answered  not,  neither  did  she  regard  it.  And  she  named 


280  HISTOKY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

the  child  Ichabod,  saying,  The  glory  is  departed  from  Israel ; 
because  the  ark  of  God  was  taken,  and  because  of  her  father- 
in-law  and  her  husband."  And  in  her  last  moments  she  re- 
peated what  may  be  considered  a  sad  prediction,  "The  glory  is 
departed  from  Israel:  for  the  ark  of  God  is  taken." 


SECTION  XLI. 

THE  ARK  CARRIED  TO  ASHDOD  AND  PLACED  BY  DAGON — THIS  IDOL  FALLS  ON  THE 
FLOOR,  AND  IS  MUTILATED — THE  PHILISTINES,  AFFLICTED  WITH  DISEASE  AND 
MICE,  SEND  BACK  THE  ARK. 

THE  Philistines  having  got  possession  of  the  ark  of  God, 
brought  it  to  Ashdod,  and  placed  it  in  the  temple  of  Dagon, 
and  set  it  by  Dagon.  Next  morning  a  remarkable  thing  was 
discovered  by  the  inhabitants  of  Ashdod.  "Dagon  was  fallen 
upon  his  face  to  the  ground  before  the  ark  of  the  Lord;  and 
the  head  of  Dagon,  and  both  the  palms  of  his  hands,  were  cut 
off  upon  the  threshold;  only  the  stump  of  Dagon  was  left  to 
him.  Therefore  neither  the  priests  of  Dagon,  nor  any  that 
come  into  Dagon's  house,  tread  on  the  threshold  of  Dagon  in 
Ashdod  unto  this  day." 

However  the  lords  of  the  Philistines  might  have  triumphed, 
in  consequence  of  the  capture  of  the  ark  of  the  Lord,  yet  it  now 
became  an  embarrassing  question  how  they  should  dispose  of  it ; 
for  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  heavy  upon  the  people  of  Ashdod, 
causing  them  to  be  afflicted  with  a  painful  and  troublesome 
disease ;  so  that  they  said,  "  The  ark  of  the  God  of  Israel  shall 
not  abide  with  us;  for  his  hand  is  sore  upon  us,  and  upon  Dagon 
our  God.  They  sent  therefore  and  gathered  all  the  lords  of 
the  Philistines  unto  them,  and  said,  What  shall  we  do  with  the 
ark  of  the  God  of  Israel  ?  And  they  answered,  Let  the  ark  of 
the  God  of  Israel  be  carried  unto  Gath.  And  they  carried  the 
ark  of  the  God  of  Israel  about  thither.  And  it  was  so,  that, 
after  they  had  carried  it  about,  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was 
against  the  city  with  a  very  great  destruction."  "  Therefore 
they  sent  the  ark  of  God  to  Ekron."  But  the  Ekronites,  as 
soon  as  it  arrived,  cried  out,  saying,  "They  have  brought  about 
the  ark  of  the  God  of  Israel  to  us,  to  slay  us  and  our  people.  So 
they  sent  and  gathered  together  all  the  lords  of  the  Philistines, 
and  said,  Send  away  the  ark  of  the  God  of  Israel,  and  let  it  go 
again  to  his  own  place,  that  it  slay  us  not,  and  our  people:  for 
there  was  a  deadly  destruction  throughout  all  the  city ;  the  hand 
of  God  was  very  heavy  there."  And  the  irien  who  did  not  die 
were  afflicted  with  a  very  disagreeable  disease ;  so  that  the  cry 
of  the  city  went  up  to  heaven.  The  time  of  the  continuance 
of  the  ark  in  the  land  of  the  Philistines  was  seven  months. 


THE   ISRAELITES.  281 

In  their  perplexity,  they  "  called  for  the  priests  and  the 
diviners,  saying,  What  shall  we  do  with  the  ark  of  the  Lord  ? 
tell  us  wherewith  we  shall  send  it  to  his  place.  And  they  said, 
If  ye  send  away  the  ark  of  the  God  of  Israel,  send  it  not 
empty;  but  in  any  wise  return  him  a  trespass-offering:  then 
ye  shall  be  healed,  and  it  shall  be  known  to  you  why  his  hand 
is  not  removed  from  you.  Then  said  they,  What  shall  be  the 
trespass-offering  which  we  shall  return  to  him?  They  an- 
swered, Five  golden  emerods,  and  five  golden  mice,  according 
to  the  number  of  the  lords  of  the  Philistines :  for  one  plague 
was  on  you  all,  and  on  your  lords.  Wherefore  ye  shall  make 
images  of  your  emerods,  and  images  of  your  mice  that  mar  the 
land ;  and  ye  shall  give  glory  unto  the  God  of  Israel :  perad- 
venture  he  will  lighten  his  hand  from  off  you,  and  from  off  your 
gods,  and  from  off  your  land.  Wherefore  then  do  you  harden 
your  hearts,  as  the  Egyptians  and  Pharaoh  hardened  their  hearts  ? 
When  he  had  wrought  wonderfully  among  them,  did  they  not 
let  the  people  go,  and  they  departed?  Now  therefore  make  a 
new  cart,  and  take  two  milch-kine,  on  which  there  hath  come 
no  yoke,  and  tie  the  kine  to  the  cart,  and  bring  their  calves 
home  from  them :  and  take  the  ark  of  the  Lord  and  lay  it  upon 
the  cart ;  and  put  the  jewels  of  gold,  which  ye  return  him  for  a 
trespass-offering,  in  a  coffer  by  the  side  thereof;  and  send  it 
away,  that  it  may  go.  And  see,  if  it  goeth  up  by  the  way  of 
his  own  coast  to  Beth-shemesh,  then  he  hath  done  us  this  great 
evil :  but  if  not,  then  we  shall  know  that  it  is  not  his  hand  that 
smote  us;  it  was  a  chance  that  happened  to  us." 

This  advice  of  the  priests  and  diviners  was  strictly  followed ; 
so  they  "  took  two  milch-kine,  and  tied  them  to  the  cart,  and 
shut  up  their  calves  at  home :  and  they  laid  the  ark  of  the  Lord 
upon  the  cart,  and  the  coffer  with  the  mice  of  gold  and  the 
images  of  their  emerods.  And  the  kine  took  the  straight  way 
to  the  way  of  Beth-shemesh,  and  went  along  the  highway, 
lowing  as  they  went,  and  turned  not  aside  to  the  right  hand  or 
to  the  left ;  and  the  lords  of  the  Philistines  went  after  them  unto 
the  border  of  Beth-shemesh.  And  they  of  Beth-shemesh  were 
reaping  their  wheat-harvest  in  the  valley :  and  they  lifted  up 
their  eyes,  and  saw  the  ark,  and  rejoiced  to  see  it.  And  the 
cart  came  into  the  field  of  Joshua,  a  Beth-shemite,  and  stood 
there,  where  there  was  a  great  stone :  and  they  clave  the  wood 
of  the  cart,  and  offered  the  kine  a  burnt-offering  unto  the  Lord. 
And  the  Levites  took  down  the  ark  of  the  Lord,  and  the  coffer 
that  was  with  it,  wherein  the  jewels  of  gold  were,  and  put  them 
on  the  great  stone:  and  the  men  of  Beth-shemesh  offered  burnt- 
offerings  and  sacrificed  sacrifices,  the  same  day  unto  the  Lord. 
And  when  the  five  lords  of  the  Philistines  had  seen  it,  they 
returned  to  Ekron  the  same  day."  And  the  great  stone,  on 


282  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

which  the  ark  was  set  down,  was  called  Abel ;  which  stone  was 
for  a  long  time  afterwards  a  noted  object  in  the  field  of  Joshua 
the  Beth-shemite. 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  all  the  heathen  who  inhabited 
these  regions  seem  to  have  been  well  acquainted  with  the  his- 
tory of  the  redemption  of  the  Israelites  from  the  bondage  of 
Egypt.  The  wonders  then  wrought  had  been  widely  reported, 
and  had  left  a  deep  impression  on  the  minds  of  the  nations. 

The  judgments  inflicted  on  the  Philistines  in  consequence  of 
the  capture  of  the  ark,  seem  to  have  been  of  three  distinct  kinds. 
First,  upon  their  gods,  as  in  the  case  of  Dagon,  who  was  hor- 
ribly mutilated  by  the  introduction  of  the  ark  of  the  Lord. 
This  idol  is  said  to  have  partaken  of  the  form  of  a  man  and  of 
a  fish.  The  upper  part  was  the  head,  body,  and  arms  of  a  man, 
proceeding  from  the  mouth  of  a  monstrous  fish,  which  was  the 
inferior  portion  of  the  god. 

The  second  judgment  was  a  troublesome  and  shameful  dis- 
ease, on  all  classes  of  men,  and  by  which  multitudes  were 
carried  off. 

The  third  was  an  army  of  mice,  who  devoured  the  fruits  of 
the  field.  Such  judgments  have  been  experienced  by  other 
nations. 

In  the  advice  of  the  priests  and  diviners,  with  much  that  is 
superstitious  and  childish,  we  find  some  salutary  counsel.  They 
seem  to  have  known  that  the  God  of  Israel  was  the  true  God, 
and  should  be  honoured;  but  they  were  for  dividing  this  honour 
with  their  own  deities.  This  is  the  grand  error  of  Pagans,  that 
they  admit  into  their  creed  a  multitude  of  gods.  They  have 
no  objection  to  increasing  the  number  of  their  deities,  provided 
the  new  ones  are  not  intolerant  to  the  old.  But  the  God  of 
Israel  is  a  jealous  God,  and  will  not  share  his  glory  with  dumb 
idols. 

But  the  men  of  Beth-shemesh,  though  they  appertained  to 
Israel,  acted  more  irreverently  towards  the  ark  of  the  Lord  than 
did  the  Philistines  ;  for  we  do  not  read  that  the  latter  attempted 
to  gratify  their  curiosity  by  raising  the  mystic  lid  which  covered 
this  sacred  chest,  but  these  men  of  Israel  had  the  impious 
audacity  to  look  into  the  ark  of  the  Lord ;  and  a  large  number 
of  them  were  smitten  of  the  Lord.  There  is  probably  some 
error  here  in  the  Hebrew  copy,  through  the  mistake  of  early 
transcribers.  The  number  slain,  as  here  recorded,  is  fifty  thou- 
sand and  three-score  and  ten  men ;  which  seems  to  be  too  many 
for  a  single  city,  on  the  very  borders  of  the  country.  In  other 
copies,  instead  of  fifty,  we  have  five  thousand,  which  is  a  much 
more  probable  number.  But  as  we  know  not  the  population  of 
this  city,  the  name  of  which  signifies  the  house  of  the  sun,  we 
cannot  determine  that  the  number  in  the  Hebrew  text  may  not 


THE   ISRAELITES.  283 

be  correct.  If  there  were  some  hundreds  of  thousands  of  in- 
habitants in  the  town,  as  many  as  fifty  thousand  may  have  been 
smitten  on  account  of  their  irreverent  curiosity. 

"And  the  people  lamented,  because  the  Lord  had  smitten 
many  of  the  people  with  a  great  slaughter.  And  the  men  of 
Beth-shemesh  said,  Who  is  able  to  stand  before  this  holy  Lord 
God?  and  to  whom  shall  he  go  up  from  us?  And  they  sent 
messengers  to  the  inhabitants  of  Kirjath-jearim,  saying,  The 
Philistines  have  brought  again  the  ark  of  the  Lord;  come  ye 
down,  and  fetch  it  up  to  you.  And  the  men  of  Kirjath-jearim 
came,  and  fetched  up  the  ark  of  the  Lord,  and  brought  it  to  the 
house  of  Abinadab  in  the  hill,  and  sanctified  Eleazar  his  son  to 
keep  the  ark  of  the  Lord.  And  it  came  to  pass,  while  the  ark 
abode  in  Kirjath-jearim,  that  the  time  was  long;  for  it  was 
twenty  years :  and  all  the  house  of  Israel  lamented  after  the 
Lord." 


SECTION  XLII. 

SAMUEL    JUDGES     ISRAEL APPOINTS    A   DAY    OF    PUBLIC     PRATER     AT     MIZPEH — DE- 
FEATS   THE    PHILISTINES    AT    EliENEZER. 

SAMUEL'S  reputation  as  a  prophet  being  fully  established  through 
all  Israel,  he  took  upon  himself  to  judge  Israel.  But  suspect- 
ing that  many  of  them  were  addicted  to  the  worship  of  the  gods 
of  the  heathen  round  about  them,  he  addressed  an  exhortation 
to  all  Israel,  saying,  "If  ye  do  return  unto  the  Lord  with  all 
your  hearts,  then  put  away  the  strange  gods  and  Ashtaroth  from 
among  you,  and  prepare  your  hearts  unto  the  Lord,  and  serve 
him  only ;  and  he  will  deliver  you  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Philis- 
tines. Then  the  children  of  Israel  did  put  away  Baalim  and 
Ashtaroth,  and  served  the  Lord  only."  This  was  a  glorious 
reformation  which  now  took  place  in  Israel,  by  which  idolatry 
was  banished  from  the  land ;  the  people  all  bent  to  engage  in 
the  worship  of  Jehovah.  The  preaching  of  Samuel,  so  far  as 
we  are  informed,  was  the  only  means  employed  in  accomplish- 
ing this  reformation. 

Samuel  finding  that  the  people  were  now  in  a  favourable  state, 
wished  to  confirm  their  good  impressions,  and  therefore  ap- 
pointed a  general  meeting  of  all  the  tribes  at  Mizpeh,  that  he 
might  engage  in  solemn  prayer  in  their  behalf.  "And  they 
gathered  together  to  Mizpeh,  and  drew  water,  and  poured  it  out 
before  the  Lord,  and  fasted  on  that  day,  and  said  there,  We 
have  sinned  against  the  Lord.  And  Samuel  judged  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  in  Mizpeh."  From  the  time  that  the  ark  of  the 
Lord  was  removed  from  Shiloh,  that  place,  after  having  been 
the  residence  of  Him  who  dwelt  between  the  cherubim,  for 


284  HISTORY  OF   THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

several  hundred  years,  appears  to  have  been  utterly  abandoned; 
and  we  hear  no  more  of  it  except  when  its  utter  desolation  is 
incidentally  mentioned.  And  as  it  was  expedient  to  have  some 
central  place  for  the  meeting  of  the  tribes,  Samuel  seems  to 
have  selected  Mizpeh  for  this  purpose. 

When  the  Philistines  heard  of  this  general  assembly  of  the 
children  of  Israel  at  Mizpeh,  they  seem  to  have  taken  it  for 
granted  that  the  meeting  had  for  its  object  a  consultation  re- 
specting war,  they,  therefore,  went  up  against  Israel.  "And 
when  the  children  of  Israel  heard  it,  they  were  afraid  of  the 
Philistines."  They  remembered  their  recent  defeat,  and  the 
disastrous  circumstances  which  accompanied  it;  but  they  did 
not  now  impiously  bring  the  ark  into  the  camp,  or  trust  to  this 
external  symbol,  as  they  had  before  done.  But  being  con- 
vened for  solemn  prayer  and  fasting,  and  having  Samuel,  a 
man  mighty  in  prayer,  in  the  midst  of  them,  they  besought  him 
to  intercede  for  them.  "Cease  not,"  said  they,  "to  cry  unto 
the  Lord  our  God  for  us,  that  he  will  save  us  out  of  the  hand  of 
the  Philistines.  And  Samuel  took  a  sucking  lamb,  and  offered 
it  for  a  burnt-offering  wholly  unto  the  Lord;  and  Samuel  cried 
unto  the  Lord  for  Israel;  and  the  Lord  heard  him.  And  aa 
Samuel  was  offering  up  the  burnt-offering,  the  Philistines  drew 
near  to  battle  against  Israel:  but  the  Lord  thundered  with  a 
great  thunder  on  that  day  upon  the  Philistines,  and  discomfited 
them;  and  they  were  smitten  before  Israel.  And  the  men  of 
Israel  went  out  of  Mizpeh,  and  pursued  the  Philistines,  and 
smote  them  until  they  came  under  Beth-car.  Then  Samuel 
took  a  stone,  and  set  it  between  Mizpeh  and  Shen,  and  called 
the  name  of  it  Eben-ezer,  saying,  Hitherto  hath  the  Lord 
helped  us.  So  the  Philistines  were  subdued,  and  they  came  no 
more  into  the  coast  of  Israel:  and  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was 
against  the  Philistines  all  the  days  of  Samuel.  And  the  cities 
which  the  Philistines  had  taken  from  Israel  were  restored  to 
Israel,  from  Ekron  even  unto  Gath ;  and  the  coasts  thereof  did 
Israel  deliver  out  of  the  hands  of  the  Philistines.  And  there 
was  peace  between  Israel  and  the  Amorites."  It  may  be 
remarked  here,  that  when  Israel  sought  the  help  of  Jehovah, 
and  put  their  trust  in  him,  they  were  uniformly  successful, 
whether  their  foes  were  many  or  few ;  but,  on  the  other  hand, 
when  they  trusted  in  an  arm  of  flesh,  or  in  their  own  devices, 
they  were  defeated  by  their  enemies. 

The  influence  of  Samuel  on  this  whole  nation  was  great  and 
salutary.  Seldom  has  any  individual  been  able  to  govern  a  pop- 
ulous nation  so  effectually,  or  to  bring  a  whole  people  so  unani- 
mously to  the  worship  of  the  true  God.  But  this  was  accom- 
plished entirely  by  moral  means.  Samuel  had  no  other  authority 
over  the  children  of  Israel  than  that  which  arose  from  their 


THE  ISRAELITES.  285 

persuasion  that  lie  was  a  prophet,  and  that  his  counsels  and 
exhortation  were  dictated  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  His  example 
also  corresponded  with  his  professions  and  office ;  and  the  power 
which  he  had  with  God  by  prayer,  was  signally  manifested  on 
the  occasion  just  mentioned,  when  he  had  scarcely  done  speak- 
ing, before  the  Lord  thundered  against  the  Philistines  and  put 
them  to  flight. 

It  may  seem  to  be  a  departure  from  the  law  of  Moses,  that 
Samuel,  who  was  not  of  the  Aaronic  family,  should  himself 
offer  sacrifices  to  God,  and  that  this  should  be  done,  as  it  fre- 
quently was,  by  him,  in  other  places  than  where  the  altar  of 
God  was  stationed.  The  only  satisfactory  explanation  of  this 
is,  that  prophets,  acting  under  the  immediate  inspiration  of  God, 
had  the  privilege  of  sacrificing  independently  of  the  priesthood, 
and  wherever  they  happened  to  be;  just  as  men  inspired  to 
preach,  need  not,  as  others,  apply  to  men  for  ordination.  So 
Paul  received  his  commission  as  an  apostle,  from  the  hands  of 
no  men,  but  was  sent  by  a  commission  immediately  from  God. 
Just  so,  Samuel,  acting  under  the  influence  of  a  plenary  inspira- 
tion, had  a  right  to  do  in  God's  worship  whatever  he  was 
directed  by  the  Holy  Ghost  to  do ;  and  also  to  perform  cere- 
monies which  others  not  inspired  have  no  right  to  imitate. 
Thus  we  find  this  holy  man  not  only  offering  a  sucking  lamb 
for  a  burnt-offering,  but  also  pouring  out  water  before  the 
Lord.  And  in  the  sequel  of  the  history  we  find  him  offering 
sacrifice  at  Raman,  when  Saul  was  anointed,  and  at  Beth-lehem 
when  David  was  anointed. 

Samuel  continued  all  his  life  to  judge  Israel,  and  that  he 
might  perform  his  duty  more  effectually,  he  annually  took  a 
circuit,  in  which  he  had  several  important  stations,  where  he 
met  with  the  people.  The  principal  of  these  were  Bethel,  Gil- 
gal,  and  Mizpeh;  but  his  place  of  residence,  when  not  on  his 
circuit,  was  Ramah,  where  he  had  a  house,  and  where  also  he 
exercised  his  office  of  judge  of  Israel;  and  here,  we  are  informed, 
"he  built  an  altar  to  the  Lord."  His  conduct  on  this  subject 
has  already  been  explained,  and  it  is  unnecessary  to  repeat 
what  was  before  said. 


286  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 


SECTION  XLIII. 

SAMUEL  IN  HIS  OLD  AGE  ASSOCIATES  HIS  SONS  AS  JUDGES  WITH  HIMSELF — THEIR   BAD 
CHARACTER — THE    PEOPLE     DEMAND    A    KING — SAMUEL   IS    DISPLEASED — BUT    GOD 

DIRECTS  HIM  TO  COMPLY,  BUT  TO  EXPLAIN  THE  NATURE  OF  KINGLY  GOVERNMENT 

BY  INSISTING  ON  A  KING  THEY    REJECTED  NOT  SAMUEL    BUT    GOD — THE    TENDENCY 
OF  POWER  TO  ABUSE. 

BUT  when  Samuel  became  old,  not  being  able,  as  in  the  days  of 
his  vigour,  to  transact  all  the  judicial  business  which  called  for 
his  attention,  he  associated  his  sons  with  him  in  this  important 
trust.     The  names  of  his  two  sons  were  Joel  and  Abiah ;  and 
as  he  could  not  conveniently  visit,  in  his  judicial  circuit,  the 
southern  part  of  Judea,  he  stationed  them  at  Beer-sheba.     But 
excellent  as  the  example  of  Samuel  was,  both  privately  and 
officially,  his  sons  did  not  follow  it.     Whether  he,  like  Eli,  was 
too  indulgent  to  his  children,  and  connived  at  their  faults,  we 
are  not  informed,  and  we  cannot  infer  his  negligence,  from  the 
fact  that  they  turned  out  badly;  for  often  the  best  education 
and  the  most  faithful  warnings  are  lost  on  the  children  of  the 
pious.     It  is  very  natural,  however,  for  parents  to  be  blind  to 
the  failings  of  their  children ;  and  at  least,  it  may  be  presumed, 
that  Samuel  was  mistaken  in  thinking  that  these  young  men 
were  qualified  to  be  judges  in  Israel.     But  whether  he  could 
have  known  their  character  or  not,  the  event  proved,  that  in 
that  very  point  in  which  judges  should  be  strong  in  virtue,  they 
were  weak,  for  "they  walked  not  in  the  ways  of  their  father, 
but  turned  aside  after  lucre,  and  took  bribes,  and  perverted 
judgment.     This  bad  conduct  was  so  notorious,  "  that  all  the 
elders  of  Israel  gathered  themselves  togther,  and  came  to  Sam- 
uel unto  Ramah,  and  said  unto  him,  Behold  thou  art  old,  and 
thy  sons  walk  not  in  thy  ways;  now  make  us  a  king  to  judge 
us  like  all  the  nations."     Here  was  indeed  a  most  important 
proposal  growing  out  of  the  mal-administration  of  these  young 
men.     The  people  had  been  well  satisfied  with  the  administra- 
tion of  Samuel  himself,  as  is  implied  in  the  complaint  brought 
against  his  sons.     They  did  not  hurt  the  old  prophet's  feelings 
by  exaggerating  the  misconduct  of  his  sons,  but  merely  said, 
"  thy  sons  walk  not  in  thy  ways."     But  why  should  they  have 
desired  a  king?     Undoubtedly,  the  thing  was  ill-advised,  as 
appears  by  the  judgment,  not  only  of  Samuel,  but  of  God 
himself;  but  they  were  influenced  by  human  policy :  they  saw 
no  prospect  of  a  righteous  administration  after  the  decease  of 
Samuel ;  and  they  dreaded,  it  is  probable,  that  miserable  anar- 
chy, by  which  their  nation  had  so  often  been  afflicted,  since 
their  settlement  in  Canaan;   and  they  wished,  therefore,  to  have 
a  king,  invested  with  absolute  authority  to  keep  the  multitude 


THE   ISRAELITES.  287 

in  order.  But  besides  these  considerations,  they  were  influ- 
enced by  another  motive,  not  so  honourable  to  them,  as  the 
servants  of  Jehovah;  they  felt  ashamed  of  the  remarkable  dis- 
similarity of  their  government  to  those  of  the  surrounding 
nations.  All  these,  however  small,  were  governed  by  kings, 
who  assumed  great  state,  and  went  out  with  the  people  to  war : 
but  they  appeared  as  a  nation  without  a  head,  and  doubtless 
this  was  a  matter  of  reproach  to  them  among  the  heathen, 
therefore  they  said,  "  Make  us  a  king  to  judge  us  like  all  the 
nations." 

This  request  seems  to  have  come  unexpectedly  to  Samuel, 
and  he  was  far  from  being  pleased  with  it.  But  he  was  a  man 
who  would  judge  nothing,  and  do  nothing,  without  consulting 
the  Lord.  Therefore,  before  he  gave  any  answer,  he  carried 
the  important  subject  to  a  throne  of  grace  by  prayer.  "And 
the  Lord  said  unto  Samuel,  Hearken  unto  the  voice  of  the  peo- 
ple in  all  they  say  unto  thee,  for  they  have  not  rejected  thee,  but 
they  have  rejected  me,  that  I  should  not  reign  over  them.  Ac- 
cording to  all  the  works  which  they  have  done,  since  the  day 
that  I  brought  them  up  out  of  Egypt,  even  unto  this  day, 
wherewith  they  have  forsaken  me  and  served  other  gods,  so  do 
they  also  unto  thee.  Now,  therefore,  hearken  to  their  voice ; 
howbeit,  yet  protest  solemnly  unto  them,  and  show  them  the 
manner  of  the  king  that  shall  reign  over  them."  "And  Samuel 
told  all  the  words  of  the  Lord  unto  the  people  that  asked  of  him 
a  king.  And  he  said,  This  will  be  the  manner  of  the  king  that 
shall  reign  over  you.  He  will  take  your  sons  and  appoint  them 
for  himself,  for  his  chariots,  and  to  be  his  horsemen :  and  some 
shall  run  before  his  chariots.  And  he  will  appoint  him  captains 
over  thousands,  and  captains  over  fifties,  and  set  them  to  ear 
his  ground,  and  reap  his  harvest,  and  to  make  his  instruments 
of  war,  and  instruments  of  his  chariots.  And  he  will  take 
your  daughters  to  be  confectionaries,  and  to  be  cooks,  and  to 
be  bakers.  And  he  will  take  your  fields  and  your  vineyards, 
and  your  olive-yards,  even  the  best  of  them,  and  give  them  to 
his  servants.  And  he  will  take  the  tenth  of  your  seed,  and  of 
your  vineyards,  and  give  to  his  officers,  and  to  his  servants. 
And  he  will  take  your  men-serv.ants,  and  your  maid-servants, 
and  your  goodliest  young  men,  and  your  asses,  and  put  them 
to  his  work.  He  will  take  the  tenth  of  your  sheep  and  ye  shall 
be  his  servants.  And  ye  shall  cry  out  in  that  day  because  of 
your  king,  which  ye  shall  have  chosen  you ;  and  the  Lord  will 
not  hear  you  in  that  day.  Nevertheless,  the  people  refused  to 
obey  the  voice  of  Samuel ;  and  they  said,  Nay,  but  we  will  have  a 
king  over  us,  that  we  also  maybe  like  all  the  nations;  and  that 
our  king  may  judge  us,  and  go  out  before  us,  and  fight  our  battles. 
And  Samuel  heard  all  the  words  of  the  people,  and  he  rehearsed 


^ 


288  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

them  in  the  ears  of  the  Lord.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Samuel, 
Hearken  unto  their  voice,  and  make  them  a  king.  And  Samuel 
said  unto  the  men  of  Israel,  Go  ye  every  man  unto  his  city." 

Israel,  the  most  highly  favoured  nation  upon  earth,  was  yet 
the  most  ungrateful  and  rebellious  towards  their  God  and  King. 
Although  they  had  for  centuries  been  protected  and  delivered,  by 
a  succession  of  stupendous  miracles,  yet  they  distrusted  the 
power  and  providence  of  God,  and  asked  for  a  king,  that  they 
might  be  like  the  other  nations. 

We  learn  from  this  portion  of  sacred  history,  that  God  often 
grants  those  requests  which  are  not  pleasing  in  his  sight :  in 
just  judgment,  he  permits  people  when  they  are  bent  on  a  par- 
ticular course  to  pursue  it.  According  to  that  of  the  Psalmist, 
when  speaking  of  this  very  subject,  "And  he  gave  them  their 
request,  but  sent  leanness  into  their  soul." 

From  God's  description  of  a  king,  we  learn  that  the  ten- 
dency of  power  is  to  abuse.  The  principle  of  selfishness  and 
pride  is  so  strong  in  human  nature,  that  it  is  to  be  expected, 
that  he  who  is  invested  with  absolute  power  over  others,  will 
exercise  it  for  his  own  interest  and  gratification.  Kings  are 
commonly  among  the  most  corrupt  of  the  human  race;  not  be- 
cause they  are  naturally  worse  than  others,  but  because  they 
are  under  fewer  restraints,  and  are  exposed  to  stronger  tempta- 
tions. This  description  of  kingly  power  and  injustice  is  in  per- 
fect accordance  with  the  fact  as  it  commonly  exists.  There 
may  be  a  state  of  anarchy  so  miserable  that  even  a  king  might 
be  a  blessing ;  or  rather,  the  least  of  two  evils ;  but  any  people 
capable  of  self-government  are  mad  when  they  desire  a  king. 
The  expenses  of  civil  government  had  been  scarcely  felt  before 
by  the  Israelites,  but  by  the  erection  of  a  monarchy,  they  sub- 
jected themselves  to  a  heavy  burden  of  taxation. 


PAET  IV. 


FROM    THE    INSTITUTION    OF    THE    REGAL    GOVERN- 
MENT  TO    THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY. 


SECTION  I. 

SAUL'S  ELECTION  AS  KING — HIS  VICTORY  OVER  NAHASH  AND  THE  RENEWED  CON- 
FIRMATION OF  HIS  KINGDOM — SAMUEL'S  CHARGE — SAUL'S  FIRST  OFFENCE — JONA- 
THAN'S EXPLOIT  AND  DEFEAT  OF  THE  PHILISTINES — SAUL  SENT  TO  DESTROY  THE 

AMALEKITES — HIS   SECOND  OFFENCE,  AND   REJECTION   FROM   THE    KINGDOM. 

V 

WE  come  now  to  a  crisis  in  the  history  of  the  Jewish  people. 
Previous  to  this  time  they  had  existed  as  separate  families, 
rather  than  as  one  nation.  Their  unity,  so  far  as  they  were 
one,  arose  from  a  common  relation  to  Jehovah  as  their  king, 
and  not  from  any  allegiance  to  one  earthly  king.  They  were 
a  'religious,  rather  than  a  political  people.  But  now  they  had 
wickedly  rejected  God,  "  who  had  saved  them  out  of  all  their 
adversities  and  tribulations,"  and  had  made  themselves  a  king, 
or  rather  demanded  one  at  the  hands  of  Samuel.  In  their 
pride  and  unbelief  they  would  not  have  God  to  reign  over 
them.  Henceforth,  therefore,  we  shall  find  them  like  the  other 
nations  of  the  earth,  united  under  one  earthly  prince,  and  not 
so  immediately  under  the  care  and  government  of  God.  They 
are  no  longer  one,  simply  as  the  worshippers  of  Jehovah,  but 
also  as  the  subjects  of  a  king. 

The  person  whom  God  had  chosen,  and  directed  Samuel  to 
invest  with  the  kingly  office,  was  "Saul  the  son  of  Kish,"  "a 
Benjamite,  and  a  mighty  man  of  power."  It  appears,  in  the 
course  of  the  narrative,  that  this  same  person  was  afterwards 
freely  chosen  by  the  people.  The  appearance  of  Saul  was 
striking,  and  likely  to  find  favour  with  the  mass  of  the  people. 
"  He  was  a  choice  young  man,  and  a  goodly :  and  there  was 
not  among  the  children  of  Israel  a  goodlier  person  than  he, 
from  his  shoulders  and  upward  he  was  higher  than  any  of  the 
people."  The  earlier  years  of  Saul's  life  were  spent  in  the 
management  of  his  father's  estate.  At  the  time  of  his  intro- 
duction to  the  prophet,  he  was  in  the  discharge  of  this  duty, 
searching  after  the  lost  property  of  his  father.  The  search 
was  fruitless,  and,  as  a  last  resort,  Saul  determined,  at  the  suer- 
19 


HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

gestion  of  his  servant,  to  enter  the  city  and  consult  tne  seer  or 
prophet.  "  So  they  went  unto  the  city  where  the  man  of  God 
was ;  and  when  they  were  come  to  the  city,  behold,  Samuel 
came  out  against  them  for  to  go  up  to  the  high  place."  It  was 
a  feast-day,  and  the  people  were  waiting  until  the  prophet 
should  come  and  bless  the  sacrifice  before  they  should  eat. 
"And  when  Samuel  saw  Saul,  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Behold 
the  man  whom  I  spake  to  thee  of;  this  same  shall  reign  over 
my  people."  Before  any  inquiry,  Samuel  informs  Saul  that 
the  stray  asses  which  he  sought  were  found,  and  then  announces 
to  him  in  these  words  his  selection  to  the  kingly  office :  "  And 
on  whom  is  all  the  desire  of  Israel  ?  Is  it  not  on  thee,  and  on 
all  thy  father's  house?"  On  the  morrow,  as  he  was  about  to 
depart,  and  they  were  come  without  the  city,  "  Samuel  took  a 
vial  of  oil,  and  poured  it  upon  his  head,  and  kissed  him,  and 
said,  Is  it  not  because  the  Lord  hath  anointed  thee  to  be  cap- 
tain over  his  inheritance  ?"  This  was  the  outward  calling  of 
Saul.  But  as  God,  when  he  calls  any  one  to  a  particular  duty, 
does  so  ordinarily  both  by  an  inward  and  outward  calling,  so 
it  was  with  this  lately  anointed  king.  As  he  turned  away 
from  Samuel  "God  gave  him  another  heart:"  and  when  he 
met  the  company  of  the  prophets,  "the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
came  upon  him,  and  Saul  also  prophesied  among  them."  This 
was  the  inward  authentication  of  the  outward  call :  for  the  pro- 
phet assures  him  that  when  these  things  should  come  unto  him, 
"then  he  might  know  that  God  was  with  him." 

Although  Saul  had  thus  been  anointed  king,  there  was 
another  step  necessary,  before  he  could  enter  fully  upon  the 
duties  of  that  office.  It  was  necessary  that  this  divine  calling 
should  in  some  way  be  manifested  to  the  people.  Accordingly 
Samuel  calls  another  assembly  of  the  people  at  Mizpeh.  He 
tells  them  of  God's  former  care  over  them,  and  of  their  sinful 
rejection  of  him,  and  then  proceeds  in  the  use  of  the  lot  to 
point  out  the  tribe,  family,  and  person,  whom  the  Lord  had 
chosen.  Saul  was  thus  publicly  taken;  and  when  brought 
among  the  people,  "they  gave  a  shout,  and  said,  God  save  the 
king."  Samuel,  however,  was  careful  to  correct  any  misappre- 
hensions as  to  the  power  of  the  newly  made  monarch.  He 
expounded  to  them  the  royal  rights  and  prerogatives:  "Then 
Samuel  told  the  people  the  manner  of  the  kingdom,  and  wrote 
it  in  a  book,  and  laid  it  up  before  the  Lord."  Thus  the  first 
Hebrew  monarch  began  his  reign  as  a  constitutional  king, 
chosen  by  God,  anointed  by  the  prophet,  and  accepted  freely 
by  the  people. 

There  was  soon  an  occasion  for  Saul's  services.  The  very 
danger  which  had  led  to  the  election  of  a  king  was  now  at  hand. 
"Nahash  the  king  of  the  Ammonites  came  up  and  encamped 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  291 

against  Jabesh-gilead,"  a  town  lying  east  of  Jordan,  and  not 
far  from  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  The  only  condition  on  which  he 
would  spare  them  at  all,  was  that  he  might  "  thrust  out  all  their 
right  eyes,  and  lay  it  for  a  reproach  upon  all  Israel."  Such  a 
demand  was  unendurable,  and  as  all  Israel  would  share  in  the 
reproach,  "they  sent  throughout  all  their  coasts  for  help." 
When  these  messengers  came  to  Gibeah,  Saul  was  at  his  ordi- 
nary labour  in  the  field.  But  when  he  heard  the  "  tidings  of 
the  men  of  Jabesh,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  him,  and 
his  anger  was  kindled  greatly.  And  he  took  a  yoke  of  oxen, 
and  hewed  them  in  pieces,  and  sent  them  throughout  all  the 
coasts  of  Israel  by  the  hands  of  messengers,  saying,  Whosoever 
cometh  not  forth  after  Saul  and  after  Samuel,  so  shall  it  be 
done  unto  his  oxen.  And  the  fear  of  the  Lord  fell  on  the 
people,  and  they  came  out  with  one  consent."  Saul  numbered 
his  forces,  and  sent  his  promise  to  the  people  of  Jabesh-gilead 
that  "  To-morrow,  by  the  time  the  sun  be  hot,  ye  shall  have 
help."  And  on  the  morrow  "  Saul  put  the  people  in  three  com- 
panies ;  and  they  came  into  the  midst  of  the  host  in  the  morn- 
ing-watch, and  slew  the  Ammonites  until  the  heat  of  the  day, 
and  scattered  them  so  that  two  of  them  were  not  left  together." 
This  sudden  and  decisive  victory,  by  the  courage  and  energy  of 
Saul,  left  no  doubt  in  the  minds  of  any  as  to  his  fitness  for  the 
kingly  office.  A  demand  arose  for  the  punishment  of  those 
who  had  opposed  his  election ;  but  Saul  at  once  repressed  it,  and 
said,  "There  shall  not  a  man  be  put  to  death  this  day;  for  to- 
day the  Lord  hath  wrought  salvation  in  Israel."  Then  all  the 
people,  with  the  sanction  of  Samuel,  "went  to  Gilgal;  and  there 
they  made  Saul  king  before  the  Lord  in  Gilgal;  and  there  they 
sacrificed  sacrifices  of  peace-oiferings  before  the  Lord;  and 
there  Saul  and  all  the  men  of  Israel  rejoiced  greatly."  We 
may  view  this  transaction  as  the  solemn  public  renewal,  and 
final  establishment,  of  the  kingdom  of  Saul,  -v- 

While  the  people  were  thus  together,  Samuel  warns  them, 
and  their  chosen  king,  against  tyranny  and  impiety.  He 
appeals  to  them  as  to  his  own  example  while  judge.  "Behold, 
here  I  am :  witness  against  me  before  the  Lord,  and  before  his 
anointed ;  whose  ox  have  I  inken  ?  or  whose  ass  have  I  taken  ? 
or  whom  have  I  defrauded?  A  "horn  have  I  oppressed?  or  of  whose 
hand  have  I  received  any  b  ibe  to  blind  mine  eyes  therewith  ? 
and  I  will  restore  it  you.  And  they  said,  Thou  hast  not  de- 
frauded us,  nor  oppressed  us,  neither  hast  thou  taken  aught  of 
any  man's  hand."  He  reminds  them  of  the  faithfulness  of  God 
in  raising  up  for  them  judges  and  deliverers  in  every  emergency. 
He  then  charges  them  as  to  their  future  conduct:  "If  ye  will 
fear  the  Lord,  and  serve  him,  and  obey  his  voice,  and  not  rebel 
against  the  commandment  of  the  Lord ;  then  shall  both  ye,  and 


292 

also  the  king  that  reigneth  over  you,  continue  following  the 
Lord  your  God.  But  if  ye  will  not  obey  the  voice  of  the  Lord, 
but  rebel  against  the  commandment  of  the  Lord,  then  shall  the 
hand  of  the  Lord  be  against  you,  as  it  was  against  your  fathers." 
To  impress  upon  them  this  charge,  and  awaken  in  them  a  sense 
of  their  sin,  in  rejecting  God  and  choosing  a  king,  Samuel,  by 
a  miracle,  calls  down  thunder  and  rain.*  Startled  by  this  sign 
of  the  divine  displeasure,  the  people  confess  their  sin,  and  cry 
for  mercy ;  and  then  he  proceeds  to  comfort  them  with  the  as- 
surance of  God's  mercy.  "Fear  not:  ye  have  done  all  this 
wickedness:  yet  turn  not  aside  from  following  the  Lord,  but 
serve  the  Lord  with  all  your  heart ;  and  turn  ye  not  aside :  for 
then  should  you  go  after  vain  things,  which  cannot  profit  nor 
deliver,  for  they  are  vain.  For  the  Lord  will  not  forsake  his 
people  for  his  great  name's  sake:  because  it  hath  pleased  the 
Lord  to  make  you  his  people.  Only  fear  the  Lord,  and  serve 
him  in  truth  with  all  your  heart:  for  consider  how  great  things 
he  has  done  for  you.  But  if  ye  shall  still  do  wickedly,  ye  shall 
be  consumed,  both  ye  and  your  king." 

"Saul  reigned  one  year ;  and  when  he  had  reigned  two  years 
over  Israel,  Saul  chose  him  three  thousand  men  of  Israel; 
whereof  two  thousand  were  with  Saul  in  Michmash  and  in 
mount  Bethel,  and  a  thousand  were  with  Jonathan  in  Gibeah." 
This  marks  the  beginning  of  a  royal  standing  army.  A  step 
toward  that  result  which  they  desired,  that  they  might  be  like 
all  the  nations.  Saul  had  now  fully  taken  the  reins  of  govern- 
ment. Samuel  appears  in  the  rest  of  his  history,  mainly  as  a 
prophet.  He  exercises  no  longer  the  functions  of  a  judge. 

Those  hereditary  enemies  of  Israel,  perhaps  aware  of  the 
change  in  the  Hebrew  state,  and  having  lost  the  remembrance 
of  their  overthrow  at  Mizpeh,  began  to  make  new  encroach- 
ments. Their  garrisons  already  held  some  of  the  heights  of 
Israel.  And  Jonathan,  a  bold,  good  man,  "smote  the  Philis- 
tines that  were  in  Geba."  This  was  the  signal  for  a  general 
war.  Preparations  were  made  on  both  sides.  "  Saul  blew  the 
trumpet  throughout  the  land,  saying,  Let  the  Hebrews  hear,  and 
called  the  people  together  to  Gilgal."  "And  the  Philistines 
gathered  themselves  together  to  fight  with  Israel,  thirty  thou- 
sand," or  more  probably  three  thousand  "chariots,  and  six 
thousand  horsemen,  and  people  as  the  sand  which  is  on  the  sea- 
shore in  multitude :  and  they  came  up  and  pitched  in  Mich- 
mash."  So  large  an  army  terrified  the  Hebrews,  and  some 
concealed  themselves,  some  went  over  to  the  east  of  Jordan, 
but  the  larger  part  remained  trembling  with  their  king.  While 

*  Among  ourselves  thunder  and  rain  are  far  from  uncommon  at  this  season  of 
the  year.  But  all  modern  travellers  agree  that  rain  seldom,  if  ever,  falls  from  June 
to  October,  or  during  the  harvest. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  293 

in  this  position,  awaiting  the  coming  of  Samuel,  his  army  gradu- 
ally diminishing,  Saul  committed  that  sacrilege  for  which  he 
lost  the  kingdom.  "And  Saul  said,  Bring  hither  the  burnt- 
offering  to  me,  and  the  peace-offering.  And  he  offered  the 
burnt-offering."  At  the  end  of  his  offering,  Samuel  came,  and 
Saul  went  out  to  meet  him.  "And  Samuel  said,  What  hast 
thou  done  ?  And  Saul  said,  Because  I  saw  that  the  people 
were  scattered  from  me,  and  that  thou  earnest  not  within  the 
days  appointed,  therefore  said  I,  the  Philistines  will  come  down 
upon  me,  and  I  have  not  made  supplication  unto  the  Lord,  I 
forced  myself  therefore,  and  offered  a  burnt-offering.  And 
Samuel  said,  Thou  hast  done  foolishly :  thou  hast  not  kept  the 
commandment  of  the  Lord  thy  God  which  he  commanded  thee : 
for  now  would  the  Lord  have  established  thy  kingdom  upon 
Israel  for  ever.  But  now  thy  kingdom  shall  not  continue." 
"And  Samuel  arose  and  went  unto  Gibeah  of  Benjamin." 
Deserted  by  the  prophet,  Saul  was  now  abandoned  by  the  peo- 
ple :  only  six  hundred  men  followed  him  in  his  distress.  The 
power  of  the  Philistines  was  immense,  and  the  Israelites  were 
spoiled  of  their  armour,  so  that  on  the  day  of  battle,  "there 
was  neither  sword  nor  spear  found  in  the  hand  of  any  of  the 
people,  but  with  Saul  and  Jonathan  his  son  was  there  found." 

A  deep  valley  ran  between  Gebal  and  Michmash,  between  the 
small  band  of  Saul  and  the  host  of  the  Philistines.  On  its  op- 
posite sides  there  were  two  sharp  rocks  or  hills,  standing  out 
from  the  walls  of  the  valley,  on  which  the  following  bold  exploit 
took  place.  Now,  while  lying  thus  near  to  each  other,  "it  came 
to  pass  that  Jonathan  the  son  of  Saul  said  to  the  young  man 
that  bare  his  armour,  Come  and  let  us  go  over  unto  the 
garrison  of  these  uncircumcised ;  it  may  be  that  the  Lord  will 
work  for  us£ :  for  there  is  no  restraint  to  the  Lord,  to  save  by 
many  or  by  few."  The  result  will  show  that  this  faith  was  not 
in  vain.  The  young  man  consents  :  "Behold  I  am  with  thee, 
according  to  thy  heart."  They  both  reveal  themselves  to  the 
garrison  of  the  Philistines.  And  the  men  of  the  garrison  an- 
swered Jonathan  and  his  armour-bearer,  and  said,  "  Come  up, 
and  we  will  show  you  a  thing,"  meaning  that  they  would  punish 
them  for  their  temerity.  But  this  was  the  very  sign  which 
Jonathan  had  fixed  upon  as  favourable,  and  he  said  unto  his 
armour-bearer,  "  Come  up  after  me,  for  the  Lord  hath  delivered 
them  into  the  hand  of  Israel."  This  bold  adventure  was  the 
beginning  of  a  most  astonishing  victory.  A  mysterious  influ- 
ence seems  to  have  deprived  the  garrison  of  all  power  of  resist- 
ance and  of  flight.  "They  fell  before  Jonathan  to  the  number 
of  twenty  men,"  on  the  very  ground  on  which  they  stood.  A 
sudden  terror  falls  upon  the  whole  army.  "And  there  was 
trembling  in  the  host,  in  the  field,  and  among  all  the  people : 


294  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

the  garrison  and  the  spoilers  they  also  trembled,  and  the  earth 
quaked :  so  it  was  a  very  great  trembling.  And  Saul's  watch- 
men looked,  and  beheld  the  multitude  melted  away,  a'nd  they 
went  on  beating  down  one  another."  Seeing  this  strange  spec- 
tacle, and  finding  Jonathan  absent  from  his  band,  Saul  wished 
to  consult  the  high-priest,  "  for  the  ark  of  God  (or  the  ephod, 
as  some  read)  was  at  that  time  with  the  children  of  Israel." 
"While  Saul  talked  unto  the  priest,  the  noise  in  the  host  of  the 
Philistines  increased"  so  rapidly  that  he  could  not  delay.  He 
stops  the  priest  in  the  midst  of  his  inquiries,  "and  all  the  people 
that  were  with  him  assembled  themselves  and  came  to  the  bat- 
tle :  and  behold  every  man's  sword  was  against  his  fellow,  and 
there  was  a  very  great  discomfiture."  The  Hebrews  that  had 
been  with  the  Philistines  in  bondage,  now  turned  to  fight  with 
their  countrymen :  and  those  who  had  hid  themselves  in  the 
mount,  when  they  heard  that  the  Philistines  fled,  "even  they 
also  followed  hard  after  them  in  the  battle."  "  So  the  Lord 
saved  Israel  that  day."  Throughout  their  whole  history  we 
read  of  few  deliverances  more  remarkable  than  this :  in  which 
the  hand  of  God  was  more  apparent.  There  was  no  restraint 
to  the  Lord  on  that  day  to  save  by  few. 

It  was  not  all  well,  however,  with  Israel.  Their  very  success 
led  them  into  a  snare  and  distress.  Elated  with  his  victory,  and 
eager  in  the  pursuit  of  his  foes,  Saul  had  foolishly  adjured  the 
people,  saying,  "  Cursed  be  the  man  that  eateth  any  food  until 
evening,  that  I  may  be  avenged  on  mine  enemies.  So  none  of 
the  people — though  the  honey  dropped  from  the  comb  at  their 
side — tasted  any  food,  for  they  feared  the  oath."  In  the  long 
pursuit,  they  became  weary  and  faint :  and  Jonathan,  who  heard 
not  the  rash  curse  of  his  father,  "dipped  his  rod  into  the  honey 
and  ate."  The  eagerness  of  Saul  defeated  itself.  Jonathan 
alone,  who  had  broken  the  oath,  had  strength  to  follow  the  ene- 
my, and  argues  against  the  imprudence  of  his  father.  "  If  the 
people  had  eaten  freely  to-day  of  the  spoil  of  the  enemy,  had 
there  not  been  now  a  much  greater  slaughter  among  the  Philis- 
tines?" Nor  was  this  the  only  bad  result  of  the  oath.  When 
evening  came,  when  the  people  might  eat,  "  they  flew  upon  the 
spoil,  slew  them  upon  the  ground,  and  did  eat  them  with  the 
blood,"  directly  contrary  to  the  Mosaic  law.  And  it  was  told 
Saul,  "Behold  the  people  sin  against  the  Lord,  in  that  they 
eat  with  the  blood."  "And  he  said,  Roll  a  great  stone  unto 
me,  and  bring  me  hither  every  man  his  ox  and  every  man  his 
sheep,  and  slay  them  here,  and  eat,  and  sin  not  against  the 
Lord  in  eating  with  the  blood.  And  Saul  built  an  altar  unto 
the  Lord :  the  same  was  the  first  altar  that  he  built  unto  the 
Lord."  It  seems  probable  that  the  very  stone  upon  which  the 


TO  THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  .  295 

beasts  were  slain,  was  made  into  an  altar,  and  sacrifices  offered 
before  the  people  were  allowed  to  go  any  further. 

The  impatient  monarch  now  proposes  an  immediate  pursuit 
of  the  Philistines,  but  the  priest  checks  his  zeal,  and  counsels 
him  to  inquire  of  God.  "And  Saul  asked  counsel  of  God, 
Shall  I  go  down  after  the  Philistines  ?  wilt  thou  deliver  them 
into  the  hand  of  Israel?  But  he  answered  him  not  that  day." 
God  was  evidently  displeased.  Sin  was  lying  somewhere. 
"And  Saul  said,  Draw  ye  near  hither  all  ye  chief  of  the  people : 
and  know  and  see  wherein  this  sin  hath  been  this  day.  For 
as  the  Lord  liveth,  which  saveth  Israel,  though  it  be  in  Jona- 
than my  son,  he  shall  surely  die."  But  none  of  the  people 
were  base  enough  to  betray  their  deliverer.  He  then  resorts 
to  the  lot.  All  Israel  stood  upon  one  side,  Saul  and  Jona- 
than upon  the  other.  And  "  Saul  said  unto  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel,  Give  a  perfect  lot.  And  Saul  and  Jonathan  were  taken : 
but  the  people  escaped.  And  Saul  said,  Cast  lots  between  me 
and  Jonathan  my  son.  And  Jonathan  was  taken.  Then  Saul 
said  to  Jonathan,  Tell  me  what  thou  hast  done.  And  Jonathan 
told  him,  and  said,  I  did  but  taste  a  little  honey  with  the  end 
of  the  rod  that  was  in  my  hand,  and,  lo,  I  must  die.  And  Saul 
answered,  God  do  so,  and  more  also :  for  thou  shalt  surely  die, 
Jonathan.  And  the  people  said  unto  Saul,  Shall  Jonathan  die, 
who  hath  wrought  this  great  salvation  in  Israel?  God  forbid: 
as  the  Lord  liveth,  there  shall  not  one  hair  of  his  head  fall  to 
the  ground ;  for  he  hath  wrought  with  God  this  day.  So  the 
people  rescued  Jonathan,  that  he  died  not.  Then  Saul  went  up 
from  following  the  Philistines."  In  the  whole  of  this  trans- 
action Saul  appears  as  vindictive,  rash,  and  cruel.  He  looks 
upon  the  Philistines  not  as  the  enemies  of  the  people  of  God, 
but  as  personal  foes.  In  his  eagerness  to  crush  them  he 
involves  his  own  people  in  severe  distress  by  a  rash  oath.  And 
then,  as  if  utterly  unconscious  where  the  real  guilt  lay,  he 
purposes  the  death  of  his  own  son,  who  had  ignorantly  broken 
the  oath.  That  God  in  his  providence  should  single  out  Jona- 
than instead  of  Saul,  does  not  imply  that  Jonathan  was  the 
guilty  one;  but  simply  designates  him  as  the  person  who  had 
incurred  Saul's  foolish  curse.  The  people  judged  rightly  that 
the  guilt  was  contracted  by  Saul,  and  therefore  they  rescued 
their  deliverer  from  his  hands. 

Saul  now  pushes  his  wars  and  conquests  on  every  side.  Be- 
yond Jordan,  and  south  and  east  of  the  Dead  Sea,  he  is  victorious 
over  Moab,  Ammon,  and  Edom.  Northward  he  carries  his 
arms  against  the  kings  of  Zobah.  And  whithersoever,  in  the 
words  of  the  narrative,  "he  turned  himself,  he  vexed  his  foes." 

In  the  full  tide  of  his  success,  Saul  receives  a  command  from 
the  Lord,  through  the  prophet,  to  "go  and  smite  Amalek,  and 


• 

296  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

utterly  destroy  all  that  they  have,  and  spare  them  not ;  but  slay 
both  man  and  woman."  Nothing  could  justify  such  a  war  as 
this,  but  an  express  command  from  God.  This  Saul  had. 
Some  of  the  reasons  for  this  command  we  know.  This  nation 
had  attacked  the  Israelites  in  their  coming  out  of  Egypt ;  and 
for  this,  among  other  reasons,  God  had  purposed  their  destruc- 
tion. And  he  has  a  right  to  do  what  he  will  with  his  own ;  and 
though  we  now  do  not  know  why  he  should  do  as  he  does,  yet 
this  we  do  know,  that  the  judge  of  all  the  earth  doeth  right. 
Saul  proceeds,  partially,  to  execute  the  command.  He  ga- 
thered the  people  together,  and  marched  them  to  a  city  of 
Amalek.  He  then  warned  the  Kenites — the  family  of  Jethro, 
the  father-in-law  of  Moses — to  depart  from  among  the  Ama- 
lekites,  lest  they  should  perish  with  them.  "And  Saul  smote 
the  Amalekites  from  Havilah,  until  thou  comest  to  Shur,  that  is 
over  against  Egypt."  He  spared  the  king,  but  destroyed  the 
people.  "But  Saul  and  the  people  spared  the  best  of  the  sheep, 
oxen,  and  of  all  that  was  good,  and  would  not  utterly  destroy 
them."  He  spared  the  king  because  of  his  rank,  he  himself 
being  a  king.  He  spared  the  spoil  to  increase  his  riches.  In 
both  he  broke  the  divine  command.  Then  came  the  word  of 
the  Lord  unto  Samuel,  saying,  "It  repenteth  me  that  I  have 
set  up  Saul  to  be  king, :  for  he  is  turned  back  from  following 
me,  and  hath  not  performed  my  commandments."  In  the 
interview  between  the  prophet  and  king,  Saul  appears  to  have 
no  idea  of  his  guilt.  He  salutes  him  with  a  "Blessed  be  thou 
of  the  Lord ;  I  have  performed  the  commandment  of  the  Lord." 
And  when  Samuel  asked  "What  meaneth  then  this  bleating  of 
the  sheep  in  mine  ears  ?  he  replied,  The  people  spared  the  best 
of  the  sheep,  and  of  the  oxen,  to  sacrifice  unto  the  Lord  thy 
God."  Then  Samuel  uttered  the  severe  rebuke,  "  Stay,  and  I  will 
tell  thee  what  the  Lord  hath  said  unto  me  this  night.  When  thou 
wast  little  in  thine  own  sight,  wast  thou  not  made  the  head  of  the 
tribes  of  Israel,  and  the  Lord  anointed  thee  king  over  Israel  ? 
and  sent  thee  to  utterly  destroy  the  sinners  of  the  Amalekites. 
Wherefore  then  didst  thou  not  obey  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  but 
didst  fly  upon  the  spoil,  and  didst  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord." 
Saul  then  claimed  that  he  had  obeyed,  and  throws  the  blame  of 
a  partial  disobedience  upon  the  people.  "But  the  people  took 
of  the  spoil,  which  should  have  been  utterly  destroyed,  to  sacri- 
fice unto  the  Lord  thy  God."  And  Samuel  uttered  that  great 
truth,  so  often  repeated  in  Scripture,  but  so  seldom  learned, 
"  Hath  the  Lord  as  great  delight  in  burnt-offerings,  and  sacri- 
fices, as  in  obeying  the  voice  of  the  Lord  ?  Behold,  to  obey  is 
better  than  sacrifice,  and  to  hearken  than  the  fat  of  rains." 
"  Because  thou  hast  rejected  the  word  of  the  Lord,  he  hath  also 
rejected  thee  from  being  king."  Saul,  startled  with  this  denuu- 


TO    THE  BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  297 

elation,  confessed  his  sin,  and  besought  Samuel  to  remain  -with 
him  in  his  intended  sacrifice.  But  Samuel  said,  "I  will  not 
return  with  thee,"  and  as  he  turned  to  go  away,  Saul  laid  hold 
upon  his  mantle  and  rent  it.  And  Samuel  said,  "  The  Lord 
hath  rent  the  kingdom  from  thee  this  day :  and  the  strength  of 
Israel  will  not  lie  nor  repent:  for  he  is  not  a  man,  that  he  should 
repent."  Then  he  said,  "I  have  sinned,  yet  honour  me  now, 
I  pray  thee,  before  the  elders  of  my  people,  and  before  all  Israel, 
and  turn  again  with  me,  that  I  may  worship  the  Lord  thy  God." 
So  Samuel  joined  him  in  his  sacrifice.  The  utmost  extent  of 
Saul's  repentance,  was  the  fear  lest  he  should  be  publicly  aban- 
doned by  the  prophet,  and  then  by  the  people.  There  was  no 
genuine  sorrow  for  his  sin.  But  he  did  not  feel  himself  yet  so 
secure  in  the  affections  of  his  people  that  he  could  safely  lose 
the  influence  of  the  aged  prophet,  much  less  openly  array  him- 
self against  it.  Hence  his  assumed  humility,  and  his  earnest 
prayer  that  Samuel  would  at  least  publicly  honour  him.  This 
sacrifice  finished,  the  prophet  sent  for  the  Amalekite  king  and 
executed  the  command  of  God.  As  a  judge  he  sentences  the  king 
to  death ;  who  suffers  justly  for  his  cruelties.  After  this  second 
and  flagrant  offence,  Saul  was  no  longer  countenanced  by  the 
venerable  prophet.  "And  Samuel  came  no  more  to  see  Saul 
until  the  day  of  his  death:  nevertheless  Samuel  mourned  for 
Saul ;  arfd  the  Lord  repented  that  he  had  made  Saul  king  over 
Israel." 


SECTION  II. 

ANOINTING  OF  DAVID — HIS  INTRODUCTION  TO  SAUL — HI3  BATTLE  WITH  GOLIATH, 
AND  VICTORY  OVER  THE  PHILISTINES THE  FRIENDSHIP  OF  DAVID  AND  JONA- 
THAN— DAVID'S  ESCAPE  FROM  SAUL'S  ANGER,  AND  HIS  MARRIAGE — SAUL  THREAT- 
ENS HJS  LIFE — DAVID'S  FLIGHT  TO  SAMUEL HIS  RETURN  TO  JONATHAN,  AND 

FINAL    PARTING. 

SAUL  having  thus  rejected  God,  having  refused  to  adminis- 
ter the  kingdom,  under  the  divine  command,  and  as  a  king 
only  in  a  subordinate  sense,  was  now  rejected  by  God.  The 
next  step  was  the  choice  of  his  successor — the  man  who 
stands  pre-eminent  among  all  the  Hebrew  kings — who  walked, 
as  it  is  testified,  "after  God's  own  heart,"  who  received  and 
held  the  kingdom,  as  only  the  vicegerent  of  Jehovah.  "And 
the  Lord  said  unto  Samuel,  How  long  wilt  thou  mourn  for 
Saul,  seeing  I  have  rejected  him  from  reigning  over  Israel? 
Fill  thine  horn  with  oil,  and  go,  I  will  send  thee  to  Jesse  the 
Bethleheniite :  for  I  have  provided  me  a  king  among  his 
sons."  To  guard  himself  from  the  anger  and  violence  of  Saul, 
who  had  become  jealous  and  suspicious  of  the  prophet,  Samuel 


298  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

was  directed  to  "go  and  sacrifice  at  Bethlehem,"  "to  call 
Jesse  to  the  sacrifice,  and  anoint  whomsoever  the  Lord  should 
name."  "And  Samuel  came  to  Bethlehem,  sanctified  Jesse 
and  his  sons,  and  called  them  to  the  sacrifice."  When  they 
came,  he  looked  upon  the  eldest,  and  said,  Surely  the  Lord's 
anointed  is  before  him.  But  the  Lord  said  unto  Samuel, 
"Look  not  on  his  countenance,  or  on  the  height  of  his  stature; 
because  I  have  refused  him :  for  the  Lord  seeth  not  as  man 
seeth ;  for  man  looketh  on  the  outward  appearance,  but  the 
Lord  looketh  on  the  heart."  The  other  sons  of  Jesse  passed 
before  the  prophet  in  succession:  "but  the  Lord  had  not 
chosen  these."  And  Samuel  said  unto  Jesse,  "Are  here  all  thy 
children?"  And  he  said,  "There  remaineth  yet  the  youngest, 
and  behold,  he  keepeth  the  sheep."  And  he  said,  "  Send  and 
fetch  him;"  and  he  sent  and  brought  him."  "Now  he  was 
ruddy,  and  withal  of  a  beautiful  countenance,  and  goodly  to 
look  to.  And  the  Lord  said,  Arise,  anoint  him,  for  this  is  he. 
Then  Samuel  took  the  horn  of  oil,  and  anointed  him  in  the 
midst  of  his  brethren :  and  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon 
David  from  that  day  forward."  It  is  doubtful  whether  David 
or  his  brethren  at  this  time  understood  the  meaning  of  this 
anointing.  It  was  followed  by  no  practical  result :  and  he  was 
devotedly  loyal  long  after  this  to  Saul.  At  all  events  he  took 
no  means  to  bring  about  the  real  result  to  which  it  pointed. 
Meantime,  however,  that  Spirit  which  was  given  to  him,  was 
evidently  fitting  him  for  the  high  trust  unto  which  he  had  been 
chosen. 

The  introduction  of  David  to  Saul  was  brought  about  by  his 
skill  as  a  minstrel.  From  his  break  with  the  prophet,  a  change 
had  manifestly  passed  over  the  character  of  Saul.  His  pride 
and  vain-glory  had  given  place  to  despondency  and  gloom,  and 
these  had  now  settled  down  into  the  deepest  melancholy ;  this 
melancholy  assumed  a  fiendish  cast,  and  would  seem  to  have 
been,  from  its  spasmodic  and  violent  form,  not  merely  the  natu- 
ral working  of  a  disappointed  spirit,  but  of  a  supernatural 
power,  very  much  like  the  possessions  in  the  times  of  our  Lord. 
To  relieve  these  fits,  Saul's  servants  proposed  that  he  should 
"  seek  out  a  man  who  is  a  cunning  player  upon  the  harp ;  and 
it  shall  come  to  pass  that  when  the  evil  spirit  from  God  is  upon 
thee,  that  he  shall  play  with  his  hand  and  thou  shalt  be  well." 
The  person  chosen  was  the  son  of  Jesse,  who  is  described  again 
"as  cunning  in  playing,  a  mighty  valiant  man,  and  a  man  of 
war,  and  prudent  in  matters,  and  a  comely  person,  and  the 
Lord  is  with  him."  "And  David  came  to  Saul,  and  stood 
before  him:  and  he  loved  him  greatly,  and  he  became  his 
armour-bearer.  And  it  came  to  pass  when  the  evil  spirit  from 
God  was  upon  Saul,  that  David  took  a  harp  and  played  with 


TO    THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  299 

his  hand :  so  Saul  was  refreshed,  and  was  well,  and  the  evil 
spirit  departed  from  him." 

David  next  comes  before  us  as  a  champion  of  the  Israelites 
against  their  inveterate  foe.  The  armies  of  the  Israelites  and 
the  Philistines  were  again  encamped  upon  the  opposite  sides  of 
a  valley;  and  again  God  saves  his  people  by  few.  "And 
there  went  out  a  champion  out  of  the  camp  of  the  Philistines, 
named  Goliath  of  Gath,  whose  height  was  six  cubits  and  a 
span."  His  armour  corresponded  with  his  size.  "And  he 
stood  and  cried  unto  the  armies  of  Israel,  and  said  unto  them, 
Why  are  ye  come  out  to  set  your  battle  in  array  ?  Am  not  I  a 
Philistine,  and  ye  servants  of  Saul  ?  Choose  you  a  man  for  you, 
and  let  him  come  down  to  me.  If  he  be  able  to  fight  with  me, 
and  to  kill  me,  then  will  we  be  your  servants,  but  if  I  prevail 
against  him,  and  kill  him,  then  shall  ye  be  our  servants.  And 
the  Philistine  said,  I  defy  the  armies  of  Israel  this  day."  At 
this  proud  challenge,  Saul  and  all  Israel  were  dismayed  and 
greatly  afraid.  While  the  armies  were  in  this  position,  David, 
who  had  returned  from  Saul  to  his  father,  comes  again  to  his 
elder  brethren  in  the  camp.  He  came  just  as  the  host  was 
going  forth  to  the  fight,  "and  shouted  for  the  battle.  For 
they  had  put  the  battle  in  array,  army  against  army."  While 
David  talked  with  his  brethren,  there  came  up  the  champion  of 
Gath,  and  repeated  his  defiance;  and  David  heard  it.  As 
usual,  all  Israel  fled  from  before  him.  David,  indignant  at  the 
reproach  cast  upon  his  people,  inquires,  "  What  shall  be  done 
to  the  man  that  killeth  this  Philistine,  and  taketh  away  the 
reproach  from  Israel,  for  who  is  this  uncircumcised  Philistine, 
that  he  should  defy  the  armies  of  the  living  God?"  And  they 
answered,  "The  king  will  enrich  him  with  great  riches,  and 
will  give  him  his  daughter,  and  make  his  father's  house  free  in 
Israel."  These  words  of  David  were  rehearsed  before  Saul, 
and  he  sent  for  him.  And  David  said  to  Saul,  "Let  no  man's 
heart  fail  because  of  him ;  thy  servant  will  go  and  fight  with 
this  Philistine.  And  Saul  said,  Thou  art  not  able  to  go  against 
this  Philistine  to  fight  with  him,  for  thou  art  but  a  youth,  and 
he  a  man  of  war  from  his  youth."  To  make  known  the  ground 
of  his  confidence,  and  to  secure  the  favour  of  Saul,  David 
relates  his  adventure  while  tending  his  father's  flocks.  "  There 
came  a  lion  and  a  bear,  and  took  a  lamb  of  the  flock,  and  I 
went  out  after  him,  and  slew  him.  Thy  servant  slew  both  the 
lion  and  the  bear ;  and  this  uncircumcised  Philistine  shall  be 
as  one  of  them,  seeing  he  hath  defied  the  armies  of  the  living 
God.  The  Lord  that  delivered  me  from  their  power,  will  deliver 
me  out  of  the  hand  of  this  Philistine."  Saul  then  arms  David 
for  the  encounter ;  and  he  assayed  to  go,  but  afterwards  turns 
back  and  lays  aside  his  arms,  "for  he  had  not  proved  them." 


300  HISTORY   OF  THE    ISBAELITISH   NATION 

"And  he  took  his  staff  in  his  hand,  and  chose  him  five  smooth 
stones  out  of  the  brook  or  valley,  and  put  them  in  a  shepherd's 
bag,  which  he  had,  even  in  a  scrip ;  and  his  sling  was  in  his 
hand,  and  he  drew  near  to  the  Philistine."  When  the  Philis- 
tine saw  his  youthful  and  unarmed  opponent,  he  disdained 
him,  and  saidl|  "Am  I  a  dog,  that  thou  comest  to  me  with 
staves?  And  the  Philistine  cursed  David  by  his  gods." 
Then  said  David,  in  the  calm  courage  which  faith  in  God  ever 
gives,  "  Thou  comest  to  me  with  a  sword,  and  with  a  spear, 
and  with  a  shield ;  but  I  come  to  thee  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
of  hosts,  the  God  of  the  armies  of  Israel,  whom  thou  hast 
defied.  This  day  will  the  Lord  deliver  thee  into  mine  hand, 
and  take  thine  head  from  thee :  and  will  give  the  carcasses  of 
the  host  of  the  Philistines  this  day  unto  the  fowls  of  the  air, 
that  all  the  earth  may  know  that  there  is  a  God  in  Israel. 
And  all  this  assembly  shall  know  that  the  Lord  saveth  not 
with  spear  and  sword;  for  the  battle  is  the  Lord's,  and  he  will 
give  you  into  our  hands."  As  they  drew  on  near  to  each  other, 
David  took  from  his  bag  a  stone  and  slang  it,  "and  smote  the 
Philistine  in  his  forehead,  that  the  stone  sunk  into  his  forehead; 
and  he  fell  upon  his  face  to  the  earth."  But  there  was  no 
sword  in  the  hand  of  David.  "Then  he  ran,  and  took  the 
sword  of  the  Philistine,  and  drew  it  out  of  the  sheath  thereof, 
and  slew  him,  and  cut  off  his  head  therewith.  And  when  the 
Philistines  saw  their  champion  was  dead,  they  fled.  And  the 
men  of  Israel  shouted,  and  pursued  after  them  unto  Gath  and 
Ekron,  with  a  great  slaughter."  The  victory  was  complete. 

As  David  went  forth  against  the  Philistine,  Saul  inquires  of 
Abner  the  captain  of  the  host,  "Whose  son  is  this  youth?" 
"And  Abner  said,  As  thy  soul  liveth,  0  king,  I  cannot  tell. 
And  the  king  said,  Inquire  thou  whose  son  the  stripling  is." 
And  as  David  returned  from  the  battle,  Abner  brought  him 
before  the  monarch  with  the  head  of  the  Philistine  in  his  hand. 
And  Saul  said,  "Whose  son  art  thou,  thou  young  man?  And 
David  answered,  I  am  the  son  of  thy  servant  Jesse,  the  Beth- 
lehemite."*  David,  as  we  are  told,  brought  the  trophy  of  his 
victory  to  Jerusalem ;  and  the  sword  he  left  with  Ahimelech 
the  priest,  as  a  tribute  of  thankfulness  to  Jehovah  for  the 
victory.f  g^  £, , 

*  It  has  been  objected  to  this  passage  that  Saul  must  have  known  David.  He 
had  played  before  him,  and  been  chosen  as  one  of  his  armour-bearers.  Why  then 
should  he  ask  as  to  his  parentage?  It  is  possible  that  Saul  should  have  forgotten 
David.  He  was  not  permanently  fixed  at  court,  and  had  been  absent  at  the  pres- 
ent time.  This  is  the  more  likely,  as  David  was  present  with  Saul  in  his  frantic 
moods.  And  it  would  certainly  be  no  uncommon  thing,  thai,  a  king,  in  the  number 
of  his  attendants  and  courtiers,  should  forget  the  appearance  of  a  youth  just 
changing  into  manhood. 

t  Jerusalem  was  partially  in  the  hands  of  the  Jebusites,  but  not  so  much  so  as 
to  prevent  this  triumphal  procession  from  resting  there :  and  Jerusalem  is  here 
mentioned,  ai  it  soon  became  pre-eminently  the  city  of  David. 


TO  THE  BABYLONISH  CAPTIVITY.  801 

On  his  return,  he  was  welcomed  by  Saul  and  received  into 
the  most  intimate  friendship  by  Jonathan.  Saul  henceforth 
wished  him  constantly  in  his  presence.  "And  the  soul  of  Jona- 
than was  knit  with  the  soul  of  David,  and  Jonathan  loved  him 
as  his  own  soul."  This  was  the  beginning  of  that  well-known 
and  unchanging  friendship.  A  covenant  was  formed  between 
them.  And  Jonathan,  as  the  highest  visible  token  of  his  love, 
stripped  himself  of  the  robe  and  armour  that  was  upon  him  and 
gave  them  to  David.  From  this  time  the  history  of  Saul 
merges  into  that  of  David.  "  Saul  set  him  over  the  men  of 
war,  and  he  was  accepted  in  the  sight  of  all  the  people."  As 
he  came  back  from  his  expeditions,  or  as  he  marched  from  city 
to  city  with  the  trophy  of  that  first  great  victory,  he  was  met 
and  welcomed  by  the  women ;  and  as  they  played  upon  their 
instruments  of  music,  they  said,  "  Saul  hath  slain  his  thousands, 
and  David  his  ten  thousands."  "Saul  was  very  wroth,  and 
said,  What  can  he  have  more  but  the  kingdom?"  From  that 
day  and  forward,  David  was  eyed  by  Saul  only  as  an  enemy. 
His  jealousy  took  complete  possession  of  him,  and  knew  no 
bounds.  In  the  moments  of  his  phrenzy,  and  while  David 
played  as  at  other  times,  Saul  threatens  his  life.  "And  Saul 
cast  his  javelin ;  for  he  said,  I  will  smite  David  even  to  the  wall 
with  it.  And  David  avoided  out  of  his  presence  twice.  And 
Saul  was  afraid  of  David,  because  the  Lord  was  with  him,  and 
was  departed  from  Saul."  He  did  not,  however,  yet  publicly 
break  with  him ;  he  could  not,  probably,  dispense  with  his  ser- 
vice. He  accordingly  retains  him  still,  though  simply  as  one  of 
his  captains.  David  was  still  gaining  by  his  wisdom  and 
courage  in  the  popular  favour.  Afraid  to  attack  him  openly, 
Saul  basely  plots  his  destruction.  He  promises  his  daughter  in 
marriage  to  David,  on  the  condition  that  he  should  be  valiant 
for  him ;  with  a  concealed  hope  and  design  that  he  should  fall 
by  the  hands  of  his  foes.  When  the  time  came  to  fulfil  his 
promise,  he  gave  his  daughter  to  another.  Learning,  however, 
that  his  younger  daughter  was  attached  to  David,  he  renews 
the  promise;  when  David  modestly  states  his  life  and  lineage, 
and  his  unfitness  for  such  a  station  as  the  king's  son-in-law, 
Saul  obviates  all  objection,  by  demanding,  as  the  sole  condition 
to  marriage,  that  he  should  slay  an  hundred  Philistines  to 
avenge  the  king  of  his  enemies.  In  thus  appealing  to  David's 
known  chivalric  and  patriotic  feelings,  Saul  craftily  and 
meanly  sought  his  ruin.  David  accepted  the  condition.  "He 
arose  with  his  men,  and  went  and  slew  two  hundred  Philis- 
tines," and  brought  the  proofs  of  the  deed  and  laid  them 
before  the  king.  "  And  Saul  gave  him  Michal,  his  daughter,  to 
wife."  With  his  wife,  David  won  Saul's  continual  enmity. 
"  Then  the  Philistines  came  forth  again."  In  the  progress  of 


302  HISTORY   OF   THE    ISRAELITISH  NATION 

the  war  David  "behaved  himself  more  wisely  than  all  the  ser- 
vants of  Saul:  so  that  his  name  was  much  set  by." 

Frustrated  in  all  his  previous  attempts,  the  king  now  changes 
his  policy,  and  gave  positive  orders  to  his  son  and  his  servants 
that  David  should  be  slain.  But  Jonathan  told  David,  saying, 
"  Saul,  my  father,  seeketh  to  kill  thee,  now  therefore  take  heed 
to  thyself  until  the  morning.  And  I  will  go  out  and  stand 
beside  my  father,  and  commune  with  him  of  thee,  and  what  I 
see  I  will  tell  thee."  Jonathan  pleads  with  his  father  for 
David,  he  recounts  his  great  services,  his  self-denials,  and  his 
blameless  life;  and  remonstrates  against  the  sin  of  thus  shed- 
ding innocent  blood.  "And  Saul  hearkened  unto  the  voice  of 
Jonathan ;  and  Saul  sware,  as  the  Lord  liveth  he  shall  not  be 
slain."  And  Jonathan  brought  David  again  into  the  presence 
of  the  king.  In  the  war  with  the  Philistines  David  was  again 
victorious;  but  with  every  victory,  Saul's  anger  increased. 
He  attempts  a  third  time  to  slay  David  with  his  own  hand. 
There  was  no  longer  any  safety  for  David  at  court,  and  he 
escaped  by  night  to  his  own  home.  Saul's  messengers  were 
in  rapid  pursuit,  and  waited  only  for  the  morning  to  slay 
him.  And  Michal,  David's  wife,  told  him,  saying,  "If  thou 
save  not  thy  life  to-night,  to-morrow  thou  shalt  be  slain. 
So  David  fled  and  escaped,*  and  came  to  Samuel  at  Ramah, 
and  told  him  all  that  Saul  had  done  to  him.  And  he  and 
Samuel  went  and  dwelt  at  Naioth."  When  Saul  heard  it, 
he  sent  messengers  to  take  David.  No  sanctuary,  however 
sacred,  could  now  restrain  the  vindictive  king.  When  the 
messengers  saw  the  company  of  the  prophets,  and  Samuel 
standing  as  appointed  over  them,  "the  Spirit  of  God  came 
upon  them,  and  they  also  prophesied."  It  happened  the  same 
with  the  second  and  third  band.  At  last  Saul  also  went  to 
Ramah,  and  asked  for  Samuel  and  David.  "And  one  said, 
they  be  at  Naioth  in  Ramah.  And  he  went  thither,  and  the 
Spirit  of  God  was  upon  him  also,  and  he  went  on  and  pro- 
phesied, until  he  came  to  Naioth.  A  whole  night  and  day  he 
lay  naked  and  prostrate  before  the  prophet."  His  fierce 
wrath  yielded  for  a  time  to  the  stronger  influence  and  restraint 
of  the  Spirit  of  God. 

David  in  the  meantime  escaped  from  Ramah  and  came  to 
Jonathan,  who  was  yet  ignorant  of  Saul's  purpose,  and  said  to 
him,  "What  have  I  done?  and  what  is  my  sin  before  thy  father, 
that  he  seeketh  my  life?"  Jonathan  could  not  be  persuaded 
that  his  fears  were  well  grounded,  and  said,  "  God  forbid !  thou 

*  It  was  about  this  time  that  David  composed  the  llth  and  59th  Psalms. 
The  former  seems  to  be  his  earliest  extant  composition,  and  gives  a  beautiful 
view  of  his  faith  and  trust  in  God,  under  all  these  adversities.  In  the  latter,  he 
prays  for  deliverance,  and  that  the  right  may  be  vindicated,  and  the  obstinately 
wicked  punished. 


TO   THE  BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  803 

shalt  not  die ;  behold,  my  father  will  do  nothing  either  great  or 
small,  but  that  he  will  show  it  me:  and  why  should  my 
father  hide  this  thing  from  me?  it  is  not  so."  David  then 
solemnly  calls  God  to  witness,  and  said,  "Thy  father  knoweth 
that  I  have  found  grace  in  thy  eyes ;  and  he  saith,  Let  not 
Jonathan  know  this,  lest  he  be  grieved  :  but  truly  as  the  Lord 
liveth,  and  as  thy  soul  liveth,  there  is  but  a  step  between  me 
and  death."  The  feast  of  the  new-moon  was  now  at  hand, 
when  it  was  customary  for  David,  as  a  member  of  the  royal 
family,  to  sit  with  the  king  at  meat.  David  excuses  himself  to 
Jonathan,  both  from  fear  of  Saul's  anger,  and  that  he  might  go 
to  Bethlehem,  and  join  his  own  family  in  their  yearly  sacrifice. 
It  was  agreed  upon  between  these  devoted  friends,  that  if 
David's  absence  were  noticed,  Jonathan  should  make  his  excuse 
to  the  king.  The  answer  of  the  king  was  to  test  his  disposi- 
tion towards  his  son-in-law.  If  he  say  thus,  "It  is  well,  thy 
servant  shall  have  peace ;  but  if  he  be  very  wroth,  then  be  sure 
that  evil  is  determined  by  him."  Jonathan  then  covenants,  in 
the  most  tender  and  solemn  manner,  to  show  David  the  pur- 
poses of  his  father,  whether  good  or  evil;  and  David,  on  his 
part,  enters  into  an  equally  solemn  covenant,  "to  show  kind- 
ness to  the  house  of  Jonathan  for  ever,  even  when  the  Lord 
should  have  cut  off  the  enemies  of  David  every  one  from  the 
face  of  the  earth." 

When  the  feast-day  came,  David's  seat  was  empty,  and 
although  Saul  perceived  it,  he  made  no  inquiries,  for  he  thought 
some  ceremonial  uncleanness  had  kept  him  from  being  present. 
On  the  second  day,  the  same  vacant  seat  was  noticed,  and  Saul 
said  unto  Jonathan  his  son,  "  Wherefore  cometh  not  the  son  of 
Jesse  to  meat,  neither  yesterday  nor  to-day  ?  Jonathan  an- 
swered Saul,  David  earnestly  asked  leave  of  me  to  go  to  Beth- 
lehem, to  sacrifice  there  with  his  family  and  brethren,  therefore 
he  cometh  not  unto  the  king's  table.  Then  Saul's  anger  was 
kindled  against  Jonathan,  and  he  said  unto  him,  Thou  son  of 
the  perverse,  rebellious  woman,  do  not  I  know  that  thou  hast 
chosen  the  son  of  Jesse,  to  thine  own  confusion  and  the  confu- 
sion of  thy  mother's  nakedness  ?  For  as  long  as  the  son  of 
Jesse  liveth  upon  the  ground,  thou  shalt  not  be  established,  nor 
thy  kingdom :  wherefore,  now  send  and  fetch  him  unto  me,  for 
he  shall  surely  die.  And  Jonathan  answered  Saul  his  father, 
Wherefore  shall  he  be  slain?  what  hath  he  done?"  But  Saul 
was  now  beyond  argument.  The  only  reply  was  to  cast  a  jave- 
lin at  the  empty  seat  of  David.  "  So  Jonathan  arose  from  the 
table  in  fierce  anger :  for  he  was  grieved  for  David,  because  his 
father  had  done  him  shame." 

In  the  morning  of  the  third  day,  Jonathan  went  out  to  the 
field,  to  the  place  agreed  upon,  where  David  had  concealed 


304  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION 

himself,  after  his  return  from  Bethlehem,  and  in  the  appointed 
way  told  David  of  the  evil  designs  of  his  father.  And  there, 
alone,  was  that  most  touching  meeting  and  parting  of  these 
faithful  friends.  "And  David  arose  out  of  a  place  toward  the 
south,  and  fell  on  his  face  to  the  ground,  and  bowed  himself 
three  times :  and  they  kissed  one  another,  and  wept  one  with 
another,  until  David  exceeded.  And  Jonathan  said  to  David, 
Go  in  peace,  forasmuch  as  we  have  sworn  both  of  us  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  saying,  The  Lord  be  between  me  and  thee, 
and  between  my  seed  and  thy  seed  for  ever.  And  he  arose  and 
departed:  and  Jonathan  went  into  the  city." 


SECTION  III. 

DAVID'S   FLIGHT   AND    FIRST     SOJOURN   WITH   THE     PHILISTINES — HE   COMES    TO   THE 

CAVE     ADULLASI SAUL     KILLS    THE     PRIESTS — DAVID    DELIVERS     KEILAH     AND   IS 

HUNTED   BY  SAUL — HE  SPARES   SAUL'S  LIFE — DEATH  OF   SAMUEL — DAVID'S  ADVEN- 
TURE WITH   NABAL— *-HE  SPARES  SAUL'S  LIFE  A   SECOND  TIME HIS  SECOND  FLIGHT 

TO   THE   PHILISTINES. 

THERE  was  no  longer  any  safety  for  David,  while  within  the 
reach  of  Saul's  power.  With  a  few  young  men  he  flees  hastily 
to  Ahimelech  the  priest,  at  Nob,  which  lay  most  probably  in 
his  course  toward  the  hill  country  of  Judah.  The  appearance 
of  David,  and  the  small  number  of  his  followers,  excited  the 
fear  of  the  priest,  and  he  asks  the  reason  of  his  coming.  David 
feigns  that  he  was  sent  in  haste  upon  a  secret  mission  by  the 
king.  This  is  the  first  stain  we  find  upon  David's  character. 
In  the  severity  of  his  trials,  his  trust  in  God  and  the  justice  of 
his  cause  seems  to  have  failed  him  for  a  time ;  and  he  fell  into 
prevarication  and  falsehood,  which  was  attended  with  a  most 
fatal  result.  Under  the  pretence  of  pressing  haste  to  execute 
the  royal  commission,  he  obtains  from  the  priest  the  shew-bread 
and  the  sword  of  Goliath.  The  conversation  between  David 
and  the  priest  was  overheard  by  a  certain  man  of  the  servants 
of  Saul,  "who  was  detained  before  the  Lord  that  day;  and  his 
name  was  Doeg  the  Edomite,  the  chiefest  of  the  herdsman  of 
Saul." 

The  pursuit  of  Saul  was  so  eager  that  David  was  compelled 
to  take  refuge  with  his  most  inveterate  foes.  "And  he  fled  for 
fear  of  Saul,  and  went  to  Achish,  the  king  of  Gath."  But 
there  was  no  security  here.  The  servants  of  Achish  remind 
him  that  it  was  this  David  of  whom  they  sang,  "  Saul  hath  slain 
his  thousands,  and  David  his  ten  thousands?.  And  David  laid 
up  these  words  in  his  heart,  and  was  sore  afraid  of  the  king  of 
Gath."  Perplexed  and  harassed,  and  driven  from  one  thing  to 
another,  he  had  not  yet  recovered  his  faith  in  God's  promises 
and  providence;  and  to  avoid  the  present  danger,  "changed  his 


TO   THE  BABYLON  ESH   CAPTIVITY.  305 

behaviour  before  them,  and  feigned  himself  mad."  Apparently- 
convinced  of  his  insanity,  (though  other  reasons  probably  led 
to  the  same  result,)  Achish  sends  him  away.* 

Returning  from  the  Philistines,  "David  came  to  the  cave 
Adullam,"  a  large  cavern  not  far  from  Bethlehem.  And 
when  his  brethren  and  all  his  father's  house  heard  it,  they  went 
down  thither  to  him.  And  every  one  that  was  in  distress,  or  in 
debt,  or  discontented,  flocked  to  him,  and  he  became  captain  of 
four  hundred  men,  a  band  which  soon  swelled  into  six  hundred. 
Among  these  were  some  of  the  mighty  men  who  appear  so  often 
in  the  history  of  David ;  especially  the  three  mightiest  of  the 
thirty,  of  whom  Abishai,  the  brother  of  Joab,  was  chief.  It 
was  while  David  was  in  this  cave,  and  Bethlehem  was  garri- 
soned by  the  Philistines,  that  an  incident  occurred  which  shows 
how  strong  an  attachment  had  already  sprung  up  between  David 
and  the  chief  of  his  followers.  David  longed  for  water  from 
the  well  of  Bethlehem.  "And  the  three  mighty  men  brake 
through  the  host  of  the  Philistines,  and  drew  water  out  of  the 
well,  and  brought  it  to  David."  He  was  too  generous  and  con- 
scientious, however,  to  gratify  his  appetite  at  so  great  a  risk. 
He  would  not  drink  thereof,  "but  poured  it  out  unto  the  Lord, 
and  said,  Be  it  far  from  me,  0  Lord,  that  I  should  do  this ;  is 
not  this  the  blood  of  the  men  that  went  in  jeopardy  of  their 
lives?  therefore  he  would  not  drink  it."  It  is  from  such  casual 
events  that  we  learn  the  peculiar  disposition  of  David,  which 
gave  him  such  popularity  and  influence  among  the  people,  f 
The  first  care  of  David  was  for  his  parents.  "  He  brought  them 
to  the  king  of  Moab,  and  said  to  him,  Let  my  father  and  my 
mother,  I  pray  thee,  come  forth  and  be  with  you,  till  I  know 
what  God  will  do  for  me.  And  they  dwelt  with  him  all  the 
while  that  David  was  in  the  hold." 

He  was  not  suffered  to  remain  there  long.  The  prophet  Gad 
warned  him  to  depart  and  flee  into  the  land  of  Judah.  "And 
he  came  into  the  forest  of  Hareth,"  somewhere  in  the  south 
of  Judah. 

The  narrative  now  returns  to  Saul  and  his  deeds.  He  abode 
still  at  Gibeah.  And  when  he  heard  that  David  was  dis- 
covered, he  makes  a  mournful  appeal  to  the  Benjamites,  as  his 
own  tribe,  for  assistance  and  pity.  "Then  answered  Doeg 
the  Edomite,  I  saw  the  son  of  Jesse  coming  to  Nob,  to  Ahime- 
lech  the,  son  of  Ahitub.  And  he  inquired  of  the  Lord  for  him, 
and  gave  him  victuals,  and  the  sword  of  Goliath."  Saul's 

*  It  was  most  probably  at  this  time  that  David  composed  that  beautiful  34fh 
Psalm — so  consoling  to  the  afflicted,  and  so  encouraging  to  the  righteous.  Soon 
after,  or  at  the  same  time,  we  must  place  the  56th  Psalm,  expressive  of  his  trust  in 
God's  promise. 

t  We  have  David's  spiritual  experience,  while  in  this  cave,  recorded  for  us  in 
the  142d  Psalm. 

20 


306  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

anger  was  now  kindled  against  the  priest,  "  and  he  sent  for 
Ahimelech,  and  all  the  priests  at  Nob ;  and  they  came  all  of 
them  to  the  king.  And  Saul  said,  Why  have  ye  conspired 
against  me,  thou  and  the  son  of  Jesse."  Ahimelech  was  igno- 
rant that  Saul  viewed  David  as  an  enemy.  "Who  is  so  faith- 
ful among  all  thy  servants  as  David,  which  is  the  king's  son-in- 
law?  Did  I  then  hegin  to  inquire  of  God  for  him?  be  it  far 
from  me:  let  not  the  king  impute  any  thing  unto  his  servant, 
for  thy  servant  knew  nothing  of  all  this,  less  or  more."  But 
Saul  would  not  listen  to  reason.  His  purpose  was  formed. 
He  determined  to  strike  terror  into  all  David's  friends,  by  one 
terrible  example.  Ahimelech  and  all  the  priests  must  die. 
He  gave  orders  to  his  footmen  that  stood  about  him  "  to  slay 
the  priests  of  the  Lord."  But  no  native  Israelite,  much  as 
they  feared  the  king,  was  ready  for  such  a  deed  as  this.  And 
the  king  said  to  Doeg,  "  Turn  thou  and  fall  upon  the  priests ; 
and  he  fell  upon  the  priests,  and  slew  on  that  day,  fourscore 
and  five  persons  that  did  wear  a  linen  ephod.  And  Nob,  the 
city  of  the  priests,  smote  he  with  the  edge  of  the  sword,  both 
men  and  women,  children  and  sucklings,  besides  oxen,  and 
asses,  and  sheep."  So  terrible  was  the  insane  wrath  of  Saul. 
Nor  was  this  all.  In  a  later  allusion  we  learn  that  he  slew  the 
Gibeonites,  who  were  probably  servants  of  the  priests,  as  the 
tabernacle  was  at  Gibeon:  a  deed  which  afterward  brought 
down  upon  his  descendants  a  fearful  retribution.*  Only  one 
of  the  sons  of  Ahimelech  escaped,  and  fled  to  David.  "And 
Abiathar  showed  David  that  Saul  had  slain  the  priests.  And 
David  said,  I  have  occasioned  the  death  of  all  the  persons  of 
thy  father's  house.  Abide  thou  with  me,  fear  not;  for  he  that 
seeketh  thy  life  seeketh  my  life ;  but  with  me  thou  shalt  be  in 
safeguard." 

While  David  was  in  the  forest  of  Hareth,  it  was  told  him 
that  the  Philistines  were  fighting  against  Keilah.  Overcoming 
all  sense  of  his  injuries,  he  immediately  goes  to  their  relief. 
Although  having  the  Divine  authority,  some  of  his  men  feared 
to  venture  upon  so  bold  an  undertaking.  "Then  David 
inquired  of  the  Lord  yet  again.  And  the  Lord  answered  him, 
Arise,  go  down  to  Keilah ;  for  I  will  deliver  the  Philistines 
into  thine  hand.  So  David  and  his  men  went  and  fought  with 
the  Philistines,  and  brought  away  the  spoil,  and  smote  them 
with  a  great  slaughter." 

All  the  patriotism  of  David  produced  no  effect  to  relax  the 
savage  pursuit  of  Saul.  He  leaves  him  no  rest  in  the  place 
he  had  delivered;  but  gathers  quickly  all  the  people  to  go 

*  To  these  events  we  must  trace  the  origin  of  the  52d  Psalm.  And  probably 
several  others  are  the  expressions  of  David's  experience  at  this  time :  e.  g.  the 
17th,  109th,  140th,  35th,  and  64th. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  307 

down  to  Keilah  to  besiege  David.  Hearing  of  the  mischief 
purposed  against  him,  he  asks  counsel  of  God,  through  the 
priest.  "  Then  said  David,  0  Lord  God  of  Israel,  thy  servant 
hath  certainly  heard  that  Saul  seeketh  to  come  to  destroy  the 
city  for  my  sake.  Will  the  men  of  Keilah  deliver  me  up  into 
his  hand?  will  Saul  come  down,  as  thy  servant  hath  heard? 
And  the  Lord  said,  He  will  come  down.  They  will  deliver 
thee  up."  "Then  David  and  his  men  arose  and  departed 
out  of  Keilah,  and  went  and  abode  in  the  strongholds  in 
the  wilderness  of  Ziph.  And  Saul  sought  him  every  clay;  but 
God  delivered  him  not  into  his  hand."  While  hunted  through 
this  wilderness  by  Saul,  he  received  a  visit  from  Jonathan,  who 
strengthened  his  hand  in  God,  and  said,  "Fear  not;  for  the 
hand  of  Saul  my  father  shall  not  find  thee :  and  thou  shalt  be 
king  over  Israel,  and  I  shall  be  next  unto  thee.  And  they 
renewed  their  covenant  before  the  Lord." 

The  Ziphites  could  not  be  relied  on.  The  power  of  the  mon- 
arch was  too  great,  and  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath  in  the 
slaughter  of  the  priests,  too  recent,  for  any  one  with  safety  to 
offer  protection  to  David.  On  every  side  he  met  with  the  basest 
ingratitude  and  treachery.  The  Ziphites  went  to  Saul  with  the 
welcome  information  that  David  concealed  himself  with  them, 
and  proposed  to  deliver  him  into  the  king's  hand.  Saul  pro- 
nounces a  blessing  upon  them,  and  bids  them  "return  and 
search  out  more  thoroughly  the  lurking  places,  and  then  I  will 
go  with  you."  They  return  to  their  land,  and  Saul  and  his 
men  followed  after  them.  In  the  meantime  David  has  escaped 
and  gone  farther  south,  in  the  wilderness  of  Maon.  Saul  pur- 
sued after  him,  and  nearly  grasped  his  prey.  "For  Saul  went 
on  one  side  of  the  mountain,  and  David  and  his  men  went  on 
the  other  side  of  the  mountain,  and  made  haste  to  get  away ; 
for  Saul  and  his  men  compassed  David  and  his  men  round 
about  to  take  them."*  Just  as  the  infuriated  monarch  was 
about  to  lay  his  hand  upon  his  foe,  God  interposed  for  his  deliv- 
erance. "There  came  messengers  unto  Saul,  saying,  Haste 
thee,  and  come;  for  the  Philistines  have  invaded  the  land." 
Wherefore  he  returned  from  pursuing  after  David ;  and  they 
called  the  place,  Sela-hammah-lekoth,  that  is,  rock  of  divisions  ; 
because,  says  the  Targurn,  the  heart  of  the  king  was  divided  to 
go  hither  a~nd  thither.  David  now  went  and  dwelt  in  the  / 
strongholds  of  Engedi,  west  of  the  Dead  Sea. 

As  soon  as  the  state  of  his  kingdom  permitted  it,  and  the 
king  had  returned  from  following  his  foreign  enemies,  he  enters 

*We  have  on  record,  in  the  54th  Psalm,  the  feelings  of  David  in  this  trying  ex- 
perience :  which  should  be  read  in  connection  with  the  history,  if  we  would  reach 
any  just  notion  of  his  faith. 


308  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

again  personally  in  the  search  for  David.  "  He  chose  three 
thousand  men  out  of  all  Israel,  as  a  force  which  could  crush 
every  thing  which  looked  like  rebellion;  and  went  to  seek 
David  and  his  men,  "  upon  the  rocks  of  the  wild  goats."  It  was 
here  that  Saul  fell  into  the  power  of  his  foe,  and  had  not  David 
been  a  man  of  great  piety,  who  feared  God,  and  the  powers  or- 
dained of  him,  there  would  now  have  been  an  end  of  the  strife. 
"The  men  of  David  said  unto  him,  Behold  the  day  of  which  the 
Lord  said  unto  thee,  Behold  I  will  deliver  thine  enemy  into  thine 
hand,  that  thou  mayest  do  to  him  as  seemeth  good  unto  thee. 
Then  David  arose  and  cut  off  the  skirt  of  Saul's  robe,  privily. 
And  his  heart  smote  him,  and  he  said  unto  his  men,  The  Lord 
forbid  that  I  should  do  this  thing  unto  my  master,  the  Lord's 
anointed.  So  David  stayed  his  servants  with  these  words,  and 
suffered  them  not  to  rise  against  Saul." 

Saul  soon  left  the  cave,  and  went  on  his  way  without  any 
suspicion  that  he  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  his  foe.  David 
also  followed,  and  bowed  himself,  saying,  "My  lord  the  king, 
wherefore  hearest  thou  men's  words,  saying,  David  seeketh  thy 
hurt?"  As  a  proof  against  all  these  reports,  and  the  suspicions 
of  the  king's  own  heart,  he  appeals  to  the  fact  that  he  had  thus 
spared  his  life :  and  then  calls  upon  God  to  judge  between  them. 
"  The  Lord  judge  between  me  and  thee,  and  see,  and  plead  my 
cause,  and  deliver  me  out  of  thy  hand."  The  magnanimity  of 
David  seems  to  have  touched  Saul's  better  nature,  and,  for  the 
time,  overcame  the  malicious  purpose  of  his  heart.  And  he 
said,  "  Is  this  thy  voice,  my  son  David  ?  Thou  art  more  right- 
eous than  I :  for  thou  hast  rewarded  me  good,  whereas  I  have 
rewarded  thee  evil,  and  thou  hast  showed  me  this  day  how  that 
thou  hast  dealt  well  with  me.  Wherefore  the  Lord  reward  thee 
good  for  that  thou  hast  done  unto  me  this  day.  And  now,  be- 
hold, I  know  well  that  thou  shall  surely  be  king,  and  that  the 
kingdom  of  Israel  shall  be  established  in  thine  hands :  swear 
now,  therefore,  unto  me,  by  the  Lord,  that  thou  wilt  not  cut  off 
my  seed  after  me,  and  that  thou  wilt  not  destroy  my  name  out 
of  my  father's  house.  And  David  sware  unto  Saul;"  and 
Saul,  for  a  time,  seems  to  have  ceased  from  his  pursuit.*  It  is 
evident  from  this  confession  of  Saul,  that  he  must  already  have 
known  that  David  was  the  person  chosen  by  God  to  be  his  suc- 
cessor ;  and  therefore  that  he  was  striving  against  God.  It  is 
equally  evident  from  the  Psalm  written  at  this  time,  that  David 
confidently  expected  the  kingdom.  He  is  not  in  haste,  how- 
ever. He  waits  until  God's  time.  He  takes  no  measures  of 

*  It  was  at  this  point  in  his  history,  that  David,  as  we  are  told,  composed  the 
57th  and  63d  Psalms  ;  which  show  how  intensely  he  suffered,  and  how  earnest 
were  his  longings  for  the  worship  and  communion  of  the  sanctuary. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  309 

his  own  to  secure  that  result,  to  which  he  looked  forward.  He 
is  never  driven,  even  under  the  stress  of  a  most  unrelenting 
persecution,  to  an  act  of  disloyalty. 

In  this  brief  moment  of  peace,  the  whole  nation  are  called  to 
mourn  around  the  grave  of  Samuel.  "And  Samuel  died;  and 
all  the  Israelites  were  gathered  together,  and  lamented  him, 
and  buried  him  in  his  house  at  Ramah."  A  simple  notice  for 
the  end  of  so  great  a  man,  but  one  which  shows  how  strong  a 
hold  Samuel  had  upon  the  heart  of  the  whole  nation. 

While  David  was  in  the  wilderness  of  Paran,  he  fell  in  with 
the  shepherds  and  flocks  of  Nabal;  a  man  of  large  wealth,  but 
close  and  churlish.  From  the  narrative,  it  appears  that  David 
and  his  men  had  protected  Nabal's  flocks  while  in  the  wilder- 
ness, and  expected  as  their  reward  a  supply  of  food.  He  sent, 
accordingly,  his  young  men,  but  Nabal  meanly  denies  their 
request,  and  adds  insult  to  his  denial.  Provoked  by  this  refusal, 
David  arms  his  men,  and  in  the  heat  and  suddenness  of  his 
passion,  threatens  the  whole  house  of  Nabal  with  utter  destruc- 
tion. While  on  the  way  to  execute  his  purpose  of  vengeance, 
he  is  met  by  Abigail  the  wife  of  Nabal;  who,  by  a  timely  pre- 
sent, and  a  wise  answer,  disarms  his  rage,  and  averts  his  revenge. 
David,  now  sensible  of  the  unreasonableness  and  sinfulness  of 
his  wrath,  thanks  God  that  he  had  been  thus  kept  from  carrying 
it  into  execution.  He  was  strongly  tempted  to  take  vengeance 
into  his  own  hand,  and  nothing  but  the  providence  of  God  had 
prevented  him.  But  though  Nabal  thus  escaped  the  wrath  of 
man,  he  was  soon  visited  for  his  sin,  with  the  judgment  of  God. 

Not  long  after  the  death  of  her  husband,  David  sent  "  and 
communed  with  Abigail  to  take  her  to  wife."  In  true  oriental 
style  the  marriage  contract  is  formed.  "And  she  arose  with 
her  maidens  and  went  after  the  messengers  of  David,  and  be- 
came his  wife."  David  took  also  Ahinoam  of  Jezreel,  and  they 
were  both  his  wives.  Prior  to  this,  during  the  flight  of  David, 
Saul  had  taken  his  daughter,  David's  wife,  and  married  her  to 
another;  and  this  may  be  the  reason  why  David  felt  himself  at 
liberty  to  form  another  marriage.  Saul's  policy  was  to  cut 
David  off  from  any  claim  to  the  succession. 

What  time  had  passed  since  David's  first  flight  from  Saul  we 
do  not  certainly  know.  Nor  can  we  tell  the  length  of  this  tem- 
porary peace.  It  does  not  appear,  however,  to  have  lasted 
long.  The  destruction  of  David  was  the  ruling  desire  of  Saul, 
and  we  soon  find  him  again  in  his  character  as  a  persecutor. 
The  men  of  Ziph  again  attempted  to  betray  David  into  the 
hands  of  the  king;  and  Saul  eagerly  avails  himself  of  their 
offer.  He  marched  out  into  the  wilderness  where  David  was 
concealed,  andr  encamped  with  his  men  around  him.  David 
adopts  the  bold  expedient  of  going  over  to  the  king's  camp 


310  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

•with  but  one  attendant.  "  So  David  and  Abishai  came  to  the 
people  by  night."  A  deep  sleep,  evidently  more  than  natural, 
rested  upon  the  whole  band,  both  king  and  warriors ;  so  that 
no  one  knew  of  their  presence.  Abishai  said  to  David,  "  God 
hath  delivered  thine  enemy  into  thine  hand  this  day;  now 
therefore  let  me  smite  him,  I  pray  thee,  with  the  spear,  even  to 
the  earth  at  once,  and  I  will  not  smite  him  the  second  time." 
But  though  thus  strongly  tempted,  David  stays  the  hand  of  his 
companion,  and  forbids  him  "to  touch  the  Lord's  anointed." 
Taking  the  spear  and  the  cruse  of  water  from  the  head  of  Saul, 
they  departed,  and  stood  on  the  top  of  a  hill  afar  off.  And 
David  called  again  to  the  king,  and  appealed  to  him  on  the 
same  grounds  as  before.  Then  Saul  said,  "I  have  sinned: 
return,  my  son  David;  for  I  will  do  thee  no  harm,  because  my 
soul  was  precious  in  thine  eyes  this  day.  I  have  played  the  fool, 
and  erred  exceedingly.  Blessed  be  thou,  my  son  David ;  thou 
shalt  both  do  great  things,  and  also  shalt  still  prevail.  So 
David  went  on  his  way,  and  Saul  returned  to  his  place." 

Notwithstanding  this  assurance  of  §aul,  and  his  present 
relentings,  there  was  plainly  no  safety  for 'David  in  his  land. 
Even  in  the  wilderness  he  had  met  only  with  treachery.  Those 
•whom  he  had  delivered  had  plotted  JMS  destruction.  Pressed 
on  every  side  with  the  savage  pursuit  ^qf  the  king,  he,  at  last,  as 
if  in  despair,  forms  the  unbelieving  arid  desperate  resolution  of 
joining  the  Philistines — the  enemies  of  his  God  and  people. 
And  David  said  in  his  heart,  "I  shall  now  perish  one  day  by 
the  hand  of  Saul:  there  is  nothing  better  for  me  than  that  I 
should  speedily  escape  into  the  land  of  the  Philistines;  and 
Saul  shall  despair  of  me,  to  seek  me  any  more,  in  any  coast  of 
Israel."  "And  he  arose  and  passed  over,  with  the  six  hundred 
men  that  were  with  him,  unto  Achish,  king  of  Gath."  It  is 
probable  that  the  Gittites  had  heard  of  the  rupture  between 
David  and  Saul ;  and  they  no  doubt  hoped  that  David  would 
now  be  as  useful  a  friend  as  he  had  before  been  a  dangerous 
enemy.  He  was  therefore  well  received,  although  on  a  pre- 
vious occasion  he  had  been  distrusted  and  feared.  The  break 
•was  so  complete,  that,  in  their  view,  there  could  be  no  reconcilia- 
tion ;  and  they  therefore  welcomed  him  to  their  land,  and  gave 
him  Ziklag  for  a  possession.  David  remained  there  a  year  and 
four  months.  During  this  time  he  received  many  additions  to 
his  followers ;  "  men  of  might,  and  helpers  in  the  war :  whose 
faces  were  like  the  faces  of  lions,  and  men  as  swift  as  the  roes 
on  the  mountains:"  whose  names  are  prominent  in  the  subse- 
quent history  of  David's  reign.  "From  day  to  day  they  fell 
to  him,  to  help  him.  until  it  was  a  great  host,  like  the  host  of 
God." 


TO   THE  BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  311 


SECTION  IV. 

DAVID'S   WARS   AT   ZIKLAG SAUL'S    INTERVIEW    WITH   THE    SORCERESS    AT   ENDOR 

HIS   DEATH   AT    GILBOA,   AND    THE   LAMENTATION    OF    DAVID. 

WHILE  David  was  at  Ziklag,  he  engaged  in  an  exterminating 
warfare  with  the  wandering  bands  lying  south  of  Judah.  "  And 
David  smote  the  land,  arid  left  neither  man  nor  woman  alive," 
lest  they  should  bring  tidings  to  Gath;  took  the  spoil,  and  re- 
turned to  the  Philistine  king.  When  asked  in  what  direction 
his  incursions  were  made,  David  so  answers  (without  telling  an 
absolute  falsehood)  as  to  deceive  Achish,  and  led  him  to  believe 
that  he  had  plundered  his  own  country.  The  credulous  king 
believed  David,  saying,  "  He  hath  made  his  people  utterly  to 
abhor  him;  therefore  he  shall  be  my  servant  for  ever."* 

The  Scriptures  tell  us  things  as  they  are,  they  never  cover 
up  the  defects  or  sins  of  kings,  or  prophets,  or  apostles.  This 
whole  flight  of  David  has  its  ground  (naturally  enough  to  human 
nature)  in  a  weak  faith,  and  this  particular  transaction  must  be 
viewed  as  a  blot  upon  his  religious  character.  The  wonder 
would  be,  however,  (did  we  not  know  the  power  of  God's  grace,) 
that  he  had  not  fallen  more  sadly.  On  every  natural  principle 
we  should  find  him  acting  far  otherwise  than  he  did.  It  was 
the  grace  of  God  only  which  kept  him  from  utter  despair,  and 
from  joining  the  enemies  of  his  people,  in  truth  as  well  as  in 
form. 

New  accessions  were  constantly  made  to  his  power,  from 
almost  all  the  tribes  of  Israel ;  so  that  David  now  occupied  the 
position  of  an  independent  prince. 

Achish  soon  required  the  aid  of  his  new  ally.  "  And  it  came 
to  pass  in  those  days,  that  the  Philistines  gathered  their  armies 
together  for  warfare  to  fight  with  Israel.  And  Achish  said  unto 
David,  Know  thou  assuredly  that  thou  shalt  go  out  with  me  to 
battle,  thou  and  thy  men."  David,  without  giving  a  formal  con- 
sent, replied,  Surely  thou  shalt  know  what  thy  servant  can  do. 
On  the  marshalling  of  the  Philistine  forces,  David  joins  in  with 
the  men  of  Achish.  We  know  not  what  David  designed  to  do : 

*  Though  the  standard  of  moral  rectitude  is  immutable,  so  that  the  same  actions, 
attended  with  the  same  circumstances,  are  always  good  or  evil ;  but  the  standard 
of  morality  as  it  exists  in  the  minds  of  men  varies  from  time  to  time.  In  some 
ages,  the  evil  of  certain  immoral  acts  is  not  perceived,  and  the  general  sentiment 
and  practice  are  erroneous.  In  such  cases  good  men  fall  into  the  common  current, 
and  without  scruple  perform  acts  which  in  a  more  enlightened  age  are  seen  to  be 
wrong.  This  seems  to  have  been  the  case  in  regard  to  the  sin  offalsehood.  In  the 
early  ages  of  the  world,  it  seems  not  to  have  been  thought  wrong  to  utter  a  falsehood 
to  deliver  an  enemy,  or  to  save  life,  or  to  accomplish  some  great  good.  It  is  a 
good  rule,  therefore,  that  the  actions  of  men  in  one  age,  as  to  their  criminality, 
ought  not  to  be  judged  of  as  if  committed  in  another  age,  when  the  knowledge  of 
the  true  standard  of  morals  was  more  perfect. 


312  HISTORY   OF  THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION 

we  may  judge,  however,  from  his  previous  conduct,  that  he 
would  never  be  found  in  arms  against  his  own  brethren.  More 
probably  he  waited  until  God,  in  the  course  of  his  providence, 
should  make  known  what  course  he  should  pursue.  He  was 
spared  from  the  trial  of  taking  the  decision  into  his  own  hands, 
by  the  jealousy  of  the  other  Philistine  princes.  They  feared 
lest,  in  the  battle,  he  should  forsake  his  new  friends  and  join 
the  ranks  of  his  countrymen.  They  were  wroth  with  Achish, 
and  persuaded  him  to  send  David  and  his  men  back  to  the  place 
he  had  appointed  them.  No  words  of  the  king  of  Gath  could 
change  the  purpose  of  the  other  lords.  Achish,  therefore, 
called  David,  and  sent  him  back  to  Ziklag.  On  his  return, 
David  received  still  further  additions  to  his  forces,  and  he  was 
soon  to  need  their  aid. 

The  absence  of  David  had  not  been  unnoticed  by  his  foes. 
The  Amalekites  had  seized  the  opportunity  "and  invaded  the 
south  and  Ziklag,  and  smitten  it  and  burned  it  with  fire ;  and 
had  taken  the  women  captives  that  were  therein,  and  went  their 
way." 

When  David  and  his  men  reached  the  city,  they  found  it 
burned,  "and  their  wives,  and  their  sons,  and  their  daughters, 
were  taken  captives ;  and  they  lifted  up  their  voice  and  wept." 
And  David  was  greatly  distressed;  for  the  people  spake  of 
stoning  him,  "because  the  soul  of  all  the  people  was  grieved, 
every  man  for  his  sons,  and  for  his  daughters ;  but  David  en- 
couraged himself  in  the  Lord  his  God."  "And  David  called 
Abiathar  the  priest,  and  inquired  at  the  Lord.  Shall  I  pursue 
this  troop?  shall  I  overtake  them?  And  he  answered  him, 
Pursue ;  for  thou  shalt  surely  overtake  them,  and  without  fail 
recover  all."  Obtaining  this  assurance,  he  pursued  them  with 
the  utmost  rapidity.  Some  were  too  faint  to  proceed  in  the 
chase,  and  were  left  behind;  while  the  stronger,  amounting  to 
four  hundred,  still  pressed  on.  At  length  they  fell  upon  an 
Egyptian,  a  servant  of  the  Amalekites,  who  had  been  left  by 
his  master  to  die  in  the  wilderness.  He  engages  to  bring  David 
to  his  foes.  And  when  he  had  brought  him  down,  behold  they 
were  spread  abroad  upon  all  the  earth,  eating,  and  drinking,  and 
dancing,  because  of  the  spoil  they  had  taken.  In  the  midst  of 
their  revelry,  David  fell  upon  them  and  smote  them,  so  that 
there  escaped  not  a  man  of  them,  save  those  who  rode  upon  the 
camels  and  fled.  David  not  only  recovered  all  that  had  been 
carried  away,  but  a  large  spoil  which  this  marauding  band  had 
collected  from  others,  fell  to  his  hands.  The  promise  which  he 
had  received  was  more  than  verified. 

On  the  return  of  the  victors  with  their  spoil,  they  were  met 
and  welcomed  by  the  two  hundred  who  were  unable  to  follow 
David  in  the  pursuit.  It  was  proposed  by  some  of  these  reck- 


TO   THE  BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  313 

less  and  unprincipled  men,  who  followed  David  for  the  plunder 
they  might  get,  that  those  only  who  had  engaged  in  the  battle 
should  share  in  the  spoil.  David  was  just,  and  said,  "Ye  shall 
not  do  so,  my  brethren,  with  that  which  the  Lord  hath  given 
us;  but  as  his  part  is  that  goeth  down  to  the  battle,  so  shall 
his  part  be  that  tarrieth  by  the  stuff:  they  shall  part  alike. 
And  he  made  this  an  ordinance  in  Israel  from  that  day  and 
forward." 

By  the  customs  of  that  kind  of  warfare,  a  large  part  of  the 
spoil  fell  to  David;  which  he  sent  as  a  present  unto  "the 
elders  of  Judah,  even  to  his  friends,  saying,  Behold  a  present 
for  you  of  the  spoil  of  the  enemies  of  the  Lord."  He  remem- 
bered especially  all  the  places  where  he  had  been  wont  to 
haunt,  and  whose  kindness  he  had  experienced  in  former  days. 
There  can  be  no  doubt,  but  that  this  policy  strengthened  his 
hold  upon  the  affections  of  his  brethren  of  Judah,  and  opened 
the  way  for  his  return  soon  after. 

While  these  events  were  taking  place  with  David,  the  Philis- 
tines were  pitched  in  Shunem,  in  the  plain  of  Jezreel.  "Saul 
had  gathered  all  Israel  together,  and  pitched  in  Gilboa.  And 
when  Saul  saw  the  host  of  the  Philistines,  he  was  afraid,  and 
his  heart  greatly  trembled.  He  inquired  of  the  Lord,  but 
received  no  answer,  neither  by  dreams,  nor  by  Urim,  nor  by 
prophets."  He  proceeded  therefore  to  seek  a  woman  with  a 
familiar  spirit,  and  inquire  of  her.  Such  a  one  was  found  at 
Endor.  In  the  early  part  of  his  reign,  Saul  had  put  the 
Divine  law  against  these  necromancers  into  rigid  execution. 
He  therefore  now  went  under  a  disguise  to  the  woman  by  night, 
and  asked  her  to  bring  him  up  whom  he  should  name.  Saul's 
religion  was  mere  superstition.  He  had  killed  the  priests  of 
Jehovah,  and  sundered  himself  from  his  prophets,  and  was  now 
left  to  this  desperate  resort;  an  aggravation  of  all  his  previous 
sins.  The  woman  objected  that  her  life  would  be  in  danger; 
and  Saul  sware  that  no  punishment  should  happen  to  her. 
"  Then  said  the  woman,  Whom  shall  I  bring  up  to  thee  ?  And 
he  said,  Bring  me  up  Samuel."  "And  the  woman  saw  Samuel, 
and  cried  with  a  loud  voice :  and  spake  to  Saul,  Why  hast  thou 
deceived  me  ?  for  thou  art  Saul.  And  the  king  said  unto  her, 
Be  not  afraid,  what  sawest  thou  ?  And  she  said,  I  saw  gods 
ascending  out  of  the  earth.  And  he  said,  What  form  is  he  of? 
And  she  said,  An  old  man  cometh  up,  and  he  is  covered  with  a 
mantle.  And  Saul  perceived  that  it  was  Samuel,  and  he 
stooped  with  his  face  to  the  ground,  and  bowed  himself."*  He 

*  Tt  does  not  appear  from  this  account,  that  the  woman  used  any  witchcraft.  She 
was  taken  completely  by  surprise.  The  moment  that  Saul  named  the  prophet,  he 
appears  to  her.  In  the  clause,  "  and  when  the  woman  saw  Samual,"  which 
implies  that  some  time  elapsed  between  the  request  of  the  king  and  the  appear- 


314  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISEAELITISH   NATION 

tells  the  prophet  of  his  sore  distress,  and  of  his  desertion  by 
God ;  and  that  he  had  come  to  him  in  this  emergency,  for  com- 
fort and  instruction.  "Then  said  Samuel,  Wherefore  dost 
thou  ask  of  me,  seeing  the  Lord  is  departed  from  thee,  and  is 
become  thine  enemy?"  He  reminds  him  that  this  distress  was 
come  upon  him  solely  in  consequence  of  his  own  sin ;  and  then 
proceeds  with  the  awful  prophecy  of  what  should  still  befal  him. 
"Moreover  the  Lord  will  also  deliver  Israel  with  thee  into  the 
hand  of  the  Philistines;  and  to-morrow  shalt  thou  and  thy  sons 
be  with  me :  the  Lord  shall  also  deliver  the  host  of  Israel  into 
the  hand  of  the  Philistines."  When  the  troubled  king  heard 
these  words,  his  strength  failed  him,  and  he  fell  straightway 
all  along  upon  the  earth.  With  this  sad  message  as  his  only 
hope,  he  returns  to  his  army,  and  not  long  after,  the  decisive 
battle  took  place.  ,V'  The  men  of  Israel  fled  from  before  the 
Philistines,  and  fell  down  slain  in  mount  Gilboa.  And  the 
Philistines  followed  hard  upon  Saul  and  his  sons,  and  slew 
Jonathan,  and  Abinadab,  and  Melchi-shua,  Saul's  sons."  Saul, 
wounded  and  pressed  by  his  foes,  calls  upon  his  armour-bearer 
"to  kill  him  with  the  sword,  lest  the  uncircumcised  should 
come  and  thrust  him  through  and  abuse  him."  When  his 
armour-bearer  refused,  Saul  fell  upon  his  own  sword,  and  died 
•with  his  sons.  The  Philistines  stripped  the  fallen  king  of  his 
armour,  "and  cut  off  his  head,"  and  sent  it  to  publish  their 
triumph  in  the  house  of  their  idols,  and  among  the  people. 
"And  they  put  his  armour  in  the  house  of  Ashtaroth,  and  fas- 
tened his  body  to  the  wall  of  Beth-shan."  The  men  of 
Jabesh-gilead,  however,  grateful  for  the  deliverance  which  Saul 
had  wrought  for  them,  "went  and  took  the  bodies  of  Saul  and 
his  sons,  and  brought  them  to  Jabesh,  and  buried  them  there ; 
and  they  fasted  seven  days."  "So  Saul  died  for  his  trans- 
gression which  he  committed  against  the  Lord,  even  against 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  which  he  kept  not ;  and  also  for  asking 
counsel  of  one  that  had  a  familiar  spirit.  And  the  Lord  turned 
the  kingdom  unto  David  the  son  of  Jesse." 

On  the  third  day  after  his  return  from  the  pursuit  of  the 
Amalckites,  David  receives  intelligence  of  the  sad  defeat.  A 
young  Amalekite  came  from  the  camp  of  Saul,  and  told  David 
"that  the  people  are  fled  from  the  battle,  and  many  of  the 
people  also  are  fallen  and  dead;  and  Saul  and  Jonathan  are 
dead  also."  And  David  said,  "  How  knowest  thou  that  Saul 
and  Jonathan  be  dead?"  Looking  upon  David  as  the  probable 
heir  to  the  crown,  and  hoping  for  a  reward,  the  man  professed 
that  he  had,  at  Saul's  request,  slain  him  with  his  own  hand,  and 

ance  of  the  vision — the  word  "  when"  is  inserted  by  the  translators.  In  the  origi- 
nal, the  appearance  follows  immediately  upon  the  request;  and  no  time  is  left  for 
the  practice  of  her  rites. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  315 

produced  the  crown  and  bracelet  as  sufficient  evidence  of  the 
king's  death.  "Then  David  and  his  men  mourned  and  wept, 
and  fasted  until  even,  for  Saul,  and  for  Jonathan  his  son,  and 
for  the  people  of  the  Lord,  and  for  the  house  of  Israel."  And 
David  said  unto  the  young  man  that  told  him,  "  How  wast  thou 
not  afraid  to  stretch  forth  thy  hand  to  destroy  the  Lord's  anoint- 
ed ?"  And  he  "  called  one  of  the  young  men,  and  said,  Go  near, 
and  fall  upon  him.  And  he  smote  him  that  he  died."  And  David 
said,  "Thy  blood  be  upon  thy  head;  for  thy  mouth  hath  testi- 
fied against  thee,  saying,  I  have  slain  the  Lord's  anointed. 
And  David  lamented  over  Saul  and  Jonathan  his  son."  The 
generous  impulses  of  his  nature  found  expression  in  a  beautiful 
and  touching  lamentation,  which  has  come  down  to  us,  as  a 
testimony  to  his  loyalty,  to  the  depth  and  purity  of  his  friend- 
ship for  Jonathan,  and  to  his  thoroughly  Hebrew  heart,  while 
living  in  the  midst  of  their  bitterest  foes. 


SECTION  V. 

DAVID  MADE  KINO   AT   HEBHON THE    CIVIL  WAR   BETWEEN   DAVID   AND   ABNEH,  OR 

ISH-BOSHETH   THE   SON    OF  SAUL ABSER'S  REVOLT  AND    DEATH — TIIE   MURDER  OF 

ISH-BOSHETH. 

AFTER  this  mourning  for  Saul,  David's  first  care  was  to 
inquire  of  the  Lord,  "  Shall  I  go  up  into  any  of  the  cities  of 
Judah.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Go  up.  And  he  said, 
Whither  shall  I  go  up  ?  And  he  said,  Unto  Hebron."  So  David 
and  his  men,  with  their  households,  went  up  and  dwelt  in  the 
cities  of  Hebron.  And  the  men  of  Judah  came,  and  there  they 
anointed  David  king  ever  the  house  of  Judah.  On  learning 
that  the  men  of  Jabesh-gilead  had  buried  Saul,  he  sent  messen- 
gers unto  them,  blessing  them  for  their  kindness  to  the  house 
of  Saul,  promising  to  requite  this  kindness  unto  them,  and  call- 
ing upon  them  to  strengthen  their  hands,  and  be  valiant.  For 
though  Saul  was  dead,  yet  they  need  not  despair,  for  there  was 
still  a  king  in  Judah,  who  stood  ready  to  protect  them. 

David,  however,  did  not  come  to  the  throne  without  opposi- 
tion. A  large  part  of  the  people,  either  from  policy  or  from 
attachment  to  the  house  of  Saul,  arrayed  themselves  against 
him.  "  Abner  the  son  of  Ner,  captain  of  Saul's  host,"  was  the 
mainstay  of  this  opposition.  He  proclaimed  "Ish-bosheth  the 
son  of  Saul  king  over  Gilead,  and  over  the  Ashurites,  and 
Ephraiin  and  Benjamin,  and  over  all  Israel.  But  the  house  of 
Judah  followed  David."  A  civil  war  soon  began  to  rage.  Abner 
gathered  the  servants  of  his  newly-made  king,  and  came  from 
Mahanaim  to  Gibeon ;  threatening  the  territory  of  Judah.  An 
army  from  David,  with  Joab  for  its  general,  came  out  to  meet 


816  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

them ;  and  they  sat  down  the  one  on  the  one  side  of  the  pool, 
and  the  other  on  the  other  side. 

While  the  armies  were  in  this  position,  Abner  proposed  that 
the  question  should  be  decided  by  twelve  men  from  one  army 
fighting  twelve  from  the  other.  The  challenge  was  accepted ; 
"the  men  went  from  each  side,  and  caught  every  one  his  fellow 
by  the  head,  and  thrust  his  sword  in  his  fellow's  side :  so  they 
fell  down  together."  This  was  the  beginning  of  a  general  fight, 
"  and  the  battle  was  very  sore,  and  Abner  was  beaten,  and  the 
men  of  Israel,  before  the  servants  of  David."  In  the  course 
of  the  flight,  Abner  was  so  keenly  pursued  by  the  swift  Asahel, 
Joab's  younger  brother,  that  he  was  forced  to  turn  about  and 
slay  him  in  self-defence.  The  pursuit  lasted  until  the  sun  went 
down.  "And  the  children  of  Benjamin  gathered  themselves 
after  Abner,  and  stood  on  the  top  of  an  hill.  Then  Abner 
called  to  Joab,  and  said,  Shall  the  sword  devour  for  ever? 
knowest  thou  not  that  it  will  be  bitterness  in  the  latter  end  ? 
how  long  shall  it  be  then,  ere  thou  bid  the  people  return  from 
following  their  brethren  ?" 

•"  And  Joab  said,  As  God  liveth,  unless  thou  hadst  spoken, 
surely  then  in  the  morning  the  people  had  gone  up  every  one 
from  following  his  brother.  So  Joab  recalled  his  men  with  the 
trumpet."  It  seems  probable  from  this  reply  of  Joab,  that  he 
was  commanded  to  act  only  on  the  defensive :  and  that  the 
battle  would  not  have  taken  place,  except  for  the  foolish  chal- 
lenge of  Abner.  Three  hundred  men  perished  on  the  side  of 
the  Israelites,  while  only  nineteen,  with  Asahel,  were  wanting 
from  the  forces  of  Judah. 

With  the  remnant  of  his  army,  Abner  recrossed  the  Jordan, 
and  returned  to  Mahanaim;  and  Joab  and  his  men  came  to 
Hebron. 

"Now  there  was  long  war  between  the  house  of  Saul  and  the 
house  of  David:  but  David  waxed  stronger  and  stronger,  and 
the  house  of  Saul  waxed  weaker  and  weaker."  It  was  not, 
however,  with  any  great  fury,  nor  does  it  appear  to  have  been 
followed  with  any  very  disastrous  results. 

While  the  war  was  thus  lingering  on,  a  fierce  quarrel  arose 
between  Ish-bosheth  and  Abner,  which  served  to  decide  it. 
Abner  resolved  no  longer  to  uphold  the  house  of  Saul.  To  the 
just  reproof  of  the  king,  the  proud  captain  replies  that  he  would 
translate  the  kingdom  "from  the  house  of  Saul,  and  set  up  the 
throne  of  David  over  Israel  and  over  Judah."  He  accordingly 
sends  messengers  to  David,  to  make  the  best  terms  he  could, 
offering  to  bring  all  Israel  under  his  authority.  David  refused 
to  enter  into  any  treaty  with  him,  unless  he  should  first  restore 
to  him  Michal  his  wife,  whom  Saul  had  taken  from  him.  "  And 
Ish-bosheth  sent  and  took  her  from  her  husband ;  and  her  hus- 


TO   THE  BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  317 

band  went  with  her  along  weeping  behind  her  to  Bahurim ;"  not 
far  from  the  territory  of  Judah.  After  delivering  her  to  David, 
Abner  conciliates  the  elders  of  Israel,  assuring  them  that  God 
had  promised,  by  the  hands  of  David,  to  deliver  his  people  from 
the  hands  of  the  Philistines,  and  from  all  their  enemies.  He 
then  comes  to  David,  and  engages  to  go  and  bring  all  Israel, 
who  should  then  acknowledge  him  their  king. 

Soon  after  Abner  had  departed,  Joab  came  to  Hebron,  from 
some  incursion,  with  a  great  spoil,  and  they  told  him,  saying, 
"  Abner  the  son  of  Ner  came  to  the  king,  and  he  hath  sent  him 
away  in  peace."  Joab  went  immediately  to  the  king  and  remon- 
strated against  letting  Abner  go  away  in  peace.  Thou  knowest 
Abner  "that  he  came  to  deceive  thee,  and  to  know  thy  going 
out  and  thy  coming  in,  and  to  know  all  that  thou  doest.  Why  is 
it  that  thou  hast  sent  him  away?"  After  this  rude  rebuke  of 
the  king,  Joab  went  out  from  David,  called  Abner  back,  and 
upon  pretence  of  a  private  conference,  took  him  aside  and 
assassinated  him.  When  David  heard  it,  he  said,  "  I  and  my 
kingdom  are  guiltless  before  the  Lord  for  ever,  from  the  blood 
of  Abner  the  son  of  Ner :  let  it  rest  on  the  head  of  Joab,  and 
on  all  his  father's  house."  The  real  cause  of  this  murder  was, 
no  doubt,  a  fear  on  the  part  of  Joab,  lest  Abner  should  super- 
sede him  in  the  king's  favour,  and  for  his  great  services  in 
bringing  over  the  Israelites,  be  rewarded  with  the  generalship. 
The  pretended  cause  was,  that  Abner  had  slain  his  brother 
Asahel.  David  not  only  declared  his  innocence,  but  commanded 
a  public  mourning  to  be  made  for  Abner.  "And  they  buried 
him  in  Hebron.  And  the  king  lifted  up  his  voice  and  wept,  and 
said,  Died  Abner  as  a  fool  dieth  ?  Thy  hands  were  not  bound 
nor  thy  feet  put  into  fetters :  as  a  man  falleth  before  wicked 
men,  so  fellest  thou.  And  all  Israel  understood  that  it  was  not 
of  the  king  to  slay  Abner.  And  all  the  people  took  notice  of 
the  king's  mourning,  and  it  pleased  them ;  as  whatsoever  the 
king  did  pleased  all  the  people."  Although  David  felt  himself 
at  that  time  unable  to  punish  these  murderers,  he  yet  leaves 
them  in  the  hands  of  a  righteous  and  Almighty  God.  "The 
Lord  shall  reward  the  doer  of  evil  according  to  his  wickedness." 

The  death  of  Abner  did  not  long  retard  the  course  of  events. 
Every  day  was  adding  to  the  power  of  David.  When  Saul's 
son  heard  that  Abner  was  dead,  his  hands  were  feeble,  and  all 
Israel  was  troubled.  The  spiritless  Ish-bosheth  could  not  long 
sustain  his  own  cause;  and  it  was  evident  that  David  must 
soon  be  acknowledged  king.  Two  brothers,  "Baanah  and 
Rechab,  the  sons  of  Rimmon,"  aiming  to  'secure  the  favour  of 
David,  "came  to  Ish-bosheth  at  mid-day,  and  slew  him  as  he 
lay  on  his  couch,  and  beheaded  him,  and  brought  his  head  to 
David  at  Hebron."  David  received  the  murderers  as  they 


318  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

deserved.  He  tells  them  how  he  had  treated  the  Amalekite, 
who  professed  to  have  slain  Saul,  "and  how  much  more  when 
wicked  men  have  slain  a  righteous  person  in  his  own  house, 
shall  he  visit  them  with  a  like  punishment?"  Without  any 
delay,  he  commands  them  to  be  slain,  "  and  their  hands 
feet  to  be  cut  off,  and  hung  up  over  the  pool  in  Hebron, 
head  of  Ish-bosheth,  they  buried  with  all  honour  in 
sepulchre  of  Abner  at  Hebron." 


SECTION  VI. 

DAVID   MADE    KING    OVER   ALL    ISRAEL HE     CAPTURES    JERUSALEM — DEFEATS     THE 

PHILISTINES — THE    ARK    BROUGHT    TO    JERUSALEM — DAVID     COMMANDED     NOT    TO 
BUILD  THE  TEMPLE. 

DAVID  had  now  reigned  seven  years  and  six  months  over 
Judah.*  " Then  came  all  the  tribes  of  Israel  to  David  unto 
Hebron,  and  spake,  saying,  Behold,  we  are  thy  bone  and  thy 
flesh.  Also  in  time  past,  when  Saul  was  king  over  us,  thou 
wast  he  that  leddest  out  and  broughtest  in  Israel ;  and  the  Lord 
said  to  thee,  Thou  shalt  feed  my  people  Israel,  and  thou  shalt 
be  a  captain  over  Israel.  So  all  the  elders  of  Israel  came  to 
the  king  to  Hebron ;  and  king  David  made  a  league  with  them 
in  Hebron  before  the  Lord:  and  they  anointed  David  king  over 
all  Israel,  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord  by  Samuel."  In 
the  book  of  Chronicles  we  are  told  that  those  who  thus  came 
from  all  the  tribes  of  Israel,  to  this  election  of  David, 
"amounted  to  three  hundred  and  forty  thousand  men;  men  of 
war,  that  could  keep  rank,  who  came  with  a  perfect  heart,  to 
make  David  king,  and  all  the  rest  also  of  Israel  were  of  one 
heart  to  make  David  king;  and  they  were  with  David  eating 
and  drinking  three  days,  and  there  was  joy  in  Israel." 

Such  was  the  happy  commencement  of  David's  reign.  His 
army  had  previously  been  occupied  in  the  war  with  Abner ;  but 
now  that  he  was  crowned  king  of  the  whole  nation,  he  deter- 
mined to  signalize  his  new  power  by  a  great  exploit.  Jerusa- 
lem was  still  in  the  possession  of  the  Jebusites ;  a  strong  for- 
tress in  the  midst  of  David's  kingdom.  Of  this  Jebusite 
town  the  king  determined  to  possess  himself.  So  confident 
were  the  Jebusites  in  the  strength  of  their  position,  that  they 
met  the  demands  of  David  with  a  message  of  defiance.  "Ex- 
cept thou  take  away  the  lame  and  the  blind  thou  shalt  not  come 
in  hither;"  as  though  a  lame  and  blind  garrison  was  able  to 

*  There  is  some  difficulty  in  reconciling  the  two  years  of  Ish-bosheth's  reign 
with  the  seven  years  and  a  half  of  David's.  We  must  suppose  either  that  five  years 
had  passed  away  before  the  reign  of  Ish-bosheth  began — which  seems  more  prob- 
able— or  that  David  reigned  five  years  at  Hebron  after  the  death  of  Ish-bosheth,  and 
before  the  taking  of  Jerusalem. 


TO    THE  BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  319 

defend  it  against  every  assault.  And  David  said,  "Whoever 
scaleth  the  wall,  and  smiteth  the  Jebusites  first,  shall  be  chief 
and  captain."  As  usual,  Joab  was  the  first  to  mount  the  wall, 
and  was  accordingly  confirmed  in  his  command.  "  So  David 
took  the  stronghold  of  Zion,  and  called  it  The  city  of  David." 
From  this  time  Jerusalem  became  the  royal  residence.  David 
fortified  and  adorned  it.  "And  David  went  on  and  grew  great, 
and  the  Lord  God  of  hosts  was  with  him." 

It  was  at  this  time  that  the  alliance  between  David  and  Hiram 
king  of  Tyre  began.  The  friendly  offices  so  necessary  to  the 
prosperity  of  both  kingdoms  were  long  continued.  "And 
Hiram  sent  messengers  to  David,  and  cedar  trees,  and  carpen- 
ters and  masons,  and  they  built  David  an  house.  And  David 
perceived  that  the  Lord  had  established  him  king  over  Israel." 
But  he  was  not  left  long  in  quiet,  to  build  palaces  or  fortify  his 
city.  Foreign  war  was  impending.  So  long  as  there  was  civil 
war  in  Israel,  the  Philistines  had  maintained  peace ;  but  when 
they  heard  that  David  was  anointed  king,  they  immediately 
prepared  for  war.  They  marched  in  force  "and  came  and 
spread  themselves  in  the  valley  or  plain  of  Rephaim,"  south- 
west from  Zion,  and  separated  from  it  by  the  valley  of  Hinnom. 
David  inquired  of  the  Lord,  "  Whether  he  should  go  up  to  the 
Philistines."  And  the  Lord  answered,  "Go  up,  for  I  will 
doubtless  deliver  the  Philistines  into  thine  hand."  "And 
David  came  and  smote  them  there,  and  said,  The  Lord  hath 
broken  in  upon  mine  enemies  before  me  as  the  breach  of 
waters,  and  called  the  name  of  the  place  Baal-perazim."  They 
left  their  images  and  gods  upon  the  field  of  battle,  and  David 
took  and  burned  them.  This  repulse  had  little  effect  upon  the 
Philistines.  They  soon  returned,  and  with  an  increased  force 
encamped  upon  the  same  plain.  When  David  again  inquired 
of  the  Lord,  he  was  forbidden  to  go  up  and  attack  them.  In 
order  to  gain  a  more  complete  victory,  he  was  commanded  "  to 
fetch  a  compass  behind  them,"  and  attack  them  upon  the  rear. 
He  was  not  to  make  the  attack  until  he  should  hear  the  move- 
ment "in  the  tops  of  the  mulberry  trees,  for  then  shall  the 
Lord  go  out  before  thee  to  smite  the  host  of  the  Philistines." 
And  David  did  as  the  Lord  commanded  him,  and  smote  the 
Philistines  from  Geba  unto  Gazer.  And  the  fame  of  David 
went  out  into  all  lands,  and  the  Lord  brought  the  fear  of  him 
upon  all  nations. 

After  this  defeat  of  his  enemies,  David  was  at  liberty  to 
carry  out  his  intention  in  regard  to  Jerusalem.  His  first  care 
was  that  the  royal  city  should  be  honoured  with  the  presence 
of  God.  No  place  had  yet  been  chosen,  in  which  God  would 
fix  his  dwelling.  The  ark,  with  the  symbol  of  the  Divine  pre- 
sence, had  been  carried  from  place  to  place,  and  rested  at 


320  HISTORY   OP   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

length  for  some  years  at  Kirjath-jearim.  David  now  prepared 
a  place  for  it,  in  his  chosen  city ;  and  removed  it  to  its  new 
abode.  So  important  an  action  was  not  entered  upon  without 
much  consideration,  and  with  great  solemnity.  "And  David 
gathered  together  all  the  chosen  men  of  Israel,  thirty  thousand, 
and  consulted  with  their  officers,  and  said,  If  it  seem  good  unto 
you,  and  that  it  be  of  the  Lord  our  God,  let  us  send  abroad 
unto  our  brethren  everywhere  that  are  left  in  all  the  land  of 
Israel,  and  to  the  priests  and  Levites,  that  they  may  gather 
themselves  to  us,  and  let  us  bring  the  ark  of  God  to  us.  And 
all  the  congregation  said  that  they  would  do  so:  for  the  thing 
was  right  in  the  eyes  of  all  the  people.  So  all  Israel  were 
gathered,  and  went  up  to  Kirjath-jearim,  to  bring  up  thence 
the  ark  of  God,  whose  name  is  called  by  the  name  of  the  Lord 
of  hosts  that  dwelleth  between  the  cherubims."  The  ark  (con- 
trary to  the  command  that  it  should  be  carried  only  by  the 
sons  of  Kohath)  was  placed  upon  a  new  cart ;  and  David  and 
all  the  house  of  Israel  rejoiced  before  the  Lord,  as  the  vast 
procession  moved  on.  But  this  joy  was  turned  into  mourning. 
As  they  came  to  Nachon's  threshing-floor,  the  ark  was  shaken, 
and  Uzzah,  who  was  in  charge  of  it,  rashly  put  forth  his  hand 
to  hold  the  ark.  "And  the  anger  of  the  Lord  was  kindled 
against  Uzzah,  and  God  smote  him  there  for  his  error,  or  rash- 
ness, and  there  he  died  by  the  ark  of  God.  "  And  David 
was  afraid  of  the  Lord  that  day,  and  said,  How  shall  the  ark 
of  the  Lord  come  to  me?  So  he  brought  not  the  ark  home  to 
himself,  but  carried  it  aside  into  the  house  of  Obed-edom  the 
Gittite,"  where  it  remained  three  months.  "And  the  Lord 
blessed  Obed-edom  and  all  that  he  had." 

When  this  signal  favour  of  Providence  was  made  known  to 
the  king,  he  determined  again  to  secure  its  presence  in  his 
capital.  But  learning  wisdom  from  the  previous  judgment,  he 
conforms  himself,  this  time,  to  the  method  in  which  alone  the 
ark  could  be  safely  moved.  Having  called  the  chiefs  of  the 
Levites,  he  exhorts  them;  "Sanctify  yourselves,  both  ye  and 
your  brethren,  that  ye  may  bring  up  the  ark  of  the  Lord  God 
of  Israel  unto  the  place  that  I  have  prepared  for  it.  For 
because  ye  did  it  not  at  the  first,  the  Lord  our  God  made  a 
breach  upon  us;  for  that  we  sought  him  not  after  the  due 
order."  In  obedience  to  the  royal  command,  the  priests  and 
Levites  sanctified  themselves,  for  the  removing  of  the  ark. 
Some  were  to  bear  the  ark  upon  their  shoulders,  others  were 
to  accompany  it  as  singers  and  musicians,*  while  the  whole 
procession  was  led  by  the  priests  "  with  the  sound  of  the  trum- 
pet." As  soon  as  those  who  bore  the  ark  began  to  move, 

*  The  song  which  they  sang  at  different  parts  of  their  progress  may  be  found 
in  the  68th  Psalm. 


TO   THE  BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  321 

"oxen  and  fallings  were  sacrificed."  The  king  himself,  laying 
aside  his  royal  garments,  and  clothed  •with  a  linen  robe, 
mingled  with  the  Levites  in  their  songs  and  dances.  "So 
David  and  the  house  of  Israel  brought  up  the  ark  of  the  Lord 
with  shouting  and  joy;  and  set  it  in  its  place  in  the  midst  of 
the  tabernacle  that  David  had  pitched  for  it;"  (the  old  taber- 
nacle was  still  at  Gibeon;)  "and  David  offered  burnt-offerings 
and  peace-offerings  before  the  Lord."  After  this  he  turned 
and  "  blessed  the  people  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,"  and 
dismissed  them  to  their  homes  with  royal  munificence. 

"Then  David  returned  to  bless  his  household."  While  the 
ark  was  passing  into  the  city,  Michal  had  witnessed  David's 
public  dancing,  and  despised  him  in  her  heart.  She  looked 
upon  it  as  degrading  to  a  king,  and  did  not  spare  her  re- 
proaches when  she  met  her  husband.  David's  reply  was  just 
and  spirited.  "It  was  before  the  Lord,  which  chose  me  before 
thy  father,  to  appoint  me  ruler  over  the  people  of  the  Lord : 
therefore  will  I  play  before  the  Lord."  It  was  but  the  expres- 
sion of  his  religious  feelings,  the  manifestation  of  his  gratitude 
to  Jehovah,  to  whom  he  owed  his  kingdom  and  his  prosperity. 
And  if  this  rendered  him  contemptible  in  the  eyes  of  any,  he 
was  ready  yet  to  be  more  humble  than  this,  and  base  in  his  own 
sight.  He  was  ready  to  submit  to  any  service  however  low,  or 
unkingly,  if  thus  he  might  honour  God,  and  confess  his  sub- 
jection to  him.O/ 

Having  thus  Drought  the  ark  to  its  resting-place,  and  secured 
the  Divine  presence — the  glorious  Shechinah — in  the  royal 
city,  he  appointed  the  priests  and  levites  to  their  respective 
offices,  and  provided  for  the  more  regular  and  splendid  public 
worship ;  and  then  delivered  to  Asaph  the  chief  singer,  and  his 
brethren,  this  beautiful  hymn  of  praise  and  thanksgiving : 

1.  "Give  thanks  unto  the  Lord;  call  upon  his  name;  make  known  his 

deeds  among  the  people. 

2.  Sing  unto  him,  sing  psalms  unto  him:  talk  ye  of  all  his  wondrous 

works. 

3.  Glory  ye  in  his  holy  name:  let  the  heart  of  them  rejoice  that  seek  the 

Lord. 

4.  Seek  the  Lord  and  his  strength:  seek  his  face  continually. 

5.  Remember  his  marvellous  works  that  he  hath  done;  his  wonders,  and 

the  judgments  of  his  mouth ; 
G.  0  ye  seed  of  Israel  his  servant,  ye  children  of  Jacob  his  chosen  ones. 

7.  He  is  the  Lord  our  God;  his  judgments  are  in  all  the  earth. 

8.  Be  ye  mindful  always  of  his  covenant,  the  word  which  he  commanded 

to  a  thousand  generations ; 

9.  Even  of  the  covenant  which  he  made  with  Abraham,  and  of  his  oath 

unto  Isaac; 

10.  And  hath  confirmed  the  same  to  Jacob  for  a  law,  and  to  Israel  for  an 

everlasting  covenant, 

11.  Saying,  Unto  thee  will  I  give  the  land  of  Canaan,  the  lot  of  your  in- 

heritance ; 

21 


322  HISTORY  OF   THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION 

12.  When  ye  were  but  few,  even  a  few,  and  strangers  in  it. 

13.  And  -when  they  went  from  nation  to  nation,  and  from  one  kingdom  to 

another  people ; 

14.  He  suffered  no  man  to  do  them  wrong;  yea,  he  reproved  kings  for 

their  sakes, 

15.  Saying,  Touch  not  mine  anointed,  and  do  my  prophets  no  harm. 

16.  Sing  unto  the  Lord,  all  the  earth ;  show  forth  from  day  to  day  his 

salvation : 

17.  Declare  his  glory  among  the  heathen ;  his  marvellous  works  among 

all  nations. 

18.  For  great  is  the  Lord,  and  greatly  to  be  praised:  he  also  is  to  be 

feared  above  all  gods. 

19.  For  all  the  gods  of  the  people  are  idols:  but  the  Lord  made  the 

heavens. 

20.  .Glory  and  honour  are  in  his  presence ;  strength  and  gladness  are  in 

his  place. 

21.  Give  unto  the  Lord,  ye  kindreds  of  the  people,  give  unto  the  Lord 

glory  and  strength. 

22.  Give  unto  the  Lord  the  glory  due  unto  his  name ;  bring  an  offering, 

and  come  before  him ;  worship  the  Lord  in  the  beauty  of  holiness. 

23.  Fear  before  him,  all  the  earth:  the  world  also  shall  be  stable,  that  it 

be  not  moved. 

24.  Let  the  heavens  be  glad,  and  let  the  earth  rejoice:  and  let  men  say, 

Among  the  nations,  the  Lord  reigneth. 

25.  Let  the  sea  roar,  and  the  fulness  thereof:  let  the  fields  rejoice,  and  all 

that  is  therein. 

26.  Then  shall  the  trees  of  the  wood  sing  out  at  the  presence  of  the  Lord, 

because  he  cometh  to  judge  the  earth. 

27.  0  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord,  for  he  is  good :  for  his  mercy  endureth 

for  ever. 

28.  And  say  ye,  Save  us,  0  God  of  our  salvation,  and  gather  us  together, 

and  deliver  us  from  the  heathen,  that  we  may  give  thanks  to  thy 
holy  name,  and  glory  in  thy  praise. 

29.  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  for  ever  and  ever.    And  let  all  the 

people  say  Amen,  and  offer  praise  to  Jehovah." 

Henceforth,  Jerusalem  was  not  only  the  royal,  but  sacred  city, 
"beautiful  for  situation,  the  joy  of  the  whole  earth."  There 
the  solemn  feasts  were  celebrated.  Thither  the  tribes  con- 
stantly repaired ;  and  there  God  dwelt  between  the  cherubim, 
and  shone  forth  to  bless  and  save  his  people. 

David  now  formed  the  design  of  building  the  temple.  His 
pious  heart  gave  him  no  rest  wnile  the  ark  of  God  dwelt  in  cur- 
tains, and  he  himself  abode  in  palaces.  Moved  by  the  past 
mercies  of  God  towards  him,  and  finding  himself  at  rest  from 
all  his  enemies,  he  said  to  Nathan  the  prophet,  "See  now,  I 
dwell  in  an  house  of  cedar,  but  the  ark  of  God  dwelleth  within 
curtains."  Nathan  immediately  replied,  "Go,  do  all  that  is  in 
thy  heart:  for  God  is  with  thee."  He  thought  the  purpose  of 
the  king  so  just  and  proper  that  there  could  be  no  doubt  of  the 
Divine  approval.  But  God  had  other  purposes.  That  same 
night  "the  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  Nathan :  Go  tell  David, 
Thou  shalt  not  build  me  an  house  to  dwell  in.  From  the  time 
that  I  brought  up  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  I  have 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  323 

not  dwelt  in  any  house.  Neither  spake  I  a  word  with  any  of 
the  tribes  of  Israel,  Why  build  ye  not  me  an  house  of  cedar? 
Now,  therefore,  so  shalt  thou  say  unto  my  servant  David,  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  I  took  thee  from  following  the  sheep, 
to  be  ruler  over  my  people  Israel :  and  I  was  with  thee  whither- 
soever thou  wentest,  and  have  cut  off  all  thine  enemies  out  of 
thy  sight,  and  have  made  thee  a  great  name  like  unto  the  name 
of  the  great  men  of  the  earth.  Moreover,  I  will  appoint  a 
place  for  my  people  Israel,  and  will  plant  them,  that  they  may 
dwell  in  a  place  of  their  own,  and  move  no  more,  neither  shall 
the  children  of  wickedness  afflict  them  any  more  as  aforetime. 
Also  the  Lord  telleth  thee  that  he  will  make  thee  an  house. 
And  when  thy  days  be  fulfilled,  and  thou  shalt  sleep  with  thy 
fathers,  I  will  set  up  thy  seed  after  thee,  which  shall  be  of  thy 
sons,  and  I  will  establish  his  kingdom.  He  shall  build  an  house 
for  my  name,  and  I  will  stablish  the  throne  of  his  kingdom  for 
ever.  I  will  be  his  Father,  and  he  shall  be  my  Son.  If  he 
commit  iniquity,  I  will  chastise  him  with  the  rod  of  men  ;  but 
my  mercy  shall  not  depart  from  him  as  I  took  it  away  from  him 
that  was  before  thee.  And  thine  house,  and  thy  kingdom  shall 
be  established  for  ever  before  thee ;  thy  throne  shall  be  estab- 
lished for  ever." 

As  soon  as  David  heard  this  gracious  message  from  God,  he 
went  to  the  tabernacle,  and  poured  out  his  grateful  soul  in  the 
warmest  expressions  of  true  devotion. 

"  Who  am  I,  0  Lord  God  ?  and  what  is  my  house  that  thou 
hast  brought  us  hitherto  ?  And  this  was  yet  a  small  thing  in  thy 
sight,  0  Lord  God ;  but  thou  hast  spoken  of  thy  servant's  house 
for  a  great  while  to  come.  And  is  this  the  manner  of  men,  O 
Lord  God  ?  And  what  can  David  say  more  unto  thee  ?  for 
thou,  Lord  God,  knowest  thy  servant.  For  thy  word's  sake,  and 
according  to  thine  own  heart,  hast  thou  done  all  these  great 
things.  Wherefore  thou  art  great,  0  Lord  God ;  for  there  is 
none  like  unto  thee,  neither  is  there  any  God  beside  thee.  And 
what  one  nation  in  the  earth  is  like  thy  people,  even  like  Israel, 
whom  God  went  to  redeem  for  a  people  to  himself  to  make  thee 
a  name  of  greatness  and  terribleness,  by  driving  out  nations 
from  before  thy  people,  which  thou  redeemest  from  Egypt  from 
the  nations  and  their  gods.  For  thy  people  Israel  didst  thou 
make  thine  own  people  for  ever,  and  thou  becamest  their  God. 
And  now,  0  Lord  God,  the  word  that  thou  hast  spoken,  con- 
cerning thy  servant,  and  concerning  his  house,  establish  it  for 
ever,  and  do  as  thou  hast  said.  And  let  thy  name  be  magnified 
for  ever,  saying,  The  Lord  of  hosts  is  God  over  Israel ;  and  let 
the  house  of  thy  servant  David  be  established  before  thee.  For 
thou,  0  Lord  of  hosts,  God  of  Israel,  hast  revealed  to  thy 
servant,  saying,  I  will  build  thee  an  house :  therefore  has  thy 


324  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

servant  found  in  his  heart  to  pray  this  prayer  before  thee. 
And  now,  Lord,  thou  art  God,  and  thy  words  be  true ;  therefore, 
now  let  it  please  thee  to  bless  the  house  of  thy  servant,  that  it 
may  continue  for  ever  before  thee ;  for  thou,  0  Lord  God,  hast 
spoken  it,  and  with  thy  blessing  let  the  house  of  thy  servant  be 
blessed  for  ever."* 

The  whole  of  this  prayer  is  a  beautiful  expression  of  true 
piety.  The  deep  humility,  the  devout  confidence  in  God  and 
his  promise,  which  it  everywhere  breathes,  show  clearly  the 
power  of  his  religion  in  the  monarch's  heart.  It  is  delightful 
to  see  one  so  great  in  the  eyes  of  men,  thus  humbling  himself 
before  God,  and  summing  up  all  his 'desires  in  that  one  simple 
prayer,  which  any  pious  heart  will  gladly  appropriate  to  itself, 
"and  with  thy  blessing  let  the  house  of  thy  servant  be  blessed  for 
ever."  He  who  has  this,  has  all  things.  \\^ 


SECTION  VII. 

DAVID'S   WARS — THE    ORGANIZATION   OF   THE    ARMY — DAVID'S     KINDNESS   TO   MEFHI- 
BOSHETH — THE    WAR    WITH   THE   AMMONITES. 

SOON  after  this,  we  find  David  engaged  in  wars  with  the  sur- 
rounding nations.  In  the  concise  summary  given  us,  we  are 
not  told  distinctly  from  what  cause  they  originated.  The  first 
nation  against  which  he  turned  his  arms,  was  the  Philistines, 
the  inveterate  enemies  of  David  and  Israel.  This  attack,  were 
there  no  other  reason,  was  fully  justified  by  their  aggressions 
when  he  ascended  the  throne.  His  victory  was  complete.  "  He 
smote  them,  and  took  Metheg-ammah,  or  Gath,  and  its  cities  ;" 
which  would  seem  to  have  been  the  most  important  posts  of  that 
people.  So  effectually  were,  they  subdued,  that  we  hear  nothing 
more  of  their  inroads  for  twenty  years  afterwards.  From  an 
incidental  notice  (1  Kings  ii.  39)  it  appears  that  David  treated 
these  foes  with  great  kindness,  and  most  probably  left  one  of 
their  native  princes  as  their  governor  or  tributary  king. 

This  was  followed  quickly  by  another,  more  deadly,  against 
the  "Moabites.  And  he  smote  Moab,  and  measured  them  with 
a  line,  casting  them  down  to  the  ground;  with  two  lines  he 
measured  to  put  to  death,  and  with  one  full  line  to  keep  alive. 
And  the  Moabites  became  David's  servants,  and  brought  gifts." 
This  account  seems  to  imply  that  a  part  of  the  land,  which  had 
taken  the  more  active  part  in  the  war,  was  put  to  the  sword, 
and  a  larger  part,  or  a  "full  line,"  subjected  to  tribute.  The 
unusual  severity  which  characterized  this  war,  probably  arose 

*  To  perpetuate  the  remembrance  of  this  great  promise,  David  composed  the 
2d  Psalm— and  perhaps  also  the  45th  and  110th. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  325 

from  a  conspiracy  on  the  part  of  these  nations  to  check  and 
destroy  the  rising  power  of  David.* 

This  war  was  in  turn  almost  immediately  followed  by  another, 
with  a  far  more  powerful  king.  The  occasion  of  this  war  was 
an  attempt  on  the  part  of  Hadadezer  king  of  Zobah,  to  recover 
his  border,  at  the  river  Euphrates.  David  met  and  totally 
routed  his  forces,  took  "from  him  a  thousand  chariots,  and 
seven  hundred  horsemen,  and  twenty  thousand  footmen."  Ha- 
dadezer called  to  his  aid  the  Syrians  of  Damascus ;  but  they 
were  unable  to  resist  the  victorious  monarch,  who  again  defeated 
them  with  great  slaughter.  The  Hebrew  king  did  not  fail  to 
improve  his  victory.  He  pressed  on  into  the  heart  of  the  coun- 
try, and  garrisoned  the  captured  cities.  "And  the  Lord,"  we 
are  told,  "preserved  David  whithersoever  he  went."  When  it 
is  remembered  that  the  country  which  the  king  of  Zobah  in- 
vaded, was  a  part  of  the  promised  land,  and  as  such  a  part  of 
David's  kingdom,  the  strict  justice  of  this  war  cannot  be  ques- 
tioned. And  besides,  we  cannot  doubt  that  David,  who  was 
accustomed  to  inquire  of  Jehovah  on  all  important  questions, 
undertook  these  wars  under  the  Divine  warrant  and  permission. 

From  these  wars,  the  king  returned  with  large  spoils.  "He 
received  gifts  also  from  Toi  king  of  Hamath,"  whom  David  by 
his  victories  had  freed  from  the  oppression  of  Hadadezer.  All 
these,  with  the  silver  and  the  gold  taken  from  other  nations, 
David  dedicated  to  the  Lord;  bearing  in  mind  the  temple  which, 
was  to  be  built. 

While  David  was  engaged  at  the  north  in  the  war  with  the 
Syrians,  another  enemy  threatened  his  kingdom  from  the  oppo- 
site quarter.  Regarding  this  as  a  favourable  opportunity,  the 
Edomites  treacherously  invaded  the  country.  From  the  title  to 
the  60th  Psalm,  it  appears  that  this  invasion  was  made  while 
the  war  with  Syria  was  still  going  on.  A  part,  therefore,  of 
the  army  was  despatched  through  the  length  of  the  land  to  meet 
this  new  foe.  The  battle  took  place  in  the  valley  of  Salt,  lying 
south  from  the  Dead  Sea,  and  David's  forces  were  completely 
victorious.  The  enemy  suffered  great  loss;  and  their  cities 
were  compelled  to  receive  Hebrew  garrisons.  "  Joab  was  left 
in  the  land  of  Edom,  subduing  the  land,  and  burying  the  dead. 
He  remained  in  the  country  six  months,  with  all  Israel,  until  he 
had  cut  off  every  male  in  Edom."  The  expressions  "all  Israel" 
and  "every  male"  in  this  brief  account,  explain  each  other. 
In  both  cases  we  can  understand  only  those  who  were  in  arms. 
Were  any  other  reason  necessary  to  convince  us,  that  this  was 
not  the  war  of  utter  extermination,  which  some  have  wished  to 

*  We  have  no  intimation  of  this  in  the  history;  but  from  the  83d  Psalm  4 — 8,  it 
may  be  fairly  inferred. 


326  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

make  it ;  we  should  find  one  all-sufficient  in  the  fact,  that  He- 
brew garrisons  were  necessary  to  keep  the  land  in  subjection. 
What  need  would  there  be  for  garrisons  were  there  none  but 
•women  and  children  left  in  their  towns  or  country? 

From  the  renowned  warrior,  David  passes  easily  and  natu- 
rally to  the  wise  and  peaceful  prince.  "  He  reigned  over  all 
Israel  and  executed  judgment  and  justice,  among  all  his  peo- 
ple." During  this  interval  of  peace,  he,  most  probably,  com- 
pleted the  systematic  organization  of  the  standing  army.  To 
relieve  the  country  from  the  expense  attending  so  large  a  force, 
and  to  make  the  duty  as  light  as  possible,  for  those  who  com- 
posed the  army,  he  divided  them  into  monthly  courses  of 
twenty-four  thousand  men  each.  Every  course  was  commanded 
by  one  of  the  chief  of  the  fathers,  and  every  subdivision  by  its 
own  captain  and  officers.  Each  of  these  bodies  were  in  active 
service  for  one  month  in  the  year,  and  then  returned  to  their 
private  employments ;  while  the  whole  were  liable  to  be  called 
into  service  in  any  emergency,  and  constituted  a  well  drilled 
and  effective  force,  to  repel  any  assault  and  provide  for  the 
national  security.  Besides  this,  every  tribe  had  its  particular 
ruler,  to  whom  was  committed  the  administration  of  civil  affairs, 
and  who  were  responsible  to  the  king  alone.  Over  the  crown- 
lands,  and  royal  treasures  he  appointed  twelve  officers:  "over 
the  treasury ;  over  the  store-houses  in  the  fields ;  over  the  till- 
age ;  over  the  vineyards ;  over  the  wine  cellars ;  over  the  olive 
and  sycamore  trees ;  over  the  herds  in  Sharon  and  the  valleys ; 
over  the  camels;  over  the  asses;  and  over  the  flocks." 
Among  the  king's  council,  were  Jonathan,  David's  uncle, 
Ahithophel,  Abiathar,  Jehoiada,  the  son  of  Benaiah,  and  Hus- 
hai  the  Archite,  David's  faithful  friend  and  companion.  Joab 
was  captain  of  all  the  forces.  Jehoshaphat,  son  of  Ahilud,  was 
recorder.  Zadok,  the  son  of  Ahitub,  and  Ahimelech,  the  son  of 
Abiathar,  were  chief  priests;  and  Seraiah  was  the  scribe.  And 
Benaiah,  the  son  of  Jehoiada,  was  captain  of  the  Cherethites  and 
the  Pelethites ;  and  the  sons  of  the  king  were  chief  rulers. 

Another  element  in  David's  character  now  presents  itself  to 
our  notice.  He  was  not  only  a  brave  warrior,  a  just  and  able 
ruler,  but  a  faithful  friend.  Nothing  could  make  him  forgetful 
of  his  covenant  with  Jonathan.  In  the  midst  of  all  his  cares, 
he  found  time  to  think  and  act  for  the  welfare  of  the  descend- 
ants of  his  former  friend.  "Is  there  yet  any  of  the  house  of 
Saul,  that  I  may  show  him  kindness  for  Jonathan's  sake?"  It 
was  no  ordinary  favour  which  the  king  intended  to  bestow 
upon  the  remnant  of  this  broken  family.  For  when  Ziba,  an 
old  servant  of  Saul,  was  brought  to  him,  he  repeats  his  question  in 
the  most  emphatic  form,  "Is  there  not  yet*ny  of  the  house  of 
Saul,  that  I  may  show  the  kindness  of  God  (i.  e.  the  highest 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  327 

favour  possible)  unto  him?"  In  answer  to  this  inquiry,  Ziba 
told  him  that  Jonathan  "had  yet  a  son  living,  who  was  lame  in 
his  feet."  David  immediately  orders  him  to  be  brought  to  the 
court;  and  in  the  kindest  manner  addresses  him,  "Fear  not, 
for  I  will  surely  show  thee  kindness,  for  Jonathan,  thy  father's 
sake,  and  will  restore  thee  all  the  land  of  Saul,  thy  father,  and 
thou  shalt  eat  bread  continually  at  my  table."  Ziba  was  to 
farm  the  heritage,  and  bring  in  the  fruits  for  his  master's  suste- 
nance, or  the  maintenance  of  his  household.  Ziba  undertook 
the  charge,  while  Mephibosheth  dwelt  at  court,  "and  eat  at 
the  king's  table  as  one  of  the  king's  sons."  This  was  princely 
kindness  to  the  only  heir  of  a  fallen  and  rival  house ;  but  was 
such  as  became  the  true  and  unselfish  friendship  of  Jonathan 
and  David — as  beautiful  as  it  is  rare  in  the  history  of  our 
selfish  world. 

The  peace  which  had  now  lasted  for  some  years,  was  sud- 
denly broken  by  the  strangest  and  most  unprovoked  insult  on 
the  part  of  the  Ammonites.  Nahash,  king  of  the  Ammonites, 
a  former  friend  of  David,  died;  upon  which  David  sent  an 
embassy  to  comfort  Hanun,  the  new  king.  The  intention  of 
David  was  strangely  misinterpreted;  his  ambassadors  were 
regarded  as  spies;  and  sent  home  with  gross  insult;  contrary 
to  all  public  faith,  hospitality,  or  law.  Instigated  by  his  coun- 
sellors, Hanun  took  the  servants  of  David,  "and  shaved  off 
the  one  half  of  their  beards,  and  cut  off  their  garments  in  the 
middle,"  and,  thus  disgraced,  sent  them  away.  When  this  was 
made  known  to  David,  he  sent  to  meet  his  ambassadors,  and 
ordered  them  to  remain  at  Jericho  until  their  beards  were 
grown,  and  then  return. 

When  the  Ammonites  saw  that  they  had  made  themselves 
odious  to  David,  they  prepared  immediately  for  war,  "and 
hired  aid  from  the  Rehobites  and  Zobahites,  twenty  thousand 
footmen,  from  the  king  of  Maacah  one  thousand,  and  from  Ish- 
tob  twelve  thousand  men."  Aware  of  this  vast  preparation, 
David  saw  that  war  was  inevitable,  and  that  there  could  be  no 
delay ;  Joab  and  the  whole  host  of  mighty  men  were  sent  to 
meet  the  enemy.  The  Ammonites  drew  up  their  forces  under 
the  walls  of  the  city,  and  the  Syrians  in  the  field  by  them- 
selves. Joab  however  profited  by  this  division.  When  he  saw 
the  plan  of  the  enemy,  he  took  the  choice  men  of  Israel,  and 
put  them  in  array  against  the  Syrians;  and  the  rest  of  the 
army,  under  Abishai  his  brother,  he  arrayed  against  the 
Ammonites.  And  he  said,  "If  the  Syrians  be  too  strong  for 
me,  then  thou  shalt  help  me ;  but  if  the  children  of  Ammon  be 
too  strong  for  thee,  then  I  will  come  and  help  thee.  Be  of 
good  courage,  and  let  us  play  the  men  for  our  people  and  for 


328  HISTORY   OF    THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

the  cities  of  our  God ;  and  the  Lord  do  that  which  seemeth  him 
good." 

The  hired  Syrians  soon  broke  and  fled  from  the  attack 
of  Joab;  upon  which  the  Ammonites  fled  also  from  before 
Abishai,  and  entered  into  the  city.  Joab  returned  with  his 
victorious  army  to  Jerusalem.  The  war,  however,  was  not  to 
end  here.  "When  the  Syrians  saw  that  they  were  smitten 
before  Israel,  they  sent  messengers,  and  drew  forth  the  Syrians 
that  were  beyond  the  river  Euphrates;  and  they  gathered 
themselves  together,  and  came  and  pitched  in  Helam."  Affairs 
were  now  at  such  a  crisis  as  to  demand  the  presence  of  the 
king  himself.  Gathering  a  general  levy  of  all  his  forces,  "  he 
crossed  over  Jordan,  and  came  to  Helam."  In  the  battle 
which  followed,  David  was  again  successful;  the  men  of  seven 
hundred  chariots,  and  forty  thousand  footmen,  perished  in  the 
fight,  and  Shobach  their  captain  fell  with  them.  The  Syrian 
princes,  who  were  subject  to  Hadarezer,  made  peace  with  David, 
and  the  Ammonites  were  left  to  carry  on  the  war,  which  they 
had  provoked,  alone.*  At  the  opening  of  the  next  campaign, 
Joab  was  sent  against  the  Ammonites.  "He  wasted  their 
country,  and  came  and  besieged  Rabbah,  its  capital."  After  a 
long,  but  successful  siege,  Joab  sent  messengers  to  David,  say- 
ing, "I  have  fought  against  Rabbah,  and  have  taken  the  city 
of  waters.  Now,  therefore,  come  with  the  rest  of  the  people 
and  encamp  against  the  city  and  take  it ;  lest  I  take  the  city 
and  it  be  called  after  my  name."  "And  David  gathered  the 
people,  and  went  and  took  Rabbah;  and  took  the  crown  of 
their  king,  the  weight  whereof  was  a  talent  of  gold,  with  the 
precious  stones;  and  the  spoil  of  the  city  in  great  abun- 
dance. And  he  brought  forth  the  people  that  were  therein, 
and  put  them  under  saws,  and  under  harrows  of  iron,  and 
under  axes  of  iron,  and  made  them  pass  through  the  brick- 
kiln, f  So  did  he  with  all  the  cities  of  the  Ammonites;  and 
David  and  all  the  people  returned  to  Jerusalem." 

*  Internal  evidence  fixes  the  twentieth  and  twenty-first  Psalms  to  this  period 
of  the  history.  The  one  to  be  sung  probably  as  the  king  entered  upon  the  war, 
and  the  other  celebrating  his  return. 

t  This  is  the  rendering  of  our  version.  But  the  original  may  be  rendered:  And 
he  put  them  to  saws,  and  to  harrows,  or  mines  of  iron,  and  to  axes,  &c.,  i.  e.  he 
reduced  them  to  slavery.  There  is  no  necessity  or  justice  in  supposing  David 
guilty  of  the  cruelties  which  our  translation  seems  to  imply. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  329 


SECTION  VIII. 

DAVID'S  SIN  IN  THE  AFFAIR  OF  BATH-SHEBA  AND  UEIAH — HIS  DOMESTIC  AFFLIC- 
TIONS— ABSALOM'S  REBELLION — DAVID'S  RESTORATION  TO  THE  KINGDOM — INSUR- 
RECTION OF  SHEBA. 

WHILE  Joab  was  urging  forward  the  siege  of  Kabbah,  David 
remained  at  Jerusalem.  Up  to  this  point  nothing  had  occurred 
to  mar  the  character  of  David.  He  could  claim  with  truth,  "I 
have  kept  the  ways  of  Jehovah,  and  have  not  wickedly  departed 
from  my  God."  In  all  the  scenes  of  his  eventful  life,  in  his 
distress,  and  in  his  prosperity,  he  had  been  kept  from  the  ruling 
power  of  temptation  or  sin.  But,  as  if  to  show  us  that  no 
human  character  was  perfect,  we  now  find  him  falling  into 
grievous  and  shameful  sins.  The  sacred  historian  in  no  way 
conceals  or  excuses  this  awful  fall.  While  walking  upon  the 
roof  of  his  palace,  the  king  was  smitten  by  the  beauty  of  Bath- 
sheba,  the  wife  of  Uriah  the  Hittite,  one  of  his  bravest  war- 
riors. Hurried  away  by  his  guilty  passion,  he  passed  at  once 
all  the  restraint  of  law  and  religion.  Startled  at  the  conse- 
quences of  his  sin,  he  sends  for  Uriah,  to  conceal,  if  possible, 
his  guilt,  and  avoid  the  disgrace  and  punishment  to  which  he 
was  justly  exposed.  When  Uriah  appeared,  David  inquired 
"how  the  people  did,  and  how  the  war  prospered,"  and  then 
dismissed  Uriah  to  his  home.  But  the  brave  soldier,  inured  to 
the  hardships  of  the  camp,  refused  to  go  to  his  house,  and 
spent  the  night  with  the  guards  of  the  royal  palace.  When 
asked  the  reason  of  his  conduct,  he  replied,  That  it  was  suffi- 
cient for  him  to  share  with  his  general  and  his  fellow  soldiers ; 
while  they  were  encamped  in  the  field  he  would  rest  with 
them.  On  the  following  day,  David  renewed  his  attempt  in  a 
grosser  manner,  but  without  changing  the  purpose  of  this  true- 
hearted  and  gallant  soldier. 

Foiled  in  every  attempt  to  conceal  his  sin  from  the  injured 
husband,  the  unhappy  king  found  no  resource  in  his  extremity, 
but  in  a  deeper  crime.  It  was  resolved  that  Uriah  must  die ; 
but  the  crime  was  committed  through  the  hand  of  another. 
"And  David  wrote  to  Joab,  by  the  hand  of  Uriah,  Set  ye 
Uriah  in  the  forefront  of  the  hottest  battle,  and  retire  ye  from 
him  that  he  may  be  smitten  and  die."  He  found  in  Joab  a  fit 
instrument  for  his  purpose.  The  command  was  no  sooner 
received  than  it  was  executed.  Uriah  fell,  the  monarch  was 
freed  from  present  danger;  and  Joab  succeeded  in  coiling 
another  strand  around  the  infatuated  king.  A  messenger  was 
despatched  to  the  court  with  an  account  of  the  loss,  and  the 
readily  satisfied  king  replied  to  his  officer,  "Let  not  this  thing 
displease  thee,  for  the  sword  devoureth  one  as  well  as  another : 


830  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

make  thy  battle  more  strong  against  the  city  and  overthrow 
it."  After  the  usual  time  of  mourning  for  her  husband,  the 
king  publicly  espoused  Bath-sheba,  and  she  became  his  wife, 
and  bare  him  a  son. 

With  the  sins  of  adultery  and  murder,  and  constant  hypocrisy, 
upon  his  conscience,  we  should  not  have  expected  that  he  could 
long  remain  at  ease.  David  was  no  hardened  and  habitual  sin- 
ner. •  A  strong  temptation  had  overtaken  him,  and  buried  him 
beneath  its  power.  One  sin  had  driven  him  on  to  another,  until 
he  had  accumulated  this  fearful  load  of  guilt.  His  conscience 
was  quieted  and  stunned.  For  a  length  of  time  he  appears  to 
have  felt  no  remorse.  We  hear  from  him  no  confession,  no 
prayer  for  mercy.  Sin  has  done,  what  it  ever  does,  and  ever 
will  do.  It  has  not  only  brought  guilt  upon  his  soul,  but  it  has 
blinded,  so  that  he  shall  not  see  its  stains. 
^  But  there  were  other  eyes  that  had  beheld  his  conduct.  The 
sleepless  eye  of  God  was  upon  him,  "  and  the  thing  that  David 
had  done  was  evil  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord;"  and,  though  he 
was  unmindful  of  his  guilt,  he  was  soon  to  feel  its  heavy  weight. 
And  Jehovah  sent  Nathan  unto  David.  By  an  artful  fable,  the 
prophet  brought  the  king  to  pronounce  sentence  upon  himself, 
and  then  made  the  application.  "There  were  two  men  in  the 
same  city ;  the  one  rich  and  the  other  poor.  The  rich  man  had 
exceeding  many  flocks  and  herds :  but  the  poor  man  had  no- 
thing, save  one  little  ewe  lamb,  which  he  had  brought  and 
nourished  up :  and  it  grew  up  together  with  him,  and  with  his 
children ;  it  did  eat  of  his  own  meat,  and  drink  of  his  own  cup, 
and  lay  in  his  bosom,  and  was  unto  him  as  a  daughter.  And 
there  came  a  traveller  unto  the  rich  man,  and  he  spared  to  take 
of  his  own  flock,  and  of  his  own  herd,  to  dress  for  the  way- 
faring man  that  was  come  unto  him ;  but  took  the  poor  man's 
lamb,  and  dressed  it  for  the  man  that  was  come  unto  him." 
David's  anger  was  greatly  kindled  against  the  man,  and  he  said, 
"As  the  Lord  liveth,  the  man  that  has  done  this  thing  shall 
surely  die:  and  shall  restore  the  lamb  fourfold." 

And  Nathan  said  to  David,  "  Thou  art  the  man.  Thus  saith 
the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  I  anointed  thee  king  over  Israel ;  and 
delivered  thee  from  the  hand  of  Saul;  and  I  gave  thee  thy 
master's  house,  and  thy  master's  wives,  and  the  house  of  Israel 
and  Judah;  and  if  that  had  been  too  little,  I  would  moreover 
have  given  thee  such  and  such  things.  Wherefore  hast  thou 
despised  the  commandment  of  the  Lord,  to  do  evil  in  his  sight  ? 
thou  hast  killed  Uriah,  and  hast  taken  his  wife  for  thy  wife. 
Now,  therefore,  the  sword  shall  never  depart  from  thy  house. 
Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Behold,  I  will  raise  up  evil  against  thee, 
out  of  thine  own  house,  and  I  will  take  thy  wives  before  thine 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  331 

eyes,  and  give  them  to  thy  neighbour :  for  thou  didst  it  secretly ; 
but  I  will  do  this  thing  before  all  Israel." 

This  fearful  sentence  roused  the  conscience  of  David  from  its 
slumbers.  He  was  at  once  convicted  of  his  sin ;  and  like  every 
true  penitent,  confessed  without  extenuation  or  excuse.  His 
religious  feelings  claimed  again  their  supremacy.  And  David 
said,  "I  have  sinned  against  the  Lord."  The  genuine  nature 
of  David's  repentance  may  be  clearly  gathered  from  the  51st 
Psalm,  which  he  penned  upon  this  occasion.  It  has  been  the 
memorial  of  his  sin,  and  of  his  repentance.  It  has  been  the 
language  of  every  true  Christian,  in  all  his  returns  to  God — the 
language  of  the  church  in  all  her  confessions.  It  could  have 
been  breathed  forth  only  from  a  broken  and  contrite  heart. 
The  terms  of  his  confession  tell  us,  how  deep  was  the  sense  of 
guilt ;  and  the  earnest  longings  after  God — the  seeking  of  a 
pure  heart — the  prayer  for  the  welfare  of  Zion,  all  proclaim 
that  this  was  no  feigned  repentance,  wrung  from  him  by  a  de- 
sire to  avert  the  punishment  he  feared ;  but  a  deep,  sincere,  and 
godly  sorrow,  springing  from  his  sense  of  the  odiousness  of  sin, 
and  of  the  wrong  which  he  had  done.  In  no  part  of  his  life 
does  the  deep  religious  principle  of  David  appear  more  con- 
spicuous than  in  this.  Ordinary  piety  might  have  resented  so 
sudden  and  bold  a  reproof,  especially  when  seated  upon  a 
throne.  But  David,  the  victorious  monarch,  bows  himself  at 
once,  and  submits  to  the  just  sentence  of  God.  "I  have  sinned 
against  the  Lord."  Upon  this  ingenuous  confession,  Nathan 
pronounces  his  pardon.  "The  Lord  also  hath  put  away  thy 
sin :  thou  shalt  not  die.  But  since  by  this  deed,  thou  hast  given 
great  occasion  to  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  to  blaspheme,  the 
child  that  is  born  unto  thee  shall  surely  die."* 

However  sincere  his  repentance,  it  did  not  stay  the  results 
and  punishment  of  his  sin.  The  child  was  suddenly  taken  ill. 
David  "humbled  himself,  fasted,  and  besought  God  for  the 
child."  His  prayer  was  not  granted,  and  on  the  seventh  day 
the  child  died,  according  to  the  sentence  of  the  prophet.  While 
the  child  was  ill,  the  king  refused  all  sustenance,  and  lay  in  deep 
distress;  but  when  he  perceived  that  the  child  was  dead,  "he 
rose  from  the  earth,  anointed  himself,  and  went  into  the  house 
of  the  Lord  and  worshipped,  and  came  to  his  house  and  took 
the  food  offered  him."  Surprised  at  this,  his  servants  asked 
the  reason  of  his  conduct.  And  David  said,  "while  the  child 
was  yet  alive,  I  fasted  and  wept ;  for  I  said,  who  can  tell  whe- 
ther God  will  be  gracious  to  me,  that  the  child  may  live?  But 
now  he  is  dead,  wherefore  should  I  fast  ?  can  I  bring  him  back 
again?  I  shall  go  to  him,  but  he  shall  not  return  to  me." 

*  It  seems  probable,  that  it  was  at  this  time  also,  the  32d  and  33d  Psalms  were 
written. 


332  HISTORY   OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

Soon  after  this,  Solomon  was  born,  of  whom  it  is  said,  "the 
Lord  loved  him." 

The  star  of  David  was  now  sinking  to  the  horizon.  The  He- 
brew kingdom  had  reached  the  highest  point  in  strength  and 
real  glory.  Its  first  true  king  was  the  bravest  and  the  best. 
His  reign  hitherto  had  been  successful,  almost  beyond  parallel; 
but  from  this  time  it  is  sullied  by  "  domestic  shame,  misery,  and 
confusion." 

The  loss  of  the  child  was  soon  followed  by  a  heavier  stroke, 
in  the  unbridled  passion  of  his  eldest  son  Amnon.  He  had 
fallen  desperately  in  love  with  his  half-sister  Tamar ;  and  by  the 
advice  of  Jonadab  his  cousin,  feigned  himself  sick,  and  sought 
from  David,  that  his  sister  might  come  and  prepare  him  food  in 
his  presence.  The  unsuspecting  king  consented,  and  the  plot 
succeeded  according  to  the  wishes  of  those  who  had  formed  it. 
No  entreaties  or  remonstrances  on  the  part  of  Tamar  could  save 
her;  and  the  innocent  and  helpless  fell  a  victim  to  incestuous 
passion  and  brutal  violence.  Having  sated  his  passion,  the  sen- 
sual wretch  sent  her  away  to  bear  her  shame.  "And  Tamar 
put  ashes  on  her  head,  and  rent  her  garments,  and  laid  her  hand 
on  her  head,  and  went  away  weeping."  Thus  sorrowing,  she  met 
Absalom  her  brother,  who  took  her,  desolate,  to  his  home,  ex- 
horted her  to  bear  her  injury  with  patience,  and  concealed  his 
purpose  of  revenge.  Such  a  crime  as  this  could  not  long  be 
kept  from  the  king.  But  great  as  was  his  anger,  he  appears  to 
have  spared  his  guilty  son.  The  remembrance  of  his  own  sin 
may  have  stayed  the  sword  of  justice.  For  some  reason  the 
author  of  this  abominable  wickedness  escaped  for  a  time. 

But  though  retribution  was  delayed,  it  was  still  preparing. 
The  purpose  of  revenge  lay  smouldering  in  Absalom's  heart, 
and  two  years  after  was  carried  into  execution.  The  festival  of 
sheep-shearing  furnished  the  occasion  for  his  revenge.  "  He 
invited  his  brothers  to  the  feast,  and  Amnon"  among  the  rest. 
It  was  with  some  difficulty  that  he  persuaded  the  king  to  con- 
sent to  this  arrangement ;  but  his  urgency  prevailed,  and  he  let 
Amnon  and  all  his  sons  go  with  him.  The  opportunity  did  not 
pass  unimproved.  Absalom  charged  his  servants,  that  in  the 
height  of  the  feast,  they  should  assail  Amnon  and  slay  him ; 
"fear  not,  have  not  I  commanded  you?"  The  servants  did  as 
they  were  commanded.  Amnon  fell  in  cold-blooded  'murder. 
"The  king's  sons  rose  from  the  feast  and  fled."  The  evil 
report,  however,  flew  before  them ;  while  they  were  yet  in  the 
way,  news  came  that  all  the  king's  sons  were  slain.  "Then 
the  king  arose,  tore  his  garments,  and  lay  upon  the  earth."  But 
Jonadab  saw  what  the  fact  was,  and  urged  the  king  to  moderate 
his  grief.  "Let  not  my  lord  take  the  thing  to  his  heart,  to  think 
that  all  the  king's  sons  are  dead :  for  Amnon  only  is  dead,  for 


TO  THE  BABYLONISH  CAPTIVITY.  883 

by  the  appointment  of  Absalom  the  thing  hath  been  settled." 
The  result  proved  this  conjecture  right;  he  had  scarcely  done 
speaking,  when  the  terror-struck  sons  appeared,  and  wept  over 
the  loss  of  their  brother.  Thus  one  sin  became  the  cause  of 
another ;  and  the  latter  in  turn  is  the  punishment  of  the  former, 
as  often  happens  under  the  holy  providence  of  God. 

Absalom  immediately  fled  to  his  grandfather,  Talmai,  king  of 
Geshur,  where  he  was  secure  from  the  just  anger  of  his  father, 
and  the  reach  of  a  broken  law.  The  unhappy  king,  mourning 
over  Tamar  and  Amnon,  still  longed  for  the  return  of  his 
exiled  son. 

Three  years  passed  before  he  was  allowed  to  return.     The 
subtle  Joab  perceived  that  the  king's  heart  was  toward  Absalom, 
and  he  took  steps  to  secure  his  return.     "  He  sent  to  Tekoah, 
and  brought  thence  a  wise  woman,"  and  told  her  to  feign  her- 
self a  mourner,  as  one  that  had  long  mourned  for  the  dead; 
and  to  come  and  make  known  her  sorrow  to  the  king.    The  tale 
which  Joab  taught  her  to  relate,  was  one  well  calculated  to 
rouse  the  paternal  feelings  of  David.    According  to  her  instruc- 
tions the  woman  went,  and  obtained  audience  of  the  king ;  and 
in  the  most  earnest  manner  entreated  his  aid.     "I  am  a  widow 
woman,  and  mine  husband  is  dead.     And  thy  handmaid  had 
two  sons,  and  they  strove  together  in  the  field,  and  there  was 
none  to  part  them,  but  the  one  slew  the  other.    And  behold 
the  whole  family  is  risen  up,  and  demand  him  that  smote  his 
brother,  that  they  may  kill  him,  for  the  life  of  his  brother ; 
and  so  they  shall  quench  my  coal  which  is  left,  and  shall  not 
leave  to  my  husband  neither  name  nor  remainder  upon  the 
earth.     And  the  king  said,  Go  to  thine  house,  and  I  will  give 
charge  concerning  thee."     Lest  the  king's  conscience  should 
scruple  to  interfere  with  the  course  of  justice,  the  woman  takes 
all  the  consequences  to  herself.    "My  lord,  0  king,  the  iniquity 
be  on  me  and  on  my  father's  house:  and  the  king  and  his  throne 
be  guiltless."     He  then  gave  her  a  still  stronger  assurance  that 
her  prayer  was  granted :  but  as  if  still  fearful,  she  urged  again 
her  petition,  and  the  king  then  confirmed  his  promise  by  an 
oath:  "As  the  Lord  liveth  there  shall  not  one  hair  of  thy  son 
fall  to  the  earth."     Having  thus  gained  his  attention,  and 
secured  from  him  a  solemn   promise  to  spare  a  living  son, 
though  guilty  of  murder,  she  brings  out  the  real  object  of  her 
petition.     And  she  said,  "Wherefore,  then,  hast  thou  thought 
such  a  thing  against  the  people  of  God?  for  the  king  doth 
speak  this  thing  as  one  that  is  faulty,  in  that  the  king  doth  not 
fetch  home  his  banished."    She  bases  her  argument  on  the  uni- 
versality of  death,  and  that  no  punishment  of  the  murderer 
could  restore  him  to  life  who  had  been  slain ;  and  further,  that 
God  himself,  in  the  law  for  the  avenging  of  blood,  and  the 


334  HISTORY   OP   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

cities  of  refuge,  had  devised  means  that  his  banished  be  not  ex- 
pelled from  him.  She  then  excuses  her  bold  attempt,  and 
throws  herself  "upon  the  royal  mercy.  For  as  an  angel  of 
God,  so  is  my  lord  the  king,  to  discern  both  good  and  bad." 

David  at  once  perceived  that  this  did  not  originate  with  the 
•woman,  and  traced  it  to  its  true  source.  He  yielded,  however, 
to  the  suggestion;  and  commanded  Joab  to  bring  Absalom 
again  to  Jerusalem.  Joab  went  to  Geshur,  and  brought  the  exile 
home ;  but  David  refused  to  see  him  for  two  full  years  more. 

Absalom  was  noted  throughout  the  kingdom  for  the  beauty  of 
his  person ;  a  thing  of  no  small  importance  in  a  land  where 
personal  appearance  went  far  towards  power.  The  confinement 
which  he  was  compelled  to  endure,  was  a  sore  trial  to  this  am- 
bitious man ;  who  was  already  looking  forward  to  the  throne. 
From  selfish  motives,  therefore,  he  sought  a  full  reconciliation 
with  his  offended  father,  upon  whose  favour  every  thing  de- 
pended. In  this  extremity  he  appealed  to  Joab,  but  without 
success.  "At  length,  by  setting  on  fire  the  barley-field  of 
Joab,"  he  forced  an  interview.  To  Joab's  complaint  he  makes 
no  answer,  but  this,  "  Wherefore  am  I  come  from  Geshur  ?  it 
had  been  good  for  me  to  have  been  there  still :  now,  therefore, 
let  me  see  the  king's  face ;  and  if  there  be  any  iniquity  in  me, 
let  him  kill  me."  Joab  went  to  the  king  and  told  him;  and 
when  he  called  for  Absalom,  he  "  came  to  the  king,  and  bowed 
himself  on  his  face  to  the  ground  before  the  king ;  and  the  king 
kissed  Absalom." 

The  reconciliation,  though  only  feigned  on  the  part  of  Absa- 
lom, was  still  sufficient  for  his  purpose.  Having  obtained  the 
favour  of  the  king,  this  ungrateful  son  plunged  madly  into  his 
desperate  career.  Availing  himself  of  his  personal  accomplish- 
ments and  winning  manners,  he  gained  the  favour  of  the  people. 
He  prepared  and  maintained  the  pomp  and  retinue  of  a  king.  To 
ingratiate  himself  still  more  with  the  people,  "he  stood  beside 
the  way  to  the  palace ;  and  it  was  so  that  when  any  man  had  a 
controversy,  and  came  to  the  king  for  judgment,  Absalom  in- 
quired into  his  cause ;  and  told  him,  See  thy  matters  are  good 
and  right,  but  none  will  hear  thee  from  the  king."  By  these 
insinuations  against  his  father's  government — by  an  indiscrimi- 
nate flattery  towards  all  who  came  to  the  court,  Absalom  stole 
the  hearts  of  the  men  of  Israel. 

Having  secured  numbers  to  his  interest,  he  thought  the  peo- 
ple ripe  for  rebellion.  He  covers  his  treason  with  the  mask  of 
piety.  Under  pretence  of  paying  a  vow,  which  he  had  made 
during  his  exile,  he  gains  permission  from  the  king  to  go  to 
Hebron,  a  sacred  city,  Absalom's  birth-place,  and  a  strong 
fortress.  When  he  left  the  king,  he  took  with  him  two  hun- 
dred men;  who  went  with  him  to  attend  the  feast,  and  without 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  335 

any  knowledge  of  his  secret  designs.  At  the  same  time  he 
sent  spies  to  his  retainers  "throughout  all  the  tribes  in  Israel," 
saying,  "  As  soon  as  ye  shall  hear  the  sound  of  the  trumpet,  ye 
shall  say,  Absalom  reigneth  in  Hebron."  After  his  arrival  at 
Hebron,  he  called  to  him  Ahithophel,  David's  counsellor,  and 
who  was  no  doubt  privy  to  the  conspiracy.  Having  thus  ob- 
tained possession  of  this  important  place — once  the  seat  of 
David's  government — he  was  proclaimed  king.  The  people 
flocked  to  him  in  large  numbers,  "and  the  conspiracy  was 
strong." 

News  soon  came  to  David  that  "the  hearts  of  the  men  of 
Israel  were  after  Absalom."  Astounded  by  the  suddenness  of 
the  event,  and  the  evident  signs  of  disaffection  throughout  the 
kingdom,  David  resolves  upon  instant  flight,  "lest  Absalom 
overtake  us  suddenly,  and  bring  evil  upon  us,  and  smite  the 
city  with  the  edge  of  the  sword."  Most  of  the  king's  servants 
were  faithful;  and  "he  went  forth,  and  all  the  people  after 
him,"  and  tarried  in  a  place  that  was  not  far  off.  The  whole 
body  of  the  king's  guards,  Cherethites,  Pelethites,  and  Gittites, 
passed  on  before  him.*  (In  the  midst  of  the  general  apostacy 
of  the  Israelites,  it  is  pleasant  to  see  the  conduct  of  Ittai  the 
Gittite,  who,  though  a  stranger,  still  follows  David  in  his  flight ; 
and  though  warned  of  the  danger,  adhered  to  the  king  with  a 
faithfulness  and  strength  of  affection  which  might  well  have 
shamed  his  rebellious  subjects.)  No  time  was  to  be  lost.  The 
impending  danger  forbade  any  delay.  "And  all  the  country 
wept  with  a  loud  voice,  and  the  people  passed  over :  the  king 
himself  also  passed  over  the  brook  Kidron,  toward  the  way  of 
the  wilderness."  Zadok  and  Abiathar,  and  the  whole  body  of 
the  Levites  went  with  the  king,  "bearing  the  ark  of  the  cove- 
nant of  God."  "And  he  said  unto  Zadok,  Carry  back  the  ark 
of  God  into  the  city :  if  I  shall  find  favour  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Lord,  he  will  bring  me  again  and  show  me  both  it  and  his  habi- 
tation: but  if  he  thus  say,  I  have  no  delight  in  thee,  behold 
here  am  I,  let  him  do  to  me  as  seemeth  good  unto  him."  This 
was  bearing  affliction  with  Christian  resignation — a  hope  and 
trust  in  God  worthy  of  all  imitation. 

The  ark  of  God  was  carried  back  to  Jerusalem,  and  David 
remained  in  the  plain  until  he  should  receive  word  from  Zadok 
and  Abiathar  of  what  was  passing  in  the  city.  These  men 
remained  true  to  their  king  in  all  his  adversity;  though  forbid- 
den by  their  office  to  leave  the  ark,  and  go  with  him  in  his 
flight.  Their  services  in  the  city  were  of  far  more  avail  than 
they  could  have  been  in  the  camp. 

*  In  his  present  distress,  David  composed  the  third  Psalm.  In  this  dark  time, 
we  find  him  still  able  to  put  his  faith  in  God,  quiet  his  fears,  and  look  forward  to 
a  certain  deliverance. 


336  HISTORY  OF   THE    ISRAELITISH  NATION 

David  then  went  on  in  the  flight,  "by  the  ascent  of  mount 
Olivet,  and  wept  as  he  went  up,  and  had  his  head  covered,  and 
he  went  barefoot;  and  all  the  people  that  was  with  him  covered 
every  man  his  head  and  went  up,  weeping  as  they  went."  He 
went  as  a  mourning  penitent  rather  than  a  king.  No  Chris- 
tian can  read  this  account  without  being  reminded  of  another 
ascent  up  the  sides  of  this  same  mount,  by  a  far  greater  King 
than  David,  and  who  yet  walked  under  a  heavier  load  of 
sorrow. 

In  this  journey  he  heard  of  the  treason  of  Ahithophel  ;*  and 
David  prayed,  "  0  Lord,  turn  the  counsel  of  Ahithophel  into 
foolishness ;  for  the  counsel  of  Ahithophel  in  these  days,  was 
as  if  a  man  inquired  at  the  oracle  of  God."  As  he  reached 
the  top  of  the  mount,  he  was  met  by  his  faithful  counsellor 
Hushai,  whom  he  sent  to  the  city,  to  defeat,  if  possible,  the  coun- 
sel of  Ahithophel,  and  to  advise  the  priests  in  their  plans  to 
assist  the  king.  Hushai  returned  to  Jerusalem,  and  found 
Absalom  there. 

The  incidents  in  this  flight  crowd  thickly  upon  each  other. 
Not  long  after  David  had  passed  the  summit  of  the  mount,  Ziba, 
the  servant  of  Mephibosheth,  met  him  with  a  liberal  supply  for 
his  necessity.  The  king  asked  after  his  master;  and  Ziba  said, 
"  He  abideth  at  Jerusalem,  for  he  said,  To-day  shall  the  house 
of  Israel  restore  me  the  kingdom  of  my  father."  The  ingrati- 
tude and  perfidy  of  such  conduct,  if  the  report  was  true,  justi- 
fy fully  the  sentence  of  David,  in  revoking  his  former  grant  to 
Mephibosheth,  and  bestowing  the  lands  upon  his  servant. 

David  found  enemies  to  taunt  him  in  his  adversity,  as  well 
as  friends  to  comfort.  Scarcely  had  he  left  Ziba,  when  he  fell 
in  with  "  Shimei,  the  son  of  Gera,  of  the  family  of  Saul,  who 
came  out  and  cursed  still  as  he  came."  In  his  fury  and  rage 
"  he  cast  stones  at  the  king,  and  said,  Come  out,  thou  bloody- 
man,  thou  man  of  Belial;  the  Lord  hath  returned  upon  thee 
the  blood  of  the  house  of  Saul,  in  whose  stead  thou  hast 
reigned."  It  is  no  wonder  that  such  bitter  insults  to  the  king 
should  excite  the  indignation  of  his  officers.  But  David  res- 
trained their  anger,  by  a  reference  to  the  wise  and  just  provi- 
dence of  God,  and  to  his  present  affliction.  "  If  my  son  seek- 
eth  my  life,  how  much  more  may  this  Benjamite  do  it  ?  let  him 
alone,  and  let  him  curse,  for  the  Lord  hath  bidden  him.  It  may 
be  that  the  Lord  will  look  on  mine  affliction,  and  that  the  Lord 
will  requite  me  good  for  his  cursing  this  day."  And  the  king, 
and  all  the  people  came  weary,  and  refreshed  themselves  at 
Bahurim. 

While  David  was  thus  hastening  on  in  his  flight,  Absalom 
had  entered  the  city,  and  held  his  council.  This  success 

*  On  Una  treachery  of  Ahithophel,  David  penned  the  55th  Psalm. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY. 

appears  to  have  been  more  complete  than  he  had  anticipated. 
When  Hushai  saluted  him  with  a  "God  save  the  king,"  Absa- 
lom reproached  him  with  his  apparent  want  of  kindness  to 
David  his  friend.  He  was  now  too  hardened  and  bold  to  feel 
that  his  reproach  fell  with  tenfold  more  force  upon  a  traitorous 
son.  In  an  artful  reply,  Hushai  concealed  his  real  purpose, 
"Whom  the  Lord  and  all  Israel  choose,  his  will  I  be,  and  with 
him  will  I  abide.  Whom  should  I  serve?  should  it  not  be  his 
son?  as  I  have  served  in  thy  father's  presence,  so  will  I  be  in 
thy  presence."  Flattered  with  this,  Absalom  gave  him  a  place 
among  the  number  of  his  counsellors.* 

In  the  council,  Ahithophel  was  yet  pre-eminent.  He  saw 
well  that  in  so  desperate  an  enterprise  no  half-measures  would 
do,  and  he  did  not  hesitate  to  advise  the  most  violent  steps. 
He  felt  it  necessary  to  show  the  people  that  there  was  no  pos- 
sibility of  reconciliation;  and  to  do  it,  "he  urged  Absalom  to 
take  public  possession  of  his  father's  concubines."  The  grace- 
less pupil  yielded  readily  to  his  wicked  teacher;  and  Nathan's 
dreadful  threatening  to  David  was  fulfilled. 

"Ahithophel,  moreover,  said  unto  Absalom,  Let  me  now 
choose  out  twelve  thousand  men,  and  I  will  pursue  after  David 
this  night,  and  will  come  upon  him  while  he  is  weary  and  weak- 
handed,  and  will  make  him  afraid:  and  all  the  people  that  are 
with  him  shall  flee ;  and  I  will  smite  the  king  only,  and  will 
bring  back  the  people  unto  thee  in  peace."  Absalom  felt  no 
compunctions  at  the  idea  of  thus  murdering  his  father;  but 
resolved  to  hear  further  the  advice  of  Hushai,  whom  he  now 
supposed  firmly  attached  to  his  interests.  This  was  the  fatal 
step  in  his  course.  In  all  human  probability,  had  he  followed 
the  advice  of  Ahithophel,  David  must  have  fallen.  When 
Hushai  learned  the  counsel  of  Ahithophel,  he  immediately  con- 
demned it,  and  with  specious  reasons  justified  his  opinion.  For, 
said  he,  "Thou  knowest  thy  father  and  his  men,  that  they  be 
mighty  men,  and  chafed  in  their  minds  as  a  bear  robbed  of  her 
whelps ;  and  thy  father  is  a  man  of  war,  and  will  not  lodge 
with  the  people.  Behold  he  is  now  hid  in  some  hold!"  And  if 
some  of  those  who  attack  him  should  fall,  the  whole  party 
would  be  struck  with  terror,  "and  the  hearts  of  the  most 
valiant  melt;  for  all  Israel  knoweth  that  thy  father  is  a 
mighty  man,  and  they  which  be  with  him  are  valiant  men.  1 
therefore  counsel  that  all  Israel  be  gathered  for  the  fight — that 
thou  go  to  battle  in  thine  own  person," — "that  thus  with  the 
whole  host  we  light  upon  thy  father  as  dew  falleth  on  the 

*  The  morality  in  this  reply  of  Hushai,  is  questionable.  It  may  easily  be  justified 
by  the  principles  of  political  prudence,  or  state  reasons;  but  it  is  not  so  clearly 
right  on  the  principles  of  Christian  morality. 

22 


338  HISTORY    OP   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

ground,  or  if  he  be  gotten  into  a  city,  that  we  then  bring  ropes 
and  draw  into  the  river  till  there  be  not  a  stone  found  there." 

The  argument  and  counsel  of  Hushai  prevailed.  The  advice 
of  Ahithophel  was  rejected,  by  the  unanimous  consent  of  the 
council.  "For,"  says  the  record,  "the  Lord  had  appointed  to 
defeat  the  good  counsel  of  Ahithophel,  to  the  intent  that  the 
Lord  might  bring  evil  upon  Absalom;"  i.  e.  the  wisest  advice 
was  overruled  by  the  providence  of  God,  so  that  this  unna- 
tural son  might  receive  the  just  punishment  of  his  crimes. 

Ahithophel  now  saw  that  all  was  lost ;  and  went  forthwith  "  to 
his  house  and  hanged  himself,  and  died,  and  was  buried  in  the 

O  '  * 

sepulchre  of  his  father." 

At  the  same  time,  Hushai  sent  to  David  by  Zadok  and  Abia- 
thar  the  results  of  the  council,  and  tidings  of  his  danger.  The 
sons  of  the  priests  who  were  to  bear  the  message,  were  discov- 
ered and  pursued ;  but  they  avoided  their  pursuers,  and  reached 
the  king  with  the  message  of  his  faithful  servants  in  the  city, 
"Arise  and  pass  quickly  over  the  water:  for  thus  hath  Ahitho- 
phel counselled  against  you."  "Then  David  arose,  and  they 
that  were  with  him,  and  they  passed  over  Jordan;  by  the 
morning  light  there  lacked  not  one  that  had  not  gone  over. 
And  they  came  to  Mahanaim." 

While  David  was  at  Mahanaim,  there  came  to  him,  with 
abundant  supplies  for  himself  and  his  men,  Shobi  the  son  of 
Nahash  the  Ammonite,  Machir,  with  whom  Mephibosheth  had 
long  dwelt,  and  Barzillai  the  Gileadite.  In  this  fruitful  district 
David  had  leisure  to  recruit  his  wearied  followers,  and  to  call 
around  him  the  brave  men  who  were  still  loyal  to  their  king. 
In  the  mean  time,  Absalom  was  urging  on  his  preparations.  All 
the  men  of  Israel  had  been  gathered.  Amasa,  Joab's  nephew, 
was  made  captain  of  the  host.  And  Absalom  himself,  at  the 
head  of  his  army,  passed  over  Jordan  in  pursuit  of  his  father. 
The  armies  of  the  father  and  son  were  pitched  in  the  land  of 
Gilead.  The  fate  of  the  kingdom  was  to  turn  upon  a  single 
battle. 

David  arranged  his  forces  in  three  divisions,  one  under  Joab, 
a  second  under  Abishai,  a  third  under  Ittai,  the  Gittite.  He 
proposed  to  take  the  command  in  person ;  but  the  people  would 
not  permit  it.  They  thought  it  more  prudent  that  he  should 
remain  in  the  city,  with  a  reserve  force  to  aid  them  in  case  of 
necessity.  The  king  yielded  to  their  wishes.  As  the  army 
marched  out  to  battle,  David  charged  his  generals,  "  in  the 
presence  of  all  the  people ;  Deal  gently,  for  my  sake,  with  the 
young  man,  even  with  Absalom." 

The  engagement  took  place  in  the  wood  of  Ephraim,  on  the 
east  side  of  Jordan.  David's  forces  were  victorious,  and  the 
rebel  army  routed  with  the  loss  of  twenty  thousand  men,  the 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  839 

larger  part  of  whom  fell  in  the  flight.  Absalom  perished  by  a 
most  singular  fate.  In  riding  through  the  wood,  his  head  and 
hair  became  entangled  in  the  branches  of  an  oak,  and  he  was 
left  hanging  in  the  air,  by  the  escape  of  his  mule.  In  this 
situation  he  was  discovered  by  one  of  Joab's  men,  who  carried 
the  intelligence  to  his  general.  Joab  at  first  reproved  the  man 
for  sparing  the  rebel,  and  then  hastened  away,  in  open  con- 
tempt of  the  command  which  he  had  received,  to  slay  him, 
while  the  king  could  not  interfere.  When  this  was  done,  he 
recalled  his  troops  from  the  pursuit.  "And  they  took  Absa- 
lom, and  cast  him  into  a  great  pit,  and  laid  a  very  great  heap 
of  stones  upon  him."  Thus  perished  this  miserable  man:  the 
only  monument  of  his  ambition  was  the  pillar  which  he  had 
erected  in  his  lifetime,  and  which  served  to  perpetuate  the 
remembrance  of  his  crimes. 

When  Ahimaaz  requested  to  bear  tidings  of  the  victory  to 
David,  Joab,  who  knew  with  what  regret  David  would  hear  the 
death  of  his  son,  refused  to  let  him  go.  Another  messenger 
was  sent,  who  was  present  and  witnessed  the  death  of  Absalom. 
Ahimaaz  renewed  his  request,  and  at  last  obtained  permission 
to  go.  In  the  way  to  the  city  he  passed  Cushi,  who  had  started 
before  him.  As  they  came  to  the  city,  "David  was  sitting  by 
the  gates"  waiting  to  hear  the  event  of  the  battle.  Ahimaaz 
reached  the  gate  first,  and  cried  to  the  king,  "  All  is  well,  and 
fell  upon  his  face  to  the  earth,  and  said,  Blessed  be  the  Lord 
thy  God,  which  hath  delivered  up  the  men  that  lifted  up  their 
hands  against  my  lord  the  king."  David's  first  inquiry  was 
for  the  life  of  his  son.  "Is  the  young  man  Absalom  safe." 
Ahimaaz  replied,  that  when  he  left  the  scene  of  battle  "he  saw 
a  great  tumult,  but  knew  not  what  it  was."  Just  at  this  time 
the  official  messenger  was  brought  to  the  king,  and  said, 
"  Tidings,  my  lord,  the  king :  for  the  Lord  hath  avenged  thee 
this  day  of  all  them  that  rose  up  against  thee."  The  anxious 
father  repeats  the  question,  "Is  the  young  man,  Absalom,  safe? 
and  Cushi  answered,  The  enemies  of  my  lord  the  king,  and  all 
that  rise  against  thee  to  do  thee  hurt,  be  as  that  young  man 
is."  "And  the  king  was  much  moved,  and  went  up  to  the 
chamber  over  the  gate  and  wept ;  and  as  he  went,  thus  he  said, 
0  my  son  Absalom !  my  son,  my  son  Absalom !  would  God  I 
had  died  for  thee,  0  Absalom,  my  son,  my  son!"  And  the 
victory  that  day  was  turned  into  mourning  unto  all  the  peo- 
ple; for  the  people  heard  say  that  day,  how  the  king  was 
grieved  for  his  son.  And  the  people  gat  them  by  stealth  that 
day  into  the  city,  a^  people  being  ashamed  steal  away,  when 
they  flee  in  battle.  But  the  king  covered  his  face  and  cried, 
0  my  son  Absalom,  0  Absalom,  my  son,  my  son !" 

When  Joab  learned  the  public  and  immoderate  grief  of  the 


340  HISTORY  OF   THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

king  for  his  son,  and  saw  its  effect  upon  the  army,  he  went 
boldly  into  the  king,  and  with  the  most  heartless  effrontery 
reproved  him  for  his  conduct.  Instead  of  excusing  his  own 
disobedience  of  orders,  he  reproaches  the  king  for  his  grief. 
"  Thou  hast  shamed  this  day  the  faces  of  all  thy  servants  which 
this  day  have  saved  thy  life.  For  thou  hast  declared  this  day 
that  thou  regardest  neither  princes,  nor  servants ;  for  this  day  I 
perceive  that  if  Absalom  had  lived  and  all  we  had  died,  then  it 
had  pleased  thee  well.  Now  therefore  arise,  go  forth,  and 
speak  comfortably  unto  thy  servants ;  for  I  swear  by  the  Lord, 
if  thou  go  not  forth,  there  will  not  tarry  one  with  thee  this 
night."  This  firm,  but  imperious  and  unjust  remonstrance,  had 
its  effect.  "David  arose  and  sat  in  the  gate,  and  all  the  peo- 
ple came  before  the  king."* 

The  death  of  Absalom  put  an  effectual  end  to  the  conspiracy. 
On  all  sides  the  loyalty  of  the  people  began  to  regain  its  ascend- 
ency. The  sense  of  the  injustice  which  they  had  done  to  David 
served  to  quicken  the  remembrance  of  the  obligations  which 
they  owed  to  him.  "The  king  saved  us  out  of  the  hand  of  our 
enemies,  and  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Philistines;  now  therefore 
why  speak  ye  not  a  word  of  bringing  the  king  back?"  Every- 
where the  sentiments  of  affection  and  duty  were  bringing  the 
people  to  their  allegiance  to  David. 

Though  this  was  the  state  of  all  Israel,  the  tribe  of  Judah 
had  not  yet  publicly  moved ;  and  David  sent  messengers  "to 
the  elders  of  Judah,  saying,  Ye  are  my  brethren,  ye  are  my 
bones  and  my  flesh,  why  are  ye  the  last  then  to  bring  back  the 
king  to  his  home?"  To  Amasa,  Absalom's  general, .he  sent  a 
special  message.  "Art  not  thou  of  my  bone  and  of  my  flesh? 
God  do  so  to  me,  and  more  also,  if  thou  be  not  captain  of  the 
host  before  me  continually  in  the  room  of  Joab."f  The  message 
was  effectual.  "  The  heart  of  all  the  men  of  Judah  was  turned 
to  David  as  the  heart  of  one  man,  and  they  sent  unto  the  king, 
Return  thou  and  all  thy  servants.  So  the  king  returned  and 
came  to  Jordan." 

In  his  return,  the  king  was  accompanied  by  a  large  number 
of  those  who  had  sustained  him  during  the  rebellion.  As  he 
came  to  the  Jordan,  he  was  met  by  the  tribe  of  Judah,  who  had 
come  to  conduct  him  home.  With  the  tribe  of  Judah  came 

*  During  this  exile  of  David  from  the  temple,  he  appears  to  have  penned  seve- 
ral of  his  most  beautiful  Psalms.  We  owe  probably  the  42d,  43d,  70th,  71st  and 
143d,  to  this  occasion. 

t  This  has  been  thought  a  very  impolitic  and  unjust  measure.  But  it  should  be 
remembered,  that  Joab,  though  loyal,  had  forfeited  all  right  to  the  command  by  his 
disobedience  of  orders,  and  his  excessively  haughty  dehieanour.  As  to  the  pru- 
dence of  the  message,  Amasa  was  most  probably  the  most  influential  man  in  the 
tribe  of  Judah,  and  once  secured  to  David's  interest,  wouJd  bring  the  whole  tribe 
with  him.  David  no  dcubt  hoped  in  this  way  to  break  the  domineering  power  of 
Joab. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  341 

Shlmei  with  a  thousand  men  of  Benjamin,  and  Ziba  with  his 
servants.  As  soon  as  the  king  had  crossed  the  river,  Shimei 
cast  himself  at  his  feet,  made  an  humble  confession  of  his  sin, 
and  sought  the  king's  pardon.  Abishai  again  seeks  permission 
to  put  him  to  death,  because  he  had  cursed  the  Lord's  anointed. 
But  David  reproved  his  officious  zeal:  "Shall  there  any  man  be 
put  to  death  this  day  in  Israel  ?  for  do  not  I  know  that  I  am 
this  day  king  over  Israel?  Therefore  the  king  sware  unto 
Shimei,  Thou  shalt  not  die."  The  same  faith  which  led  David 
to  bear  patiently  his  malignant  curses,  now  kept  him  in  his 
prosperity  from  taking  vengeance  into  his  own  hands. 

Soon  after  Shimei,  Mephibosheth  came  to  congratulate  David 
upon  his  return.  From  the  day  the  king  had  departed,  "Me- 
phibosheth had  neither  dressed  his  feet,  nor  trimmed  his  beard, 
nor  washed  his  clothes."  There  was  every  apparent  sign  of 
deep  grief.  When  they  reached  Jerusalem,  David  inquired  why 
he  had  not  gone  with  him.  He  answered  that  his  servant  "had 
deceived  him,"  and  had  slandered  him  to  the  king;  "but  my 
lord  the  king  is  as  an  angel  of  God :  do  therefore  what  is  good 
in  thine  eyes."  David  stopped  him  in  his  apology.  "Why 
speakest  thou  any  more  of  thy  matters  ?  I  have  said  thou  and 
Ziba  divide  the  land."  Whatever  was  meant  by  this  decision, 
Mephibosheth  was  completely  satisfied.  "Yea,"  he  says,  "let 
him  take  all,  since  the  king  is  come  again  in  peace  unto  his  own 
house."  It  seems  probable  that  David  intended  to  restore  the 
original  arrangement  between  Mephibosheth  and  his  servant, 
and  of  course  revoke  the  sentence  he  had  passed  when  Ziba  met 
him  in  his  flight. 

David  next  proceeded  to  reward  the  kindness  and  faithfulness 
of  the  aged  Barzillai.  "Come  thou,"  said  the  king,  "over  with 
me,  and  I  will  feed  thee  with  me  in  Jerusalem."  Barzillai  had 
sustained  him  at  Mahanaim  as  his  king,  but  David  would  take 
him  as  a  guest  into  his  own  dwelling  and  table.  The  good  old 
man  replied,  "  How  long  have  I  to  live,  that  I  should  go  up 
with  the  king  to  Jerusalem?  Can  I  discern  between  good  and 
evil  ?  can  thy  servant  taste  what  I  eat  or  drink  ?  can  I  hear 
any  more  the  voice  of  singing-men  and  singing- women  ?  where- 
fore then  should  thy  servant  be  yet  a  burden  unto  my  lord  the 
king  ?  Let  thy  servant,  I  pray  thee,  turn  back  again ;  that  I 
may  die  in  my  own  city,  and  be  buried  by  the  grave  of  my 
father  and  my  mother.  But  behold  thy  servant  Chimham,  let 
him  go  over  with  my  lord  the  king,  and  do  to  him  what  shall 
seem  good  unto  thee."  David  granted  his  request,  and  as  they 
parted  "the  king  kissed  Barzillai,  and  blessed  him,  and  he  re- 
turned to  his  own  place;  but  Chimham  went  on  with  him." 

In  the  late  rebellion,  some  of  the  people  had  become  seriously 
disaffected  towards  the  king.  A  quarrel  arose  between  the  tribe 


342  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

of  Judah  and  the  rest  of  Israel,  as  to  the  mode  in  which  David 
was  conducted  home.  The  Israelites  found  fault  with  Judah 
that  they  had  "stolen  the  king  from  their  brethren."  The  men 
of  Judah  plead  their  near  relation  to  David.  The  quarrel  he- 
came  serious,  "and  the  words  of  the  men  of  Judah  were  fiercer 
than  the  words  of  the  men  of  Israel."  Sheba,  the  son  of  Bichri, 
a  Benjamite,  took  advantage  of  the  strife,  and  blew  his  trumpet 
and  said,  "We  have  no  part  in  Judah  nor  inheritance  in  the 
son  of  Jesse:  every  man  to  his  tents,  0  Israel."  Inflamed  with 
their  strife,  the  fickle  multitude  followed  after  Sheba. 

In  the  mean  time  the  king  reached  Jerusalem,  rearranged  his 
family,  and  prepared  to  suppress  the  insurrection.  Orders 
were  given  to  Amasa  "to  assemble  the  men  of  Judah,"  who 
were  faithful,  and  hold  himself  in  readiness  for  further  orders. 
Amasa  went  to  obey  the  command,  but  from  some  cause  tarried 
longer  than  the  time  appointed  him.  During  this  delay,  the 
insurrection  of  Sheba  was  growing  into  a  rebellion ;  and  threat- 
ening to  become  more  serious  even  than  the  revolt  of  Absalom. 
David  therefore  commissioned  Abishai  to  take  forces  and  quell 
the  conspiracy.  Under  this  commission  Abishai  and  Joab 
(though  Joab  had  received  no  orders)  "took  the  Cherethites 
and  the  Pelethites,  and  the  mighty  men,  and  pursued  after 
Sheba."  When  they  reached  Gibeon,  they  fell  in  with  Amasa 
their  cousin,  and  Joab,  without  any  hesitation,  and  under  the 
pretence  of  friendship,  murdered  him  as  he  had  murdered 
Abner  long  before.  Leaving  one  of  their  men  to  stand  by  the 
body,  they  hastened  on  in  the  pursuit.  But  when  the  men  saw 
Amasa  lying  in  his  blood,  they  stood  shocked  at  the  spectacle, 
and  with  reluctance  followed  Joab  in  his  expedition. 

Sheba  had  gone  through  the  tribes  gathering  the  disaffected, 
and  with  a  considerable  force  had  taken  refuge  in  Abel-Beth- 
maachah.  Joab  and  his  men  pressed  the  siege  with  great 
vigour.  As  they  were  about  to  take  the  city,  a  wise  woman 
cried  to  Joab,  and  said,  "  I  am  one  of  them  that  are  peaceful 
and  faithful  in  Israel;  thou  seekest  to  destroy  a  city  and  a 
mother  in  Israel;  why  wilt  thou  swallow  up  the  inheritance  of 
the  Lord?"  Joab  answered  that  this  was  not  his  purpose,  "Far 
be  it  from  me  that  I  should  swallow  up  or  destroy.  I  seek  only 
Sheba,  who  hath  lifted  up  his  hand  against  the  king;  deliver 
him  only,  and  I  will  depart  from  the  city."  To  avoid  the  siege, 
the  people  of  the  city  listened  to  the  advice  of  the  woman,  cut 
off  Sheba's  head,  and  cast  it  over  the  wall  to  Joab.  This  was 
the  end  of  this  wicked  insurrection.  With  the  death  of  Sheba 
all  disaffection  ceased.  Joab  withdrew  with  his  army,  and  re- 
turned to  Jerusalem.  He  was  yet  sufficiently  powerful  to 
escape  the  punishment  he  deserved.  In  fact  David  was  now  in 
the  hands  of  his  general,  and  felt  himself  unable  to  execute  the 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  343 

sentence  which  his  own  sense  of  justice  would  have  led  him  to 
pass.  The  brave,  haughty,  imperious  man,  was  still  over  all 
the  host  of  Israel,  and  justice  slumbered  for  a  time. 


SECTION  IX. 

FAMINE    OF   THREE    YEARS WAR   WITH    THE   PHILISTINES — THE    PESTILENCE — THE 

PREPARATION    FOR   THE  TEMPLE SOLOMON  MADE  KING DAVID'S  CHARGE   TO  THE 

PEOPLE    AND   SOLOMON — DAVID'S   DEATH. 

BETWEEN  the  threatening  of  David  by  the  prophet  Nathan, 
and  the  death  of  Sheba,  nearly  thirteen  years  had  passed 
away.  This  whole  interval  was  one  of  heavy  cares  and  civil 
strife.  Between  the  grief  over  his  own  sin — the  mortification 
at  the  unnatural  and  sinful  conduct  of  his  sons — and  the  faci- 
lity with  which  his  subjects  were  drawn  away  from  their  allegi- 
ance to  the  throne — there  was  little  peace  to  the  unhappy  king. 
Nor  were  his  trials  all  past. 

When  Saul,  in  his  anger,  murdered  the  priests  at  Nob,  he 
slew  also,  as  it  seems  probable,  the  Gibeonites,*  who  were 
servants  of  the  priests,  and  thus  (as  well  as  by  special  covenant) 
under  the  peculiar  care  of  God.  This  violation  of  public  faith 
did  not  pass  unnoticed.  God  was  pleased  "to  make  inquisition 
for  the  blood  which  had  thus  been  unrighteously  shed ;"  and 
sent  a  famine  upon  the  land  for  three  successive  years.  David 
inquired  of  the  Lord  what  was  the  cause  of  the  judgment.  And 
the  Lord  answered,  "  It  is  for  Saul  and  his  bloody  house,  be- 
cause he  slew  the  Gibeonites."  Thus  warned,  David  sent  for 
the  remnant  of  this  people,  and  asked  what  must  be  done,  that 
an  atonement  might  be  made,  and  that  "ye  may  bless  the 
inheritance  of  Israel."  They  answered  that  they  would  have 
neither  silver  nor  gold,  "but  that  seven  men  of  the  sons  of  Saul 
who  had  consumed  them,  should  be  delivered  unto  us,  and  we 
will  hang  them  up  unto  the  Lord  in  Gibeah  of  Saul."  The 
king  said,  "I  will  give  them;"  but  sparing  the  family  of  Jona- 
than (and  all  the  male  line  of  Saul,  who  alone  could  ever  have 
made  any  claim  to  the  crown)  he  chose  two  sons  of  Rizpah, 
Saul's  concubine,  "and  the  five  sons  of  Merab,  the  daughter  of 
Saul."  These  seven  were  delivered  to  the  Gibeonites,  and 
hanged.  The  broken-hearted  Rizpah  "took  sackcloth  and 
spread  it  upon  the  rock,  and  watched  there  for  five  long  months, 
until  the  rain  dropped  upon  it  out  of  heaven."  "The  bones  of 
these  seven,  with  the  bones  of  Saul  and  Jonathan,  David  took 

*  Whether  Saul  slew  these  Gibeonites,  on  the  occasion  here  mentioned,  or  not, 
does  not  appear  clear  from  the  narrative.  It  may  be  that,  in  his  blind  zeal,  in  the 
early  part  of  his  reign,  he  thought  to  secure  the  favour  of  the  people  and  of  God, 
by  putting  these  Gibeonites  to  death.  In  either  case  the  offence  is  the  same,  and 
the  act  in  express  violation  of  the  treaty  of  Joshua  and  the  Israelites. 


344  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

and  buried  in  the  sepulchre  of  Kish.  And  after  that,  God  was 
entreated  for  the  land." 

Thus  God,  by  his  sovereign  appointment,  expressed  his 
abhorrence  of  the  crime  of  Saul.  It  is  not  necessary  to  sup- 
pose that  those  who  perished  were  implicated  in  crime;  they 
suffered,  indeed,  but  they  suffered  in  virtue  of  his  appointment, 
who  had  the  lives  of  all  in  his  hands,  and  can  rightfully  recall 
them  to  himself  when  and  how  he  pleases.  In  this  melancholy 
transaction,  David  stands  clear  from  all  blame  or  jealousy  of 
the  house  of  Saul,  by  the  very  terms  of  the  narrative,  and  from 
the  fact  that  he  spared  all  the  male  descendants  of  that  house, 
who  were  at  this  time  numerous  in  Israel. 

At  this  point  of  the  narrative,  the  restless  Philistines  appear 
again.  Four  severe  battles  were  fought  between  David  and 
the  Philistines.  In  the  first  of  these,  David  fought  in  person, 
and  waxing  faint  was  nearly  slain  by  a  Philistine  giant ;  but 
Abishai  came  to  his  relief  "  and  smote  the  Philistine  and  killed 
him."  Alarmed  at  this  sign  of  his  increasing  age,  the  men  of 
David  sware  unto  him,  saying,  "Thou  shalt  go  no  more  out 
with  us  to  battle,  that  thou  quench  not  the  light  of  Israel."  In 
each  of  the  succeeding  battles,  a  Philistine  of  gigantic  stature 
fell  by  the  hand  of  David  and  his  servants.  These  irrecon- 
cilable enemies  were  thus  effectually  humbled,  and  the  rest  of 
David's  reign  was  free  from  foreign  war.  "And  David  spake 
unto  the  Lord  the  words  of  this  song — in  the  day  that  the  Lord 
delivered  him  out  of  the  hand  of  his  enemies,  and  out  of  the 
hand  of  Saul."  "The  Lord  is  my  rock,  and  my  fortress,  and 
my  deliverer;  the  God  of  my  rock;  in  him  will  I  trust."  He 
relates  his  trust  in  God,  in  the  time  of  his  distresses — the  won- 
derful manner  in  which  God  had  delivered  him — his  own  inte- 
grity in  his  adherence  to  God ;  and  then  closes  with  an  ascription 
of  all  his  military  success  and  prosperity  to  God  alone,  and  a 
solemn  thanksgiving  for  all  the  mercies  he  had  received.  "JTe, 
Jehovah,  is  the  tower  of  salvation  for  his  king;  and  showeth 
mercy  to  his  anointed,  unto  David  and  to  his  seed  for  ever- 
more. Therefore  I  will  give  thanks  unto  thee,  0  Lord,  among 
the  heathen,  I  will  sing  praises  unto  thy  name." 

After  these  closing  wars  with  the  Philistines,  the  Hebrew 
kingdom  enjoyed  an  interval  of  peace  and  prosperity.  They 
were  free  from  foreign  wars,  and  the  people  remained  happy 
and  contented  under  their  government.  But  at  length  an  in- 
cident took  place  which  marred  this  scene  of  peace  in  which 
David's  long  reign  seemed  about  to  close.  "  The  anger  of  the 
Lord  was  moved  against  Israel,  and  Satan,  as  the  adversary,  was 
permitted  to  tempt  David  to  number  the  people."  David 
yielded  to  the  temptation.  Pride  in  his  flourishing  kingdom,  or 
perhaps  a  desire  after  foreign  conquest,  moved  him  to  this  step, 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  345 

so  offensive  to  God,  and  in  direct  contempt  of  that  promise,  that 
the  seed  of  Israel  should  be  innumerable.  Joab  was  commis- 
sioned to  take  the  census.  At  first  he  remonstrated  against  the 
measure.  "The  Lord  make  his  people  an  hundred  times  as 
many  as  they  be ;  but  why  doth  my  Lord  the  king  delight  in 
this  thing,  and  make  himself  a  cause  of  trespass  to  Israel." 
The  king's  word,  however,  prevailed  against  Joab;  and  they 
went  forth  to  number  the  people.  After  a  census  of  nine 
months,  they  gave  their  return  to  the  king.  The  two  state- 
ments vary  as  to  the  number,  so  far  as  it  was  taken ;  but  they 
may  be  nearly  reconciled  by  supposing  that  the  military  were 
not  enrolled  in  one  case,  whereas  they  were  included  in  the 
larger  number.  The  census  was  never  fully  completed.  The 
duty  was  odious  to  Joab,  and  offensive  to  God;  "and  Levi  and 
Benjamin  were  not  counted." 

Wrath  fell  from  the  Lord  while  the  census  was  going  for- 
ward, "and  he  smote  Israel."  David's  conscience  condemned 
him,  and  he  said  unto  God,  "I  have  sinned  greatly  in  that  I 
have  done;  but  now,  I  beseech  thee,  0  Lord,  do  away  with  the 
iniquity  of  thy  servant ;  for  I  have  done  very  foolishly.  And 
the  Lord  spake  unto  Gad,  the  prophet,  Go  and  tell  David,  Thus 
saith  the  Lord,  I  offer  thee  three  things,  choose  thee  one  of  them, 
that  I  may  do  it  unto  thee;  either  three  years  of  famine,  or 
three  months  flight  before  thine  enemies,  or  three  days  pestilence 
from  the  destroying  angel  throughout  the  coasts  of  Israel. 
David  replied,  I  am  in  a  great  strait ;  let  us  fall  now  into  the 
hand  of  the  Lord;  for  very  great  are  his  mercies;  but  let  me 
not  fall  into  the  hand  of  man."  The  pestilence  came,  "and 
there  fell  of  Israel  seventy  thousand  men."  When  the  angel 
reached  Jerusalem,  the  command  came,  "It  is  enough,  stay  now 
thine  hand."  "And  the  angel  stood  by  the  threshing-floor  of 
Araunah  the  Jebusite."  David  then  assumed  to  himself  the  sin 
and  the  guilt.  "Lo,  I  have  sinned,  and  I  have  done  wickedly: 
but  these  sheep,  what  have  they  done?  let  thine  hand,  I  pray 
thee,  be  against  me  and  against  my  father's  house,  but  not  on 
my  people  that  they  should  be  plagued."  Upon  this  humilia- 
tion of  David,  and  intercession  for  his  people,  the  message 
came  by  the  prophet,  "  Go  up,  rear  an  altar  unto  the  Lord  in 
the  threshing-floor  of  Araunah."  David  went  as  the  Lord 
commanded;  purchased  the  ground  at  its  full  price,  "and  built 
there  an  altar  unto  the  Lord,  and  offered  burnt-offerings  and 
peace-offerings.  So  the  plague  was  stayed  from  Israel."  Arau- 
nah at  first  wished  to  give  the  ground,  the  victims,  and  the 
fuel,  to  the  king;  but  David  refused.  He  was  unwilling  "to 
offer  unto  the  Lord  that  which  cost  him  nothing."  And  be- 
sides, it  is  probable  that  he  had  received  some  communication 
that  the  spot  thus  chosen  by  God  as  a  place  of  offering,  was  to 


346  HISTORY  OF   THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

be  the  place  for  the  temple,  and  to  become  the  seat  of  the 
public  worship  of  all  the  tribes  of  Israel.*  "  Then  David  said, 
This  is  the  house  of  the  Lord  God,  and  this  is  the  altar  of  the 
burnt-offering  for  Israel,"  thereby  consecrating  it  for  that 
temple  which  was  "to  be  builded  for  the  Lord,  exceeding  mag- 
nifical,  of  fame  and  of  glory  throughout  all  countries." 

With  all  the  strength  which  yet  remained  to  him,  this  pious 
king  now  set  himself  to  prepare  for  the  temple.  Although  for- 
bidden to  build  it  himself,  he  felt  called  upon  to  do  what  was  in 
his  power  to  hasten  it  forward.  The  rest  of  his  days  were  de- 
voted to  this  work.  "An  hundred  thousand  talents  of  gold, 
and  a  thousand  thousand  talents  of  silver,  brass  and  iron  with- 
out weight,  wrought  stones,  and  cedar  wood  in  abundance,  were 
prepared  to  build  the  house  of  God."  Solomon  and  the  princes 
of  Israel  received  the  charge  to  arise  and  build.  While  engaged 
in  this  peaceful  work,  so  suited  to  the  closing  days  of  a  long 
and  troublous  reign,  his  attention  was  called  to  the  question 
concerning  the  succession  to  the  throne.  It  was  no  doubt  well 
known  to  all  at  the  court,  that  David  had  selected  Solomon  for 
heir.  He  himself  appears  to  have  considered  it  as  decided,  and 
did  not  anticipate  any  opposition  to  the  choice.  But  Adonijah 
the  son  of  Haggith,  the  king's  eldest  son  then  living,  (Amnon 
and  Absalom,  the  first  and  third  sons,  had  been  slain,  and  Chi- 
leab  the  second  had  probably  died,)  laid  claim  to  the  throne  as 
his  inheritance.  Like  Absalom,  he  was  of  goodly  person  and 
a  favourite  with  his  father.  For  some  time  he  had  maintained 
a  princely  state  and  retinue,  and  David  had  not  forbidden  him. 
Encouraged  by  this  permission  of  the  king,  he  conferred  with 
Joab  and  Abiathar,  and  with  their  advice  formed  the  purpose  of 
usurping  the  kingdom.  With  Joab  as  the  head  of  the  army, 
and  Abiathar  as  the  head  of  the  priests,  he  felt  certain  of  suc- 
cess, "and  invited  the  king's  sons  and  the  men  of  Judah"  to  a 
banquet,  when  he  was  to  be  crowned  king.  Those  who  were 
known  as  friends  to  Solomon  were  not  invited.  "Nathan  the 
prophet,  and  Benaiah,  and  the  mighty  men,  and  Solomon  his 
brother,  he  called  not."  David  seems  to  have  been  in  utter 
ignorance  of  Adonijah's  design.  Nathan  first  acquaints  Bath- 
sheba,  the  mother  of  Solomon,  with  this  conspiracy ;  and  urges 
her  by  her  own  life  and  the  life  of  her  son,  to  go  to  David 
and  claim  the  fulfilment  of  his  promise,  "that  Solomon  should 
reign  after  him  and  sit  upon  his  throne."  Bathsheba  went  to 
the  king,  who  was  now  enfeebled  with  age,  and  ministered  to 
by  Abishag  the  Shunamite,  and  said,  "My  lord,  thou  swearest 
by  the  Lord  thy  God  unto  thine  handmaid,  assuredly  Solomon 
thy  son  shall  reign  after  me;  and  now  Adonijah  reigneth,  and 

*  For  the  consecration  of  this  place  David  wrote  the  30th  Psalm. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  347 

thou  knowest  it  not.  And  thou,  my  lord,  0  king,  the  eyes  of 
all  Israel  are  upon  thee,  that  thou  shouldest  tell  them  who  shall 
sit  on  the  throne  of  my  lord  the  king  after  him."  While  she 
was  yet  speaking,  Nathan  the  prophet  came  in,  and  confirmed 
her  intelligence.  David  at  once  recalled  his  wonted  energy, 
and  in  the  most  solemn  terms  renewed  the  grant  to  Solomon. 
"As  the  Lord  liveth,  that  hath  redeemed  my  soul  out  of  all 
distress,  even  as  I  sware  unto  thee  by  the  Lord  God  of  Israel, 
assuredly  Solomon  thy  son  shall  reign  after  me,  and  he  shall 
sit  upon  my  throne  in  my  stead;  even  so  will  I  certainly  do 
this  day."  Bathsheba  received  the  appointment  of  her  son  with 
the  deepest  reverence  and  thankfulness,  and  said,  "Let  my 
lord,  king  David,  live  for  ever."  David,  however,  once  fully 
roused  to  the  danger,  did  not  let  the  matter  rest  here.  "And 
the  king  said,  Call  me  Zadok  the  priest,  and  Nathan  the  pro- 
phet, and  Benaiah ;  and  they  came  before  the  king.  And  he 
said,  Take  with  you  the  servants  of  your  lord,  and  cause  Solo- 
mon my  son  to  ride  upon  mine  own  mule,  and  bring  him  down 
to  Gihon,  and  let  Zadok  the  priest  and  Nathan  the  prophet 
anoint  him  there  king  over  Israel,  for  he  shall  be  king  in  my 
stead ;  and  I  have  appointed  him  to  be  ruler  over  Israel  and 
over  Judah.  And  Benaiah  said,  Amen :  the  Lord  God  of  my  lord 
the  king  say  so  too."  They  went  down  accordingly,  with  the 
Cherethites  and  Pelethites,  and  anointed  Solomon  king.  "And 
they  blew  the  trumpet,  and  all  the  people  said,  God  save  king 
Solomon ;  and  they  rejoiced  with  great  joy,  so  that  the  earth 
rent  with  the  sound  of  them." 

The  joy  of  the  people,  at  the  peaceful  succession  of  Solomon 
to  the  throne,  disturbed  the  feast  of  Adonijah  and  his  friends. 
They  were  not  left  long  in  doubt,  as  to  the  cause  of  rejoicing, 
Jonathan  the  son  of  Abiathar  came  and  said  to  Adonijah: 
Verily,  king  David  hath  made  Solomon  king,  and  moreover, 
the  king's  servants  came  to  bless  our  lord  king  David,  saying, 
God  make  the  name  of  Solomon  better  than  thy  name,  and 
make  his  throne  greater  than  thy  throne.  And  the  king  bowed 
himself  upon  the  bed,  and  said,  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel,  which  hath  given  one  to  sit  on  my  throne  this  day,  mine 
eyes  even  seeing  it."  Upon  this  intelligence,  the  feast  was 
broken  up,  "and  every  man  went  his  own  way."  No  notice 
was  immediately  taken  of  the  actors  in  this  conspiracy.  Ado- 
nijah fled,  "and  took  hold  on  the  horns  of  the  altar;"  but 
Solomon  sent  for  him,  and  publicly  pardoned  him,  and  dis- 
missed him  to  his  own  house.  Thus  Solomon,  by  the  Divine 
election,  as  well  as  by  the  choice  of  his  father,  was  made  king 
over  Israel. 

Having  thus  exalted  Solomon  to  the  throne,  and  established 
the  civil  government  of  the  kingdom,  David  "gathered  together 


348  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

the  princes  of  Israel,  and  the  priests  and  Levites,"  and  regu- 
lated the  methods  and  orders  of  public  worship.  The  Levites, 
from  thirty  years  old  and  upward,  numbered  thirty-eight  thou- 
sand, of  whom  twenty- four  thousand  were  to  set  forward  the  work 
of  the  temple,  six  thousand  were  judges  and  officers,  four  thou- 
sand porters,  and  four  thousand  praised  the  Lord.  They  were 
divided  according  to  their  courses  among  the  sons  of  Levi.  The 
priests,  the  sons  of  Aaron,  were  to  offer  the  offerings,  to  burn 
incense,  and  to  bless  in  the  name  of  Jehovah.  These  also  were 
divided  into  twenty-four  courses,  sixteen  among  the  sons  of 
Eleazar,  and  eight  among  the  sons  of  Ithamar.  The  singers 
under  Asaph,  Heman,  and  Jeduthun,  were  divided  into  twenty- 
four  courses  of  twelve  each.  To  the  porters  also,  David  as- 
signed their  distinct  offices  and  services.  The  solemn  and  gor- 
geous temple-service  was  thus  provided  for.  The  splendid  ritual 
of  the  Old  Testament  economy  was  completed.  The  work  of 
David  was  nearly  done.  The  covenant  people  were  in  posses- 
sion of  the  promised  land ;  the  ark  of  God,  with  the  visible 
glorious  presence  of  him  who  dwelt  upon  it,  had  received  a 
resting-place ;  the  chosen  spot  for  the  temple  had  been  deter- 
mined, and  the  order  of  its  services  appointed;  nothing  re- 
mained but  that  the  man  of  God  should  deliver  his  dying 
charge,  and  go  to  rest  with  his  fathers. 

"  And  David  assembled  all  the  princes  of  Israel,  the  princes 
of  the  tribes,  and  the  captains  of  the  companies  that  ministered 
to  the  king  by  course,  and  the  captains  over  the  thousands, 
and  over  the  hundreds,  and  the  stewards  over  all  the  substance 
of  the  king,  and  of  his  sons,  with  the  officers,  and  with  the 
mighty  men,  and  with  all  the  valiant  men,  unto  Jerusalem. 
Then  David  the  king  stood  up  upon  his  feet  and  said,  Hear  me, 
my  brethren  and  my  people :  as  for  me  I  had  in  mine  heart  to 
build  an  house  of  rest  for  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord, 
and  for  the  footstool  of  our  God,  and  had  made  ready  for  the 
building :  but  God  said  unto  me,  Thou  shalt  not  build  an  house 
for  my  name,  because  thou  hast  been  a  man  of  war,  and  hast 
shed  blood.  Howbeit  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  chose  me  before 
all  the  house  of  my  father  to  be  king  over  Israel  for  ever :  for 
he  hath  chosen  Judah  to  be  the  ruler ;  and  of  the  house  of  Judah, 
the  house  of  my  father ;  and  among  the  sons  of  my  father  he 
liked  me  to  make  me  king  over  all  Israel.  And  of  all  my  sons 
(for  the  Lord  hath  given  me  many  sons)  he  hath  chosen  Solo- 
mon my  son  to  sit  upon  the  throne  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Lord 
over  Israel.  And  he  said  unto  me,  Solomon  thy  son,  he  shall 
build  my  house  and  my  courts :  for  I  have  chosen  him  to  be  my 
son,  and  I  will  be  his  father.  Moreover,  I  will  establish  his 
kingdom,  if  he  be  constant  to  do  my  commandments  and  my 
judgments,  as  at  this  day.  Now  therefore,  in  the  sight  of  all 


TO    THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  349 

Israel,  the  congregation  of  the  Lord,  and  in  the  audience  of  our 
God,  keep  and  seek  for  all  the  commandments  of  the  Lord  your 
God ;  that  ye  may  possess  this  good  land,  and  leave  it  for  an 
inheritance  for  your  children  after  you  for  ever.  And  thou, 
Solomon  my  son,  know  thou  the  God  of  thy  father,  and  serve 
him  with  a  perfect  heart,  and  with  a  willing  mind ;  for  the  Lord 
searcheth  all  hearts,  and  understandeth  all  the  imaginations  of 
the  thoughts :  if  thou  seek  him,  he  will  be  found  of  thee ;  but  if 
thou  forsake  him,  he  will  cast  thee  off  for  ever.  Take  heed 
now;  for  the  Lord  hath  chosen  thee  to  build  an  house  for  the 
sanctuary:  be  strong  and  do  it." 

Then  giving  Solomon  the  pattern  for  the  temple  and  its 
porches  and  buildings,  an  account  of  the  materials  he  had 
amassed,  and  the  order  of  Priests  and  Levites  which  he  had 
fixed,  he  concludes  his  charge  to  the  young  king,  "  Be  strong, 
and  of  good  courage,  and  do  it:  fear  not,  nor  be  dismayed;  for 
the  Lord  God,  even  my  God,  will  be  with  thee ;  he  will  not  fail 
thee,  nor  forsake  thee,  until  thou  hast  finished  all  the  work  for 
the  service  of  the  house  of  the  Lord." 

To  strengthen  the  interest  of  the  people  in  this  work,  David 
exhorts  them,  by  his  own  example,  to  .consecrate  of  their  sub- 
stance to  its  completion.  Because  I  have  set  my  affection  to 
the  house  of  my  God,  "  I  have  given,  of  mine  own  proper  good, 
over  and  above  all  that  I  have  prepared  for  the  holy  house, 
three  thousand  talents  of  gold,  of  the  gold  of  Ophir,  and  seven 
thousand  talents  of  refined  silver ;  who  then  is  willing  to  conse- 
crate his  service  this  day  unto  the  Lord?" 

The  royal  munificence  of  David  secured  a  hearty  response  to 
this  appeal  from  the  people.  "They  offered  willingly  and 
rejoiced,  because  with  perfect  heart  they  offered  unto  the  Lord. 
They  gave  liberally  of  gold,  silver,  brass  and  iron,  besides 
precious  stones  for  the  service  of  the  house  of  God." 

David's  heart  was  filled  with  delight  at  the  willing  sacrifice 
of  the  people.  And  David  said,  "Blessed  be  thou,  Lord  God 
of  Israel  our  father,  for  ever  and  ever.  Thine,  0  Lord,  is  the 
greatness,  and  the  power,  and  the  glory,  and  the  victory,  and 
the  majesty:  for  all  that  is  in  the  heaven  and  in  the  earth  is 
thine;  thine  is  the  kingdom,  0  Lord,  and  thou  art  exalted  as 
head  above  all.  Both  riches  and  honour  come  of  thee,  and 
thou  reignest  over  all :  and  in  thine  hand  is  power  and  might ; 
and  in  thine  hand  it  is  to  make  great,  and  to  give  strength  unto 
all.  Now  therefore,  our  God,  we  thank  thee,  and  praise  thy 
glorious  name.  But  who  am  I,  and  what  is  my  people,  that  we 
should  be  able  to  offer  so  willingly  after  this  sort  ?  for  all  things 
come  of  thee,  and  of  thine  own  have  we  given  thee.  For  we 
are  strangers  before  thee,  and  sojourners,  as  were  all  our  fa- 
thers :  our  days  on  the  earth  are  as  a  shadow,  and  there  is  none 


350  HISTORY  OF   THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

abiding.  0  Lord  our  God,  all  this  store  that  we  have  prepared, 
to  build  thee  a  house  for  thy  holy  name,  cometh  of  thine  hand, 
and  is  all  thine  own.  I  know  also,  my  God,  that  thou  triest 
the  heart,  and  hast  pleasure  in  uprightness.  As  for  me,  in  the 
uprightness  of  my  heart  I  have  willingly  offered  all  these  things : 
and  now  have  I  seen  with  joy  thy  people,  which  are  present 
here,  to  offer  willingly  unto  thee.  0  Lord  God  of  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  of  Israel,  our  fathers,  keep  this  for  ever  in  the  ima- 
gination of  the  thoughts  of  the  heart  of  thy  people,  and  prepare 
their  heart  unto  thee:  and  give  unto  Solomon  my  son  a  perfect 
heart  to  keep  thy  commandments,  thy  testimonies,  and  thy 
statutes,  and  to  do  all  these  things,  and  to  build  the  palace,  for 
the  which  I  have  made  provision."*  At  the  call  of  David,  the 
whole  assembly,  with  one  voice,  joined  in  the  joyful  public 
worship. 

A  second  time  they  professed  their  allegiance  to  Solomon  as 
king;  who  now  reigned  on  the  throne  of  his  father,  and  received 
the  acclamations  of  a  loyal  people.  "  And  the  Lord  magnified 
Solomon  exceedingly  in  the  sight  of  all  Israel,  and  bestowed 
upon  him  such  royal  majesty  as  had  not  been  on  any  king 
before  him  in  Israel." 

As  David  felt  death  drawing  nigh,  he  called  Solomon  and 
gave  him  a  final  charge.  "I  go  the  way  of  all  the  earth;  be 
thou  strong,  therefore,  and  show  thyself  a  man ;  and  keep  the 
charge  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  walk  in  his  ways,  to  keep  his 
commandments,  as  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  that  thou 
mayest  prosper,  and  that  the  Lord  may  continue  his  word  which 
he  spake  concerning  me." 

He  then  charged  Solomon  to  remember  Joab,  and  to  deal 
with  him  as  the  murderer  of  Abner  and  Amasa.  "Do  accord- 
ing to  thy  wisdom,  and  let  not  his  hoar  head  go  down  to  the 
grave  in  peace."  It  is  plain  that  this  command  did  not  spring 
from  any  resentment  on  the  part  of  David.  According  to 
every  law,  human  and  divine,  Joab  deserved  to  die.  David  was 
culpable  in  allowing  him  to  escape  justice  so  long.  Doubtless 
it  rested  upon  his  conscience  now  as  death  approached ;  and 
he  felt  that  he  could  not  depart  in  peace,  unless  by  some  means 
he  could  clear  his  throne  and  government  from  any  share  in 
the  murder  of  those  innocent  men;  and  therefore  he  charged 
Solomon,  as  the  administrator  of  the  law,  to  see  justice  enforced. 

He  lays  it  upon  Solomon  as  a  solemn  duty  to  cherish  the 
remembrance  of  Barzillai's  kindness,  "and  to  deal  favourably 
with  his  sons:  to  let  them  be  as  those  that  eat  at  thy  table." 

And  at  the  last,  he  commands  the  king,  his  son,  to  watch  the 
conduct  of  Shimei,  and  to  treat  him  not  as  a  guiltless  man ;  but 

*  It  seems  probable  that  David  poured  forth  his  own  emotion  in  the  beautiful 
and  prophetic  72d  Psalm. 


TO  THE  BABYLONISH  CAPTIVITY.  351 

yet,  since  I  have  sworn  to  spare  his  life,  "bring  thou  his  hoar 
head  down  to  the  grave  with  blood;"  or  as  it  may,  and  pro- 
bably should  be  rendered,  "bring  NOT  his  hoar  head  down  to 
the  grave  with  blood."  Solomon  evidently  understood  the 
command  in  this  latter  sense;  for  while  he  executed  justice 
upon  Joab,  he  spared  the  life  of  Shimei.  He  ordered  him, 
indeed,  as  a  seditious  and  evil-disposed  person,  to  build  his 
house  in  Jerusalem,  and  to  remain  under  the  eye  of  the  court, 
on  the  pain  of  death.  Farther  than  this  he  did  not  understand 
the  command  of  David  to  reach.  Shimei  accepted  the  condi- 
tions, which  Solomon  imposed,  with  gladness,  and  dwelt  in  peace 
at  Jerusalem.  It  was  only  when  he  violated  these  conditions, 
and  gave  ground  for  suspicion  that  he  was  again  bent  upon  his 
seditious  work,  that  Solomon  passed  sentence  of  death  upon 
him.  He  did  not  perish  in  consequence  of  David's  charge, 
(and  this  makes  it  perfectly  clear  that  David  never  intended  his 
death,)  but  in  consequence  of  his  own  restless  and  lawless  spirit. 
He  died  no  doubt  as  a  traitor,  for  we  are  told  at  the  time  of 
his  death  that  the  kingdom  was  then  established  in  the  hand  of 
Solomon. 

Then  followed,  in  the  closing  scene  of  his  eventful  life,  these 
last  words  of  David:  "David  the  son  of  Jesse,  said,  and  the 
man  who  was  raised  up  on  high,  the  anointed  of  the  God  of 
Jacob,  and  the  sweet  Psalmist  of  Israel,  said,  The  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  spake  by  me,  and  his  word  was  in  my  tongue.  The 
God  of  Israel  said,  the  Rock  of  Israel  spake  to  me,  He  that 
ruleth  over  men  must  be  just,  ruling  in  the  fear  of  God.  And 
he  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  morning  when  the  sun  riseth, 
even  a  morning  without  clouds ;  as  the  tender  grass  springing 
out  of  the  earth  by  clear  shining  after  rain.  Although  my 
house  be  not  so  with  God,  yet  he  hath  made  with  me  an  ever- 
lasting covenant,  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure :  for  this  is  all 
my  salvation  and  all  my  desire,  although  he  make  it  not  to 
grow.  So  David  slept  with  his  fathers,  and  was  buried  in  the 
city  of  David."  After  a  reign  of  forty  years,  he  died,  in  a  good 
old  age,  full  of  days,  riches,  and  honour.  As  a  warrior,  he  was 
brave,  prudent,  keenly  alive  to  the  sufferings  of  his  soldiers, 
and  beloved  and  trusted  by  those  whom  he  commanded.  His 
brilliant  victories  testify  to  his  ability.  As  a  king,  he  was  wise 
to  counsel,  and  energetic  in  carrying  his  plans  into  execution. 
He  was  kind  to  the  suffering,  and  impartial  in  the  execution  of 
justice.  He  used  his  power  as  one  accountable  to  God.  As  a 
man,  he  was  affectionate  and  generous,  noble  in  all  his  impulses, 
forgiving  to  his  enemies  and  grateful  to  friends.  As  an  inspired 
poet,  his  name  and  memory  have  been  and  will  be  cherished  by 
every  pious  heart.  As  a  worshipper  of  the  true  God,  he  was 
steadfast,  sincere,  humble,  and  trustful,  a  pattern  to  those  who 


352  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

came  after  him.  And  though  he  fell  grievously,  yet  he  sub- 
mitted to  reproof,  humbled  himself  before  God  in  the  truest 
repentance,  and  obtained  an  abiding  sense  of  his  mercy.  He 
may  justly  be  numbered  among  the  greatest  and  the  best,  not 
only  of  kings,  but  of  men. 


SECTION  X. 

SOLOMON    KING — HIS  SACRIFICE   AT    OIBEON — DEATH  OF  ADONIJAH   AND   JOAB — SOLO- 
MON  PREPARES  TO    BUILD   THE    TEMPLE — THE  TREATY  WITH   TYRE   AND   EGYPT. 

SOLOMON  came  to  the  throne,  when  the  country  was  in  a  pro- 
found peace ;  which  lasted,  with  but  slight  interruption,  during 
his  long  reign.  He  began  his  reign  in  the  spirit  of  that  solemn 
charge  which  he  received  from  the  lips  of  a  dying  father.  It 
is  said  of  him  that  "he  loved  the  Lord,  walking  in  the  statutes 
of  David  his  father;  only  he  sacrificed  and  burnt  incense  in 
high  places."  It  will  be  remembered,  that  while  the  ark  was 
brought  to  Jerusalem,  the  tabernacle  and  the  brazen  altar  re- 
mained at  Gibeon.  Thither  the  young  king,  having  called  his 
chief  men,  went,  to  commence  his  reign,  with  a  solemn  public 
sacrifice  to  God;  for  that  was  the  great  high  place,  and  there 
Solomon  "  offered  a  thousand  burnt-offerings."  On  the  night 
following  the  sacrifice,  God  appeared  to  him  in  a  dream,  and 
said,  "Ask  what  I  shall  give  thee."  And  Solomon  said, 
"  Thou  hast  showed  unto  David  thy  great  mercy,  according  as 
he  walked  before  thee  in  truth,  and  in  righteousness,  and  in 
uprightness  of  heart  with  thee.  And  now,  0  Lord  my  God, 
thou  hast  made  thy  servant  king,  in  stead  *of  David  my  father; 
and  I  am  but  a  little  child:  I  know  not  how  to  go  out  or  come  in. 
And  thy  servant  is  in  the  midst  of  thy  people  which  thou  hast 
chosen,  a  great  people,  that  cannot  be  numbered  nor  counted 
for  multitude.  Give,  therefore,  thy  servant  an  understanding 
heart  to  judge  thy  people,  that  I  may  discern  between  good  and 
bad;  for  who  is  able  to  judge  this  thy  so  great  a  people." 
The  petition  of  Solomon  was  peculiarly  acceptable  to  God,  and 
God  said,  "Because  this  was  in  thine  heart,  and  thou  hast  not 
asked  riches,  wealth,  or  honour,  nor  the  life  of  thine  enemies, 
neither  yet  hast  asked  long  life,  but  hast  asked  wisdom  and 
knowledge  for  thyself,  that  thou  mayest  judge  my  people,  over 
whom  I  have  made  thee  king;  behold,  I  have  done  according 
to  thy  words :  I  have  given  thee  a  wise  and  an  understanding 
heart,  and  I  will  give  thee  riches,  and  wealth,  and  honour,  such 
as  none  of  the  kings  have  had  that  have  been  before  thee,  nei- 
ther shall  there  any  after  thee  have  the  like.  And  if  thou  wilt 
walk  in  my  ways,  to  keep  my  statutes  and  my  commandments, 


TO  THE  BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  353 

as  thy  father  David  did  walk,  then  I  will  lengthen  thy  days." 
After  this  answer  to  his  prayer,  Solomon  awoke  from  his  vision, 
returned  to  Jerusalem,  and  offered  burnt-offerings  before  the 
ark  of  the  Lord,  and  made  a  feast  to  all  his  servants. 

The  gift  which  Solomon  had  received,  he  had  immediate  oc- 
casion to  exercise.     There  were  two  women  dwelling  alone,  in 
the  same  house,  each  with  an  infant  child.    Through  the  neglect 
of  the  mother,  the  child  of  the  one  died.     Aware  of  her  loss, 
she  arose  at  midnight,  and  went  and  exchanged  her  dead  son 
for  the  living  one  of  her  companion.     The  true  mother  of  the 
living  child  brought  her  complaint  before  the  king,  and  claimed 
her  son.     But  the  other  denied  her  crime.     Each  one  claimed 
the  living  as  her  own.    There  appears  to  have  been  no  evidence 
of  any  kind,  by  which  the  controversy  could  be  decided.     Solo- 
mon saw  that  the  only  way  to  determine  it  was  by  an  appeal  to 
the  instinctive  affection  of  a  mother  for  her  offspring.     And 
the  king  said,  "Bring  a  sword,  and  divide  the  living  child  in 
two,  and  give  half  to  the  one  and  half  to  the  other."     But 
the  heart  of  the  real  mother  answered  at  once  to  the  appeal, 
"and  she  said,  0  my  lord,  give  her  the  living  child,  and  in  no 
wise  slay  it;  while  the  other  said,  Divide  it."     The  wise  pie n 
of  the  king  succeeded,  and  he  gave  sentence,  "  Give  her  the 
living  child,  and  in  no  wise  slay  it ;  she  is  the  mother  thereof. 
And  all  Israel  heard  of  the  judgment,  and  feared  the  king,  for 
they  saw  that  the  wisdom  of  God  was  in  him,  to  do  judgment." 
While  this  was  taking  place,  the  restless  spirit  of  Adonijah 
was  again  at  work.     In  his  extreme  old  age,  David,  by  the  ad- 
vice of  his  servants,  had  taken  Abishag  the  Shunamite  among 
the  number  of  his  wives.     Her  beauty  attracted  the  love  of 
Adonijah,  and  he  came  to  Bathsheba,  and  urged  her  to  ask 
from  the  king  Abishag  for  his  wife.    The  design  of  this  request 
appears  in  the  way  he  urges  his  suit.     "Thou  knowest,"  he 
said,  "that  the  kingdom  was  mine,  howbeit,  it  is  now  turned 
and  become  my  brother's,  for  it  was  his  from  the  Lord."    Adc- 
nijah  knew  well  that  the  request  was  a  treasonable  one,  and 
thus  Solomon  understood  it.     For  when  his  mother  urged  the 
request  of  Adonijah,  he  replies,  "Why  dost  thou  ask  Abishag 
for  him  ?  ask  also  the  kingdom."    Solomon  immediately  adopted 
the  most  stringent  measures,  and  treats  his  brother  as  a  con- 
demned traitor.     "  God  do  so  to  me  and  more  also,  if  Adonijah 
have  not  spoken  this  word  against  his  own  life."     And  he  sent 
Benaiah  the  son  of  Jehoiada,  "and  he  fell  upon  him  that  he 
died."     This  was  certainly  summary  justice;    if  indeed   any 
state  policy  can  make  such  arbitrary  measures  fall  under  the 
name  of  justice.     But  it  is  difficult  for  us  to  enter  fully  into 
all  that  was  implied  in  Adonijah's  suit;  and  it  would  seem  pro- 
bable, that  there  were  other  signs  of  his  treasonable  disposition. 
23 


354  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

which  led  Solomon  so  instantly  to  punish.  This  probability  is 
increased,  by  the  fact  that  Abiathar  and  Joab — Adonijah's 
supporters  in  his  former  conspiracy — are  here  again  connected 
•with  him.  Their  punishment  immediately  follows.  Abiathar 
was  banished  to  his  own  possessions,  at  Anathoth,  and  deprived 
of  his  priestly  office — a  fulfilment  of  the  threatening  of  God  to 
Eli,  "that  the  priesthood  should  depart  from  his  house."  Abi- 
athar was  the  last  priest  of  the  house  of  Ithauiar,  (of  which 
family  Eli  was,)  and  the  priesthood  returned  again  to  the  house 
of  Eleazar,  in  the  person  of  Zadok. 

When  Joab  heard  that  his  partners  were  punished,  he  fled 
unto  the  "tabernacle  of  Jehovah,  and  caught  hold  on  the  horns 
of  the  altar."  Benaiah  was  sent  to  bring  him  from  his  sanc- 
tuary, but  Joab  refused.  He  trusted  to  escape  justice,  through 
the  protection  of  the  altar.  Solomon,  however,  well  understood 
that  the  altar  could  be  no  sanctuary  for  the  hardened  criminal. 
Benaiah  was  again  despatched  to  go  and  slay  him,  even  at  the 
altar;  "that  thou  mayest  take  away  the  innocent  blood  from 
me,  and  from  the  house  of  my  father,  which  Joab  shed,  who  fell 
upon  two  men  more  righteous  than  he."  So  Benaiah  went  as 
commanded,  and  fell  upon  the  "hoary  criminal,"  and  slew  him, 
and  he  was  buried  in  his  own  house,  in  the  wilderness.  Thus 
fell  David's  wicked  but  bravest  general.  Justice  had  at  length 
overtaken  him,  and  a  broken  law  was  executed. 

As  Zadok  was  made  priest  in  the  room  of  Abiathar,  so  Be- 
naiah was  placed  in  the  room  of  Joab,  as  captain  of  the  host. 

With  the  crushing  of  this  conspiracy,  Solomon's  throne  was 
established  in  peace.  Around  him  were  gathered,  as  chief  men 
and  counsellors,  the  sons  of  his  father's  friends.  "Over  the 
tribute  were  twelve  general  officers,  whose  charge  it  was  to 
provide  for  the  royal  household ;  for  every  day  thirty  measures 
of  fine  flour,  and  sixty  of  meal,  thirty  oxen  and  an  hundred 
sheep,"  besides  other  things  in  like  profusion.  The  whole  na- 
tion enjoyed  an  unparalleled  state  of  happiness  and  prosperity. 
His  kingdom  swelled  into  vast  dimensions — "from  the  border 
of  Egypt  to  the  Euphrates,  and  from  Dan  to  Beersheba :  Judah 
and  Israel  were  many  as  the  sand  which  is  by  the  sea  in 
multitude,  eating  and  drinking  and  making  merry;  and  every 
man  dwelt  safely  under  his  vine,  and  under  his  fig-tree." 

In  the  midst  of  this  worldly  prosperity  Solomon  remained 
faithful  in  his  attachment  to  the  true  faith,  and  to  the  charge 
which  had  been  laid  upon  him.  "  He  determined  to  build  the 
temple  for  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  an  house  for  his  king- 
dom." "Of  those  who  were  strangers  in  the  land,  seventy 
thousand  men  were  numbered  to  bear  burdens,  and  eighty 
thousand  to  hew  in  the  mountain,  and  three  thousand  six  hun- 
dred to  oversee  them."  While  engaged  in  these  preparations 


TO    THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  855 

he  received  an  embassy  from  Hiram,  king  of  Tyre,  congratu- 
lating him  upon  his  coming  to  the  throne.  An  alliance  had 
existed  between  this  king  and  David.  Their  territories  lay 
contiguous,  and  were  mutually  necessary  for  each  other.  S  4o- 
mon  entered  readily  into  the  kind  designs  of  Hiram,  and  a 
league  and  treaty  of  commerce  was  made  between  them  which 
lasted  throughout  their  days. 

To  the  embassy  of  Hiram,  Solomon  replied,  "  Thou  knowest 
that  David  my  father  could  not  build  an  house  unto  the  name 
of  the  Lord  his  God,  for  the  wars  which  were  about  him  on 
every  side.  But  now  the  Lord  my  God  hath  given  me  rest,  and 
I  purpose  to  build  an  house  to  the  Lord  my  God,  as  the  Lord 
spake  unto  David  my  father.  And  the  house  which  I  build  is 
great,  for  great  is  our  God  above  all  gods.  But  who  is  able  to 
build  him  an  house,  seeing  the  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  con- 
tain him?  who  am  I,  then,  that  I  should  build  him  an  house, 
save  only  to  burn  sacrifice  before  him  ?  Send  me  now,  there- 
fore, a  man  cunning  to  work  in  gold,  and  in  silver,  that  can 
skill  to  grave  with  the  men  that  are  with  me,  whom  David  my 
father  did  provide.  Send  me  also  cedar-trees,  fir-trees,  and 
almug-trees  out  of  Lebanon ;  and  my  servants  shall  be  with  thy 
servants,  even  to  prepare  me  timber  in  abundance.  And  behold 
I  will  give  to  thy  servants  twenty  thousand  measures  of  wheat, 
and  twenty  thousand  measures  of  barley,  and  an  equal  number 
of  baths  of  oil  and  of  wine."  Hiram  entered  cordially  into  the 
plans  of  Solomon.  He  seems  to  have  been  a  worshipper  of  the 
true  God :  at  least  he  recognized  fully  his  gracious  providence. 
"Because  the  Lord  hath  loved  his  people,  he  hath  made  thee 
king  over  them;"  arid  he  adds,  "Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel,  that  made  heaven  and  earth,  who  hath  given  to  David 
the  king  a  wise  son,  endued  with  prudence  and  understand- 
ing to  build  an  house  for  Jehovah."  At  the  same  time  he 
consented  fully  to  the  treaty  stipulations  which  Solomon  had 
proposed.  The  Tyrians  were  to  cut  the  timber  of  cedar  and 
fir,  and  deliver  it  at  Joppa,  the  nearest  seaport  to  Jerusalem; 
and  the  Hebrews  were  to  deliver,  in  turn,  the  grain,  and  oil, 
and  wine,  which  had  been  agreed  upon.  A  man  skilful  in  all 
the  curious  works  which  were  to  adorn  the  temple,  was  found 
and  sent  to  Jerusalem.  He  was  of  mixed  descent ;  his  father 
a  Tyrian,  and  his  mother  of  the  daughters  of  Dan — of  the  same 
name  with  the  Tyrian  king. 

Solomon  immediately  raised  a  levy  of  "thirty  thousand  men," 
and  sent  them  to  Lebanon,  "ten  thousand  a  month  by  courses, 
to  aid  the  Tyrians  in  hewing  the  timber,  and  squaring  the  vast 
blocks  of  stone."  The  work  was  thus  fairly  commenced, 
although  as  yet  the  ground  had  not  been  broken  upon  which 
that  splendid  structure  was  so  noiselessly  to  rise. 


356  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

From  the  alliance  with  Tyre,  Solomon  turned  his  attention  to 
Egypt,  and  entered  into  a  treaty  with  Pharaoh.  A  matrimonial 
alliance  was  formed,  and  he  took  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh  "to 
wife,  and  brought  her  into  the  city  of  David."  The  result  of 
this  alliance,  formed  in  direct  violation  of  the  command  of  God, 
was  by  no  means  happy;  indeed,  in  the  progress  of  his  history, 
we  find  it  producing  the  most  lamentable  defection  and  apostacy. 


SECTION  XI. 

THE     TEMPLE,    ITS    FURNITURE,   THE     DEDICATION COD    APPEARS    A    SECOND    TIME 

TO    SOLOMON. 

HAVING  thus  gathered  the  materials,  "in  the  four  hundred  and 
eightieth  year  after  the  Exodus  out  of  Egypt,  in  the  fourth 
year  of  his  reign,  in  the  second  month,  the  month  Zif,  Solomon 
began  to  build  the  house  of  the  Lord."  The  site  of  the  temple 
is  fixed  in  Chronicles,  "  Solomon  began  to  build  at  Jerusalem, 
in  mount  Moriah,  where  the  Lord  appeared  unto  David  his 
father,  in  the  place  that  David  had  prepared  in  the  threshing- 
floor  of  Araunah,  the  Jebusite."  Mount  Moriah  was  situated 
in  the  south-eastern  quarter  of  Jerusalem.  It  was  a  steep 
eminence,  whose  summit  was  not  at  first  sufficient  for  the  build- 
ings of  the  temple.  On  its  precipitous  sides  walls  were  built 
up,  and  the  interval  filled  in  with  earth,  to  increase  the  level 
surface.  The  stones  in  this  foundation  were  of  great  magnitude, 
and  some  of  them  remain  until  the  present  time.  The  dimen- 
sions and  proportions  of  this  renowned  structure  have  been  the 
subject  of  much  dispute.  According  to  the  first  account,  it  was 
"sixty  cubits  in  length,  twenty  cubits  broad,  and  thirty  high." 
The  second  account  adds,  "  that  the  porch  was  one  hundred  and 
twenty  cubits  high,"  while  the  Jewish  historian,  Josephus,  gives 
its  height  as  sixty  cubits.  There  is  no  difficulty  whatever  in 
the  Scripture  accounts ;  the  one  gives  the  height  of  the  body 
of  the  building,  the  other  that  of  the  porch.  The  porch  stood 
at  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  building.  At  the  entrance  of 
the  porch  were  the  two  brazen  pillars — "  Jachin  on  the  right, 
and  Boaz  on  the  left."  These  pillars  were  cast  eighteen 
cubits  high,  and  twelve  cubits  in  circumference.  Chapiters,  or 
capitals,  five  cubits  high,  were  placed  upon  the  pillars.  Around 
these  were  wreaths  of  net-work  and  chain-work.  These  chapi- 
ters were  wrought  "with  lily-work,  and  pomegranates,  two 
hundred,  in  rows  round  about  the  chapiter.  Two  wreaths 
encircled  each  chapiter,  and  two  rows  of  pomegranates  were 
upon  each  wreath."  The  pillars  were  not  used  for  support,  but 
for  ornament,  and  were  probably  emblematical. 

The  temple  was  surrounded  by  three  stories  of  chambers, 


TO  THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  357 

"each  one  of  which  was  five  cubits  high."  The  lower  chamber 
was  five  cubits  broad,  the  middle  six,  and  the  upper  one  seven. 
As  the  walls  went  up  they  were  not  so  thick,  and  the  increased 
width  of  the  chambers  arose  from  the  rests  or  offsets  in  the  wall. 
The  entrance  of  these  chambers  was  probably  from  without, 
"  for  the  door  for  the  middle  was  in  the  right  side  of  the  house : 
and  they  went  up  with  winding  stairs  into  the  middle-chamber, 
and  out  of  the  middle  into  the  third." 

"Above  the  chambers  were  the  windows  of  narrow  lights." 
The  temple  was  built  of  "stone  made  ready  before  it  was  brought 
to  the  place,  (so  that  there  was  neither  hammer  nor  axe,  nor  any 
tool  of  iron,  heard  in  the  house  while  it  was  in  building.")  The 
stone,  however,  were  covered  with  boards  of  cedar,  and  the 
cedar  overlaid  with  pure  gold. 

The  walls  within,  and  the  ceiling,  were  lined  with  cedar,  and 
the  floor  was  covered  with  planks  of  fir.  The  walls,  also,  were 
overlaid  with  gold,  and  ornamented  with  "carvings  of  palms, 
and  flowers,  and  cherubims,"  "and  garnished  with  precious 
stones."  The  upper  row  of  chambers  were  also  overlaid  with 
gold.  Coming  within  the  temple  we  find  it  divided  into  two 
apartments — "the  holy,  and  the  most  holy,  or  holy  of  holies." 
"The  holy  was  forty  cubits  long,"  with  the  width  of  the  temple, 
"and  the  most  holy  twenty  cubits  square."  A  wall  of  cedar 
separated  these,  which,  like  the  other  walls  of  the  temple,  was 
overlaid  with  gold,  and  covered  with  cherubims  and  flowers. 

The  walls  and  the  floors  of  the  most  holy  were  covered  with 
pure  fine  gold,  amounting  "to  six  hundred  talents,  and  the 
weight  of  the  nails  was  fifty  shekels  of  gold."  The  doors  of  the 
outer  temple  were  made  of  fir  and  hung  upon  posts  of  olive- 
trees,  with  hinges  of  gold ;  but  the  doors  of  the  oracle,  or  most 
holy,  were  entirely  composed  of  olive.  Both  doors  were  made 
"with  folding  leaves,  and  richly  adorned  with  cherubims,  and 
palm-trees,  and  open  flowers,  and  covered  with  pure  gold."  By 
the  door  between  the  holy  and  most  holy,  which  was  most 
probably  left  open,  "hung  the  veil  of  blue,  and  purple,  and 
crimson,  and  fine  linen,  with  cherubims  wrought  thereon." 

Within  the  oracle  were  "  two  cherubims,  each  ten  cubits  high. 
Their  wings  were  five  cubits  each :  from  the  uttermost  part  of 
the  one  wing  to  the  uttermost  part  of  the  other  were  ten  cubits. 
Both  cherubims  were  of  one  size.  They  were  placed  upon  their 
feet,  with  their  faces  inward;  so  that  the  wing  of  the  one 
touched  the  one  wall,  and  the  wing  of  the  other  touched  the 
other  wall;  and  their  wings  touched  one  another  in  the  midst 
of  the  house.  The  cherubims  were  overlaid  with  gold."  These 
were  distinct  from,  and  much  larger  than  those  which  over- 
shadowed the  mercy-seat.  Within  the  holy  of  holies  stood  only 
the  ark  of  the  covenant ;  and  here  the  priest  alone  entered  once 


358  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH    NATION 

every  year,  not  without  blood,  which  he  offered  for  himself,  and 
for  the  errors  of  the  people.  The  veil  which  concealed  it  from 
the  gaze  of  the  people  was  not  yet  rent :  the  Holy  Ghost  thus 
signifying  that  the  way  into  the  holiest  of  all  was  not  yet  made 
manifest,  while  the  first  tabernacle  was  yet  standing. 

Without  the  veil,  within  the  holy  place,  "stood  the  golden 
altar  of  incense."  In  place  of  the  single  candlestick,  which 
was  in  the  tabernacle,  "  there  were  ten  candlesticks  of  gold, 
with  their  lamps  and  flowers,  five  on  the  right  side  of  the  holy 
place,  and  five  on  the  left."  There  were  also  ten  golden  tables, 
five  on  the  right  side,  and  five  on  the  left.  "  The  hundred 
bowls,  and  the  lamps,  and  snuffers,  and  basons,  and  censers,  and 
spoons,  and  all  the  vessels  for  the  house  of  God,  were  of  pure 
gold." 

The  temple  was  surrounded  "by  an  inner  court,  or  court  of  the 
priests ;  built  with  three  rows  of  hewed  stone,  and  a  row  of  cedar 
beams."  According  to  Josephus,  this  court  was  three  cubits 
high.  In  this  court,  on  the  right  side  of  the  temple,  eastward, 
over  against  the  south,  was  placed  the  molten  sea.  This  im- 
mense brazen  laver,  "was  five  cubits  high,  ten  in  diameter,  and 
thirty  in  circumference.  It  contained  two  thousand  baths."* 
It  was  supported  by  twelve  brazen  oxen,  three  looking  toward 
each  quarter  of  the  compass.  "It  was  an  hand-breadth  thick, 
and  the  brim  of  it  was  wrought  with  the  flowers  of  lilies:  and 
below  the  brim  it  was  enriched  with  varied  devices."  This  sea 
was  for  the  personal  and  ceremonial  ablutions  of  the  priests. 
Besides  this  molten  sea,  there  were  ten  lavers  standing  upon 
ten  brazen  bases,  used  for  the  cleansing  of  the  sacrifices.  The 
bases  were  regarded  as  master-pieces  of  art.  They  were  four 
cubits  square,  and  three  cubits  high ;  surrounded  with  borders 
of  carved  lions,  oxen,  and  cherubim.  Beneath  the  borders  were 
other  ornaments,  which  are  not  described.  Each  base  was 
mounted  upon  brazen  rollers,  or  wheels.4  The  lavers  which 
were  placed  upon  the  bases,  were  four  cubits,  and  contained  forty 
baths.  They  were  arranged  five  on  each  side  of  the  court.  In 
this  court  also  stood,  most  probably,  the  brazen  altar  which 
Solomon  made,  twenty  cubits  long,  and  twenty  cubits  broad, 
and  ten  cubits  high. 

Besides  this  inner  court,  there  was  still  another  great  court, 
or  outer  court,  or  as  it  was  called  in  later  periods,  "the  court 
of  the  Lord's  house."  Still  beyond  this,  there  were  added  spa- 
cious buildings,  or  porticos ;  some  built  by  Solomon,  and  others 
at  a  later  period. 

"The  castings  and  vessels  of  the  temple,  were  made  by  Hiram, 
the  Tyrian,  in  the  plain  of  Jordan,  in  the  clay  ground  between 

*  In  Chronicle8  it  is  3000.  It  was  probably  capable  of  containing  the  larger 
amount  j  but  usually  held  the  smaller. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  859 

Succoth  and  Zarthan."     "Solomon  was  seven  years  in  building 
the  temple." 

The  sanctuary,  or  temple  itself,  was  not  so  celebrated  for  its 
size,  as  for  its  magnificence.  Standing  on  a  lofty  summit, 
easily  seen  from  all  directions,  covered  with  gold,  and  adorned 
with  the  most  costly  materials ;  it  must  have  been  not  only  a 
conspicuous,  but  a  splendid  object.  It  was  no  doubt  an  object 
of  admiration  to  every  beholder ;  but  glorious  as  it  stood,  its 
true  glory  was  yet  wanting.  That  which  made  it  not  only  to  be 
admired,  but  reverenced  by  every  Israelite,  was  yet  to  enter  it. 

Solomon  having  thus  completed  the  building,  and  brought  in 
the  consecrated  things,  assembled  the  elders  of  Israel,  and  all 
the  heads  of  the  tribes,  the  chief  of  the  fathers,  unto  Jerusalem, 
to  bring  up  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord,  out  of  Zion, 
the  city  of  David.  And  all  the  elders  of  Israel  assembled 
themselves  to  king  Solomon,  at  the  feast,  in  the  seventh  month. 
The  priests  and  Levites  took  up  the  ark,  and  brought  it  and  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation,  and  all  "the  holy  vessels' that 
were  in  the  tabernacle,  did  they  bring  up.  And  the  priests 
brought  the  ark  into  its  place,  into  the  oracle  of  the  temple,  to 
the  most  holy  place,  even  under  the  wings  of  the  cherubim. 
And  they  drew  out  the  staves,  so  that  the  ends  of  them  were 
seen  in  the  holy  place  before  the  oracle.  While  this  was  going 
on,  Solomon  and  all  the  congregation  were  sacrificing  before 
the  ark;  and  the  Levites  which  were  singers,  of  Asaph,  and 
Heman,  and  Jeduthun,  with  their  brethren,  arrayed  in  their 
priestly  garments,  stood  at  the  east  end  of  the  (brazen)  altar, 
sounding  with  trumpets.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  the  priests 
came  out  from  the  temple,  and  all  the  singers  as  one,  made  one 
sound  in  praising  and  thanking  God;  when  they  lifted  up  their 
voices,  with  trumpets,  and  cymbals,  and  instruments  of  music, 
saying,  For  he  is  good ;  for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever :  that, 
then,  the  house  was  filled  with  a  cloud,  so  that  the  priests  could 
not  stand  to  minister,  by  reason  of  the  cloud,  for  the  glory  of 
the  Lord  had  filled  the  house  of  God."  He  for  whom  the  tem- 
ple had  been  built,  had  come,  and  taken  possession  of  his 
dwelling. 

"Then  spake  Solomon,  The  Lord  said  that  he  would  dwell  in 
thick  darkness.  I  have  surely  built  thee  an  house  to  dwell  in, 
a  settled  place  for  thee  to  abide  in  for  ever.  And  the  king 
turned  his  face,  and  blessed  all  the  congregation  of  Israel,  (for 
they  were  all  standing.)  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel, 
which  spake  with  his  mouth  unto  David  my  father,  and  hath 
with  his  hand  fulfilled  it.  I  am  risen  up  in  the  room  of  my 
father,  and  sit  on  the  throne  of  Israel,  as  the  Lord  promised, 
and  have  built  an  house  for  the  name  of  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel.  And  I  have  set  there  a  place  for  the  ark,  wherein  is 


360  HISTORY   OF   THE    ISRAELITISH  NATION 

the  covenant  of  the  Lord,  which  he  made  with  our  fathers  when 
he  brought  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt."  "Then  spreading 
his  hands  toward  heaven,  he  said,  Lord  God  of  Israel,  there 
is  no  God  like  thee,  in  heaven  above,  or  earth  beneath,  who 
keepest  covenant  and  mercy  with  thy  servants  that  walk  before 
thee  with  all  their  heart ;  who  hast  kept  with  thy  servant  David, 
niy  father,  that  thou  promisedst  him :  thou  spakest  with  thy 
mouth,  and  hast  fulfilled  it  with  thy  hand,  as  it  is  this  day. 
Therefore,  now,  Lord  God  of  Israel,  keep  with  thy  servant 
David,  my  father,  that  thou  promisedst  him,  saying,  There  shall 
not  fail  thee  a  man  in  my  sight  to  sit  on  the  throne  of  Israel; 
so  that  thy  children  take  heed  to  their  way,  that  they  walk  be- 
fore me  as  thou  hast  walked  before  me.  But  will  God  indeed 
dwell  on  the  earth  ?  behold  the  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  con- 
tain thee;  how  much  less  this  house  that  I  have  builded?  Yet 
have  thou  respect  unto  the  prayer  of  thy  servant,  and  to  his 
supplication,  0  Lord  my  God,  to  hearken  unto  the  cry  and  the 
prayer  which  thy  servant  prayeth  before  thee  this  day.  That 
thine  eyes  may  be  open  toward  this  house  night  and  day,  even  to- 
ward the  place  of  which  thou  hast  said,  My  name  shall  be  there  : 
that  thou  mayest  hearken  unto  the  prayer  which  thy  servant 
shall  make  toward  this  place.  And  hearken  thou  to  the  sup- 
plication of  thy  servant,  and  of  thy  people  Israel,  when  they 
shall  pray  toward  this  place:  and  hear  thou  in  heaven,  thy 
dwell  ing-place :  and  when  thou  hearest,  forgive.  If  any  man 
trespass  against  his  neighbour,  and  an  oath  be  laid  upon  him, 
and  the  oath  come  before  thine  altar,  in  this  house,  then  hear 
thou  in  heaven,  and  do  and  judge  thy  servants,  condemning 
the  wicked,  and  justifying  the  righteous.  When  thy  people 
Israel  be  smitten  before  their  enemies,  because  of  their  sin, 
and  turn  again,  and  confess  thy  name,  and  pray  unto  thee : 
then  hear  thou  in  heaven,  and  forgive  their  sin,  and  bring  back 
thy  people  into  the  land  of  their  fathers.  When  the  heaven  is 
shut  up  because  of  their  sin,  if  they  pray  toward  this  place, 
then  hear  thou  in  heaven,  and  forgive  the  sin  of  thy  servants ; 
that  thou  may  teach  them  the  good  way  wherein  they  should 
walk,  and  give  rain  upon  the  land  of  their  inheritance.  If 
there  be  in  the  land  famine,  pestilence,  or  whatsoever  plague  or 
sickness,  whatsoever  prayer  shall  be  made  by  any  man  or  thy 
people  Israel,  which  shall  know  every  man  the  plague  of  his 
own  heart,  then  hear  thou  and  forgive,  and  give  to  every  man 
according  to  his  ways,  whose  heart  thou  knowest,  (for  thou  only 
knowest  the  hearts  of  the  children  of  men,)  that  they  may  fear 
thee  all  the  days  that  they  live  in  the  land  which  thou  gavest 
their  fathers.  Moreover,  concerning  a  stranger,  when  he  shall 
come  and  pray  toward  this  house,  hear  thou  in  heaven  thy 
dwelling-place,  and  do  according  to  all  that  the  stranger  calleth 


TO   THE  BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  361 

to  thee  for:  that  all  the  people  of  the  earth  may  know  thy 
name  to  fear  thee.  If  thy  people  go  out  to  battle,  whitherso- 
ever thou  shalt  send  them,  and  pray  toward  this  house,  hear 
thou  their  prayer  and  maintain  their  cause.  If  they  sin  against 
thee,  (for  there  is  no  man  that  sinneth  not,)  and  thou  be  angry 
with  them,  and  deliver  them  into  captivity:  if,  then,  they  shall 
bethink  themselves,  and  repent,  and  make  supplication,  saying, 
We  have  sinned  and  done  perversely;  and  so  return  unto  thee 
with  all  their  heart,  and  with  all  their  soul,  and  pray  toward 
this  house ;  then  hear  thou  their  prayer,  and  forgive  thy  people 
that  have  sinned  against  thee,  and  give  them  compassion  before 
them  who  carried  them  captive;  for  they  be  thy  people  and 
thine  inheritance,  which  thou  broughtest  out  of  Egypt,  for  thou 
didst  separate  them  from  all  people  of  the  earth,  to  be  thine 
inheritance.  Now,  my  God,  let,  I  beseech  thee,  thine  eyes  be 
open,  and  let  thine  ears  be  attentive  unto  the  prayer  that  is 
made  in  this  place.  Now,  therefore,  arise,  0  Lord  God,  into 
thy  resting-place,  thou  and  the  ark  of  thy  strength.  Let 
thy  priests,  0  Lord  God,  be  clothed  with  salvation,  and  thy 
saints  rejoice  in  goodness.  0  Lord  God,  turn  not  away  the 
face  of  thine  anointed:  remember  the  mercies  of  David  thy 
servant."* 

When  Solomon  had  made  an  end  of  praying,  he  rose  up  from 
kneeling,  "and  stood  and  blessed  all  the  congregation  of  Israel. 
Blessed  be  the  Lord  that  hath  given  rest  unto  his  people;  there 
had  not  failed  one  word  of  all  his  good  promise,  which  he  pro- 
mised by  the  hand  of  Moses  his  servant.  The  Lord  our  God 
be  with  us,  as  he  was  with  our  fathers,  let  him  not  leave  us  nor 
forsake  us,  that  he  may  incline  our  hearts  unto  him,  to  walk  in 
all  his  ways,  and  to  keep  his  commandments.  Let  your  heart, 
therefore,  be  perfect  with  the  Lord  our  God,  to  walk  in  his 
statutes  and  keep  his  commandments,  as  at  this  day." 

When  this  prayer  was  closed,  and  the  benediction  was  pro- 
nounced, "fire  came  down  from  heaven  and  consumed  the 
burnt-offerings  and  the  sacrifices.  And  when  the  children  of 
Israel  saw  how  the  fire  came  down,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
filled  the  house,  they  bowed  themselves  with  their  faces  to  the 
ground,  and  worshipped,  and  praised  the  Lord,  for  he  is  good ; 
for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever." 

"  Then  the  king,  and  all  the  people,  offered  sacrifices  before 
the  Lord;  and  Solomon  offered  a  sacrifice  of  peace-offerings, 
two  and  twenty  thousand  oxen,  and  an  hundred  and  twenty 
thousand  sheep.  So  the  king,  and  all  the  people,  dedicated 
the  house  of  the  Lord;  and  the  court  which  was  before  the 

*  The  47th,  97th,  98th,  99th,  100th,  and  136th  Psalms,  were  probably  composed 
on  this  occasion.  The  last  words  of  Solomon's  prayer  may  be  found,  with  some 
variations,  in  the  132d  Psalm. 


862  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

house;  for  there  he  offered  burnt- offerings,  for  the  brazen  altar 
was  too  small  for  the  number  of  the  offerings." 

On  this  joyful  occasion,  Solomon,  and  all  the  congregation, 
from  the  entering  of  Hamath  unto  the  river  of  Egypt,  held  a 
feast  of  fourteen  days :  seven  for  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  and 
seven  for  the  dedication.  "  On  the  eighth  day,  or  the  day  after 
the  feast,  he  sent  the  people  away :  and  they  blessed  the  king, 
and  went  unto  their  tents  joyful  and  glad  of  heart,  for  all  the 
goodness  that  the  Lord  had  done  for  David  his  servant,  and 
Israel  his  people."*  Thus  happily  was  this  great  work  accom- 
plished. God  had  visibly,  by  the  fire  from  heaven,  accepted 
the  offering  of  his  people.  The  ark  of  the  covenant,  with  the 
glorious  Shechinah,  found  its  last  resting-place.  Jerusalem  was 
the  place  where  God  was  known ;  and  where,  alone,  he  could 
safely  be  worshipped  by  sacrifices  and  offerings.  From  hence- 
forth, the  high-places  were  sinful  and  idolatrous. 

After  this  the  Lord  appeared  to  Solomon,  and  said  unto  him, 
"I  have  heard  thy  prayer  and  thy  supplication  that  thou  hast 
made  before  me:  I  have  hallowed  this  house  which  thou  hast 
built,  to  put  my  name  there  for  ever;  and  mine  eyes  and  mine 
heart  shall  be  there  perpetually.  And  if  thou  wilt  walk  before 
me,  as  David  thy  father  walked,  in  integrity  of  heart,  and  in 
uprightness,  to  do  according  to  all  that  I  have  commanded  thee, 
and  will  keep  my  statutes  and  judgments:  then  I  will  establish 
the  throne  of  thy  kingdom  for  ever,  as  I  promised  to  David  thy 
father,  saying,  there  shall  not  fail  thee  a  man  upon  the  throne 
of  Israel.  But  if  ye  shall  at  all  turn  from  following  me,  ye  or 
your  children,  and  will  not  keep  my  commandments  and  my 
statutes  which  I  set  before  you,  but  go  and  serve  other  gods, 
and  worship  them ;  then  will  I  cut  off  Israel  out  of  the  land 
which  I  have  given  them ;  and  this  house,  which  I  have  hal- 
lowed for  my  name,  will  I  cast  out  of  my  sight;  and  Israel 
shall  be  a  proverb  and  a  by- word  among  all  people:  and  at 
this  house,  which  is  high,  every  one  that  passeth  by  it  shall  be 
astonished  and  hiss ;  and  shall  say,  Why  hath  the  Lord  done 
this  unto  this  land,  and  to  this  house  ?  And  they  shall  answer, 
Because  they  forsook  the  Lord  their  God,  who  brought  forth 
their  fathers  out  of  Egypt,  and  have  taken  hold  upon  other 
gods,  and  have  worshipped  them,  and  served  them;  therefore 
hath  the  Lord  brought  upon  them  all  this  evil."  A  threaten- 
ing which  was  soon  fulfilled.  Here,  as  always,  we  find  the 
promises  of  God  conditional — they  are  given  only  upon  a 
covenant;  and  in  the  history  we  shall  find  that  as  the  condi- 

*  In  Chronicles,  it  is  said  that  the  king  dismissed  the  people  on  the  twenty-third 
day  of  the  month — which  would  be  the  ninth  day,  or  the  second  after  the  feast. 
Some  suppose,  that  a  part  of  the  people  remained  over  till  the  ninth  day,  and  were 
re-dismissed  by  the  king. 


TO   THE  BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  363 

tions  on  the  part  of  the  people  were  not  fulfilled,  so  they  failed 
to  receive  the  promise.  The  people  whom  we  now  behold  so 
joyful  and  prosperous  in  their  service  of  Jehovah,  we  shall  soon 
see  (what  the  prophetic  prayer  of  Solomon  seemed  to  anticipate) 
bowing  down  to  idols,  and  the  wretched  captives  of  their  foes. 
This  holy  temple,  now  standing  unrivalled  in  its  beauty  and 
richness,  was  soon  plundered  of  its  wealth,  desecrated  by  the 
worship  of  false  gods,  a  hissing  and  astonishment  among  the 
nations.  So  true  is  it  that  all  prosperity,  outward  as  well  as 
inward,  depends  upon  a  close  adherence  to  the  worship  and 
service  of  God. 


SECTION  XII. 

SOLOMON'S  OTHER  BUILDINGS — THE  SOURCE  OF  HIS  WEALTH — SOLOMON'S  OFFENCE, 
THE  TROUBLES  OF  HIS  LATTER  DATS — HIS  DEATH. 

SOLOMON'S  wealth  was  mostly  expended  in  building.  Besides 
the  temple,  he  built  a  palace  for  himself,  which  occupied  thir- 
teen years  in  its  erection.  "He  built  also  the  house  of  the 
forest  of  Lebanon,"  which  was  more  extensive  than  the  temple, 
though  far  less  splendid.  "Around  both  these  palaces  there 
were  large  porches,"  or  colonnades.  A  peculiarly  splendid  abode 
was  erected  for  the  queen,  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh.  All  these 
buildings  were  of  costly  stones,  of  immense  size,  and  covered 
with  cedar.  "In  the  porch  of  judgment,  at  the  royal  palace, 
was  the  great  throne  of  ivory,  overlaid  with  pure  gold.  The 
ascent  to  the  throne  was  by  six  steps,  and  on  each  side  were 
stays,  and  two  lions  stood  beside  the  stays ;  and  upon  the  six 
steps  were  twelve  lions."  In  the  palace  at  Lebanon  "were  two 
hundred  targets  of  beaten  gold,  of  six  hundred  shekels  each ; 
and  three  hundred  golden  shields,  of  three  pounds  to  each 
shield.  All  the  vessels  of  this  house,  and  all  Solomon's  vessels, 
were  of  pure  gold,  none  were  of  silver,  it  was  nothing  thought 
of  in  the  days  of  this  king." 

Besides  these  private  palaces,  Solomon  built  and  fortified  the 
cities  of  Gezer,  which  he  had  received  as  a  dowry  with  the 
queen,  Pharaoh's  daughter;  Hamath,  which  he  captured; 
Tadmor  in  the  wilderness;  the  cities  which  had  been  given  to 
Hiram,*  and  by  treaty  receded  to  Israel;  "and  all  the  cities 
of  store,  and  cities  for  his  chariots,  and  cities  for  his  horsemen, 
and  all  that  which  Solomon  desired  to  build  in  the  land  of  his 
dominion." 

*  When  Hiram  came  to  see  the  cities  which  Solomon  had  given  him  in  the  land 
of  Galilee,  he  was  dissatisfied.  And  as  these  princes  remained  on  friendly  terms, 
and  soon  after  we  find  Solomon  fortifying  these  very  cities,  we  must  suppose  that 
some  other  reward  had  been  given  to  the  king  of  Tyre  for  his  generous  assistance, 
and  that  the  cities  of  Galilee  returned  to  their  former  king. 


364  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

The  men  who  were  employed  in  "these  works  were  the  rem- 
nant of  the  Canaanites,  whom  the  children  of  Israel  were  unable 
to  destroy.  Solomon  used  these  as  bondmen  in  the  more 
laborious  and  menial  parts  of  his  service;  while  the  native 
Israelites  filled  the  stations  of  trust  and  honour.  "  They  we,re 
his  officers,  his  men  of  war,  the  rulers  of  his  chariots  and  horse- 
men, and  rulers  over  those  that  wrought  in  the  work." 

To  carry  forward  and  complete  these  vast  designs,  and  to 
maintain  the  kingdom  in  all  the  luxury  and  splendour  in  which 
it  was  now  existing,  required  a  constant  influx  of  wealth.  The 
drain  upon  the  royal  treasury  must  have  been  immense.  No 
resources  within  the  kingdom  itself  could  have  furnished  any- 
thing like  an  adequate  supply.  Accordingly,  we  find  the 
people  of  Israel,  and  the  king  himself,  now,  for  the  first  time, 
engaged  in  foreign  commerce.  Here  again  Solomon  had 
recourse  to  his  friend  and  ally  the  king  of  Tyre.  As  his  own 
subjects  were  almost  entirely  an  agricultural  people,  they  were 
unfitted  to  build  or  man  the  ships  necessary  for  this  traffic. 
But  by  the  aid  of  Hiram  the  plan  was  executed.  "  Solomon 
fitted  out  a  fleet  in  Ezion-geber,  beside  Eloth,  on  the  shore  of 
the  Red  sea,  in  the  land  of  Edom."  The  fleet  was  manned 
with  a  mixed  crew  of  Hebrews  and  Tyrians.  It  sailed  to  Ophir, 
and  brought  thence  in  gold  four  hundred  and  twenty  talents  to 
the  king.  Besides  the  direct  return,  in  the  precious  metals, 
these  ships  were  no  doubt  laden  with  the  merchandize  of  the 
east,  which  were  disposed  of  all  along  the  shores  of  the  Medi- 
terranean ;  and  thus  Palestine  became  the  centre,  for  a  time, 
of  that  lucrative  trade.* 

The  king  was  at  the  same  time  engaged  in  another  trade — 
from  Egypt,  through  his  dominions  across  the  Syrian  desert, 
and  so  on  eastward.  What  were  the  avails  of  this  trade  we 
are  not  informed,  but  it  was  probably  large ;  as  we  know  from 
more  recent  history,  that  this  commerce  has  always  conferred 
great  wealth  upon  those  who  were  engaged  in  it.  "Linen 
yarn,  horses  and  chariots,  were  brought  from  Egypt,  and  sold 
to  the  Syrians;  and  Solomon's  servants  had  a  complete  mo- 
nopoly of  the  whole  trade." 

In  the  course  of  this  traffic,  Solomon's  wealth  and  wisdom 
became  widely  known.  The  splendour  of  his  court  attracted 
the  admiration  of  other  monarchs.  "And  all  the  earth  sought 
to  Solomon,  to  hear  his  wisdom,  which  God  had  put  into  his 
heart.  And  they  brought  every  man  his  present ;  vessels  of 
gold,  and  vessels  of  silver,  and  garments,  and  armour,  and 
spices,  and  harness,  and  mules,  a  rate  year  by  year."  Among 

*  It  seems  probable  (though  it  is  not  certain  from  the  narrative)  that  Solomon 
and  Hiram  had  another  fleet  trading  along  the  coasts  of  the  Mediterranean  as  far  as 
Tarshish. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  365 

others  who  were  thus  drawn  to  the  king,  was  the  queen  of 
Sheba.  Her  territories  lay  in  the  southern  part  of  Arabia. 
When  the  report  of  Solomon's  wisdom  reached  her,  she  came, 
with  a  large  retinue,  and  a  present  of  gold  and  spices,  and 
precious  stones,  to  prove  Solomon  with  hard  questions.  Solo- 
mon answered  all  her  questions.  The  impression  made  upon 
the  queen,  by  the  wisdom  of  Solomon,  and  the  splendour  of 
his  court,  and  the  temple  service,  was  almost  overwhelming. 
*'  There  was  no  more  spirit  in  her.  And  she  said  to  the  king, 
It  was  a  true  report  that  I  heard  in  mine  own  land,  of  thy 
acts  and  of  thy  wisdom.  Howbeit,  I  believed  not  their  words 
until  I  came,  and  mine  eyes  had  seen  it;  and  behold  the  half 
was  not  told  me :  thy  wisdom  and  prosperity  exceedeth  the 
fame  which  I  heard.  Happy  are  thy  men,  happy  are  these 
thy  servants  which  stand  continually  before  thee,  and  that  hear 
thy  wisdom.  Blessed  be  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  delighted  in 
thee,  to  set  thee  on  the  throne  of  Israel:  because  the  Lord 
loved  Israel  for  ever,  therefore  made  he  thee  king  to  do  judg- 
ment and  justice." 

The  whole  revenue  of  the  king,  from  all  these  sources,  was 
six  hundred  threescore  and  six  talents*  of  gold  a  year,  besides 
that  which  came  from  the  merchantmen,  from  the  kings  of 
Arabia,  and  from  the  governors  of  the  country.  Silver  was  in 
Jerusalem  as  stones,  and  cedars  as  the  sycamore  trees  for 
abundance. 

This  unexampled  tide  of  prosperity  began  to  have  its  influ- 
ence. There  are  few,  perhaps,  who  could  have  lived  in  the 
midst  of  such  luxury,  and  wealth,  and  power,  without  being 
corrupted  by  them.  Solomon,  at  least,  with  all  his  wisdom,  fell, 
and  fell  most  lamentably.  He  has  given  us  his  own  experience, 
filled  with  solemn  warnings,  in  the  book  of  Ecclesiastes.  He 
drank  the  cup  of  earthly  joys,  and  left  upon  record  for  us  the 
satisfaction  which  they  gave,  in  that  short  sentence,  Vanity  of 
vanities,  all  is  vanity.  "But  Solomon  loved  many  strange 
women,  beside  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh" — women  of  the  sur- 
rounding nations,  with  whom  God  had  expressly  forbidden  all 
intermarriage.  Solomon  clave  unto  these  in  love.  He  had 
seven  hundred  wives,  princesses,  and  three  hundred  concubines. 
These  guilty  alliances  were  not  long  in  producing  their  result. 
For  when  Solomon  was  old,  his  wives  turned  away  his  heart 
after  other  gods:  and  his  heart  was  not  perfect  with  the  Lord 
his  God,  as  was  the  heart  of  David  his  father.  For  Solomon 
went  after  Ashtoreth  the  goddess  of  the  Zidonians ;  and  after 

*  The  difficulty  in  regard  to  the  weight  of  the  talent  may  be  removed,  by  sup- 
posing that  in  the  time  of  Solomon  it  had  no  definite  weight,  but  signified  a  flat 
piece  of  metal,  which  might  be  larger  or  smaller,  as  we  use  the  word  ingot.  For 
if  we  take  for  a  talent  the  weight  assigned  to  it  in  the  tables,  as  Prideaux  says,  the 
whole  house  might  have  been  built  of  solid  gold. 


866  HISTORY   OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

Milcom,  the  abomination  of  the  Ammonites.  And  likewise 
did  he  for  all  his  strange  wives,  which  sacrificed  unto  their 
gods.  And  Solomon  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.  And 
the  Lord  was  angry  with  Solomon,  because  his  heart  was  turned 
from  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  which  had  appeared  unto  him 
twice,  and  commanded  him  concerning  this  thing  that  he  should 
not  go  after  other  gods.  Wherefore  the  Lord  said  unto  Solo- 
mon, Forasmuch  as  this  is  done  of  thee,  and  thou  hast  not  kept 
my  covenant  and  my  statutes  which  I  commanded  thee,  I  will 
surely  rend  the  kingdom  from  thee,  and  give  it  unto  thy  servant. 
Notwithstanding,  in  thy  days  I  will  not  do  it,  for  David  thy 
father's  sake ;  but  I  will  rend  it  out  of  the  hand  of  thy  son.  I 
will  not  rend  away  all  the  kingdom,  but  will  give  one  tribe  to 
thy  son,  for  David  my  servant's  sake,  and  for  Jerusalem's  sake 
which  I  have  chosen." 

We  are  not  informed  in  the  history,  what  effect  this  warning 
had  upon  the  guilty  and  besotted  king.  We  may  gather,  how- 
ever, from  the  tone  of  his  later  writings,  that  he  was  brought  to 
true  repentance  and  a  happy  reformation.  It  was  too  late  now 
to  avert  the  calamity  which  was  threatened.  The  clouds  were 
rapidly  gathering  around  this  once  happy  empire.  The  scene 
of  peace  and  prosperity  was  suddenly  overcast.  The  low  mut- 
terings  of  discontent  might  be  heard.  It  was  beginning  to  be 
felt  that  pomp  and  outward  show  did  not  constitute  real  happi- 
ness. A  heavily  taxed  people  were  growing  restless  under 
their  burdens.  In  these  conditions  it  only  needed  the  sin  of 
Solomon  to  bring  about  rebellion  and  civil  war.  Nor  was  this 
all.  Foreign  and  subject  nations  were  beginning  to  rouse  them- 
selves to  resistance.  On  the  south-east,  Hadad,  of  the  royal 
blood  of  Edom,  was  troubling  the  Israelitish  king.  In  the 
slaughter  of  the  Edomites,  by  Joab,  Hadad,  then  an  infant,  had 
escaped,  and  flying  from  one  place  to  another  had  at  last 
reached  Egypt.  He  grew  in  favour  with  the  Egyptian  king, 
and  eventually  married  into  the  royal  family.  On  learning  the 
death  of  David,  he  had  returned  to  his  own  country,  and  began 
"a  petty  warfare  which  Solomon  did  not  repress." 

On  the  north,  another  adversary  appeared,  in  the  king  of 
Damascus.  Rezon  had  revolted  from  Hadadezer  king  of  Zobah, 
and  with  a  band  of  followers  had  made  himself  master  of  Da- 
mascus, and  now  reigned  there.  In  the  later  years  of  Solo- 
mon's reign,  his  power  began  to  be  formidable.  Both  these 
enemies,  as  we  are  told,  were  permitted  thus  to  annoy  the  king 
of  Israel,  as  a  punishment  of  his  sin. 

A  more  serious  enemy,  however,  arose  in  the  midst  of  his  own 
kingdom.  "Jeroboam  the  son  of  Nebat,  an  Ephrathite,  had  dis- 
tinguished himself  as  a  man  of  valour."  Solomon,  seeing  his 
worth,  had  exalted  "him  to  be  a  ruler  over  the  house  of  Joseph." 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  367 

From  his  energy  and  valour,  he  had  no  doubt  acquired  great  influ- 
ence among  the  northern  tribes.  To  this  person,  God  sent  the  pro- 
phet Ahijah.  As  Jeroboam  came  from  Jerusalem,  the  prophet 
met  him  in  the  field,  alone;  "and  rending  his  garment  into 
twelve  pieces,"  delivered  his  energetic  message.  "Take  thee 
ten  pieces:  for  thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  God  of  Israel,  Behold, 
I  will  rend  the  kingdom  out  of  the  hand  of  Solomon,  and  will 
give  ten  tribes  to  thee.  Because  they  have  forsaken  me,  and 
have  worshipped  other  gods,  and  have  not  walked  in  my  ways, 
to  do  that  which  is  right  in  mine  eyes,  to  keep  my  statutes  and 
my  judgments.  Howbeit,  I  will  not  take  the  whole  kingdom 
out  of  his  hands,  he  shall  have  one  tribe,  that  David  my  servant 
may  have  a  light  alway  before  me  in  Jerusalem ;  and  I  will 
make  him  prince,  all  the  days  of  his  life.  But  I  will  take  the 
kingdom  out  of  his  son's  hands  and  will  give  it  thee,  even  the 
ten  tribes;  and  thou  shalt  reign  according  to  all  that  thy  soul 
desireth.  And  it  shall  be,  if  thou  wilt  hearken  unto  all  that  I 
command  thee,  and  walk  in  my  ways,  and  do  that  is  right  in  my 
sight,  to  keep  my  commandments  as  David  my  servant  did ; 
that  I  will  be  with  thee,  and  build  thee  a  sure  house,  as  I  built 
for  David,  and  will  give  Israel  unto  thee.  And  I  will  afflict  the 
seed  of  David,  but  not  for  ever."  This  doing  of  Ahijah  soon 
came  to  the  ears  of  the  king;  "and  Jeroboam's  life  was  no 
longer  safe."  He  therefore  fled  into  Egypt,  unto  Shishak,  and 
remained  there  until  the  death  of  Solomon. 

In  the  midst  of  these  thickening  calamities,  Solomon  slept 
•with  his  fathers,  and  was  buried  in  the  city  of  David.  It  was 
well  for  him  that  he  did  not  live  to  see  the  results  of  his  con- 
duct. He  had  reigned  forty  years,  with  scarcely  any  thing  to 
check  the  flow  of  prosperity.  He  found  the  kingdom  strong, 
and  apparently  containing  the  elements  of  perpetuity ;  he  left 
it  in  actual  decay.  He  came  to  the  throne  in  a  time  of  peace ; 
he  left  it  shaken  by  foreign  war,  and  internal  strife.  A  united 
people  welcomed  him  to  the  kingdom,  with  great  joy;  he  so 
ruled  that  few  probably  mourned  over  his  death.  With  all  his 
great  wisdom,  a  love  of  display,  a  voluptuous  life,  and  a  sinful 
departure  from  the  true  God ;  brought  misery  upon  a  happy 
people,  and  covered  his  own  name  with  deep  disgrace.  And 
yet  few,  perhaps,  would  have  stood  the  test  to  which  he  was 
subjected,  better  than  Solomon.  It  is  more  difficult  to  meet  the 
trials  of  prosperity  than  of  adversity.  It  is  no  uncommon 
thing  to  see  men  fail  here,  who  have  walked  without  reproach 
through  the  very  deepest  of  afflictions.  And  the  fact  that, 
though  he  was  thus  under  the  power  of  the  world,  and  his  own 
corruption,  he  yet,  by  God's  grace,  recovered  himself,  and  died 
in  the  fear  of  God,  ought  to  redeem  his  character,  in  some  mea- 
sure, from  the  reproach  under  which  it  lies.  At  all  events,  in 


368  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

any  just  estimate  of  his  character,  we  must  take  into  account 
his  virtues,  as  well  as  his  vices ;  his  wisdom,  his  generosity,  his 
zeal  at  first  for  the  worship  of  God,  as  well  as  his  love  of  the 
world,  and  his  shameful  idolatry. 


SECTION  XIII. 

DIVISION     OF     THE     KINGDOM — EEHOBOAM'S     REIGN,    AND    DEATH — JEROBOAM,    THE 
CONTEMPORARY   OF    REHOBOAM    AND  ABIJAM. 

SOLOMON  left  but  one  son,  "Rehoboam,  the  son  of  Naamah, 
an  Ammonitess,  who  was  forty-one  years  old  when  his  father 
died,"  and  he  prepared  to  ascend  the  throne.  "All  Israel  had 
assembled  at  Shechem ;  and  thither  Rehoboam  went  to  receive 
the  kingdom,  and  their  allegiance.  In  the  mean  time,  Jerobo- 
am had  returned  from  Egypt,  and  appeared  boldly  as  a  leader 
among  the  congregation  of  the  people.  Jeroboam,  and  the 
congregation  through  him,  demanded  a  reduction  of  the  taxes, 
as  a  condition  of  their  service.  "  Thy  father  made  our  yoke 
grievous ;  now,  therefore,  make  thou  the  service  of  thy  father, 
and  the  yoke  which  he  put  upon  us,  lighter,  and  we  will  serve 
thee."  Three  days  were  taken  for  deliberation:  during  which 
Rehoboam  consulted  with  his  counsellors.  The  old  men  who 
had  stood  before  his  father,  and  were  better  acquainted  with 
the  true  condition  of  things ;  advised  him  to  treat  the  request 
of  the  people  kindly,  "and  speak  good  words  unto  them." 
The  young  men,  who  had  grown  up  with  the  king,  on  the  con- 
trary, advised  him  to  return  a  threatening  answer,  which  should 
bring  the  disaffected  to  submission.  When  the  appointed  day 
came,  Rehoboam,  following  the  advice  of  his  young  companions, 
answered  the  people  roughly,  saying,  "My  father  made  your 
yoke  heavy,  and  I  will  add  to  your  yoke ;  my  father  chastised 
you  with  whips,  but  I  will  chastise  you  with  scorpions."  The 
naughty  monarch  was  left  to  take  his  own  course.  There  was 
no  sympathy  between  him  and  his  people.  The  cruelty  of  this 
answer  at  once  crushed  every  loyal  feeling  on  the  part  of  his 
subjects.  Through  his  folly  and  pride,  was  wrought  out,  by  the 
providence  of  God,  the  prediction  which  the  Lord  had  spoken, 
by  Ahijah  the  Shilonite,  to  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Nebat. 

"  The  words  of  the  king  brought  things  to  a  crisis.  The  dis- 
affection, which  might  have  been  satisfied  by  prudent  conces- 
sions, ripened  into  rebellion.  The  people  said  to  the  king, 
"What  portion  have  we  in  David?  neither  have  we  inheritance 
in  the  son  of  Jesse :  to  your  tents,  0  Israel :  now  see  to  thine 
own  house,  David."  Rehoboam  was  not  at  first  aware  of  the 
extent  of  the  defection ;  and  sent  Adoram  to  collect  the  tribute. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  369 

The  excited  people  "stoned  him  to  death,"  and  the  terrified 
king  fled  in  haste  to  Jerusalem.  "  So  Israel  rebelled  against 
the  house  of  David ;  but  the  cities  of  Judah  remained  faithful 
to  their  king."  All  the  northern  and  eastern  tribes  took  Jero- 
boam and  made  him  king:  and  it  seems  probable,  that  the 
tribe  of  Benjamin  was  carried  away  with  them ;  though  it  soon 
returned  to  its  allegiance. 

The  first  thoughts  of  the  king  were  to  recover  his  dominion 
by  war.  For  this  purpose,  he  collected  from  Judah  and  Benja- 
min an  hundred  and  eighty  thousand  chosen  men.  But  as  he 
was  about  to  march,  Shemaiah  the  prophet  came  with  a  mes- 
sage from  God  to  this  infatuated  king:  "Thus  saith  the  Lord, 
Ye  shall  not  go  up,  nor  fight  against  your  brethren ;  return 
every  man  to  his  house ;  for  this  thing  is  from  me."  The  civil 
war  was  thus,  for  a  time,  averted;  they  obeyed  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  and  returned  home. 

Rehoboam  had  learned  prudence  from  the  severity  of  the 
lesson  which  he  had  received.  Although  there  was  no  amity 
between  him  and  Jeroboam,  yet  we  do  not  learn  that  he  took 
any  active  measures  towards  regaining  his  kingdom.  Aside  from 
the  prohibition  of  the  prophet,  there  were  reasons  of  state  suffi- 
cient to  keep  him  from  such  a  hopeless  and  ruinous  undertaking. 
After  his  return  to  Jerusalem,  he  devoted  himself  with  great 
energy  to  fortifying  the  remnant  of  the  kingdom  which  re- 
mained faithful.  He  had  probably  learned  the  purposes  of  the 
king  of  Egypt ;  for  the  towns  which  he  built  and  garrisoned 
were  chiefly  situated  in  that  part  of  his  kingdom  lying  toward 
Egypt.  Doubtless,  also,  Hadad  the  Edomite  was  becoming 
more  and  more  formidable. 

While  Rehoboam  was  thus  preparing  himself  against  any 
attack  from  without,  he  was  gradually  gaining  adherents  from 
the  best  of  the  Israelitish  kingdom.  Grieved  at  the  idolatry 
of  Jeroboam,  "the  priests  and  the  Levites  that  were  in  all 
Israel  resorted  to  Judah  and  Jerusalem.  And  after  them,  out 
of  all  the  tribes  of  Israel,  such  as  set  their  hearts  to  seek  the 
Lord  God  of  Israel,  came  to  Jerusalem,  to  sacrifice  unto  the 
Lord  God  of  their  fathers.  So  they  strengthened  the  kingdom 
of  Judah  and  Rehoboam,  for  three  years  they  walked  in  the 
way  of  David  and  Solomon." 

Even  Judah,  however,  did  not  long  resist  the  example  of  its 
kings.  Solomon  had  worshipped  the  gods  of  his  wives;  and 
Rehoboam,  probably,  followed  in  the  steps  of  his  father,  at 
least  so  far  as  his  mother's  religion  was  concerned,  and  the 
whole  tribe  almost  immediately  lapsed  into  idolatry  and  the 
most  abominable  sin.  "And  Judah  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord,  and  provoked  him  to  jealousy  with  their  sins ;  for  they 
built  them  high  places,  and  images,  and  groves,  on  every  high 


370  HISTORY   OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATIOX 

hill  and  under  every  green  tree."  There  were  also  those  who 
practised  the  most  shocking  immoralities,  for  which  the  Canaan- 
itish  nations  had  been  destroyed  from  the  land.  We  can  hardly 
believe  that  those  who  dwelt  almost  in  sight  of  the  temple,  and 
beneath  the  protection  of  Jehovah,  should  sink  so  soon  into  the 
very  lowest  depths  of  sin.  But  the  example  of  the  great  was 
fatally  contagious ;  and  there  was  no  strength  of  principle  in  the 
mass  of  the  people  to  resist  it. 

A  nation  so  lost  to  all  true  religious  principle  could  not  ex- 
pect any  longer  the  protection  of  God.  A  rod  was  prepared 
for  them,  which  they  were  soon  to  feel.  "It  came  to  pass,  in 
the  fifth  year  of  Kehoboam,  Shishak,  king  of  Egypt,  came  up 
against  Jerusalem,  with  twelve  hundred  chariots  and  sixty 
thousand  horsemen,  and  people  without  number,  and  took  the 
fenced  cities  of  Judah."  It  is  probable  that  Jeroboam  per- 
suaded Shishak  to  undertake  this  expedition,  in  order  to  cripple 
and  embarrass  his  rival.  As  the  Egyptian  host  drew  near  to 
Jerusalem,  Shemaiah  the  prophet  came  to  Rehoboam,  and  the 
princes  of  Judah,  and  said,  "  Thus  saith  Jehovah,  Ye  have 
forsaken  me,  and  therefore  have  I  also  left  you  in  the  hand  of 
Shishak."  The  message  of  the  prophet  brought  the  king  and 
princes  in  humility  before  God.  "And  when  the  Lord  saw 
that  they  humbled  themselves,  he  sent  the  prophet,  saying,  I 
will  not  destroy  them,  but  will  grant  them  some  deliverance. 
Nevertheless  they  shall  be  the  servants  of  Shishak;  that  they 
may  know  my  service,  and  the  service  of  the  kingdoms  of  the 
countries."  Accordingly  the  Egyptian  king  came  to  Jerusalem, 
took  away  the  treasures  of  the  temple  and  of  the  king's  house, 
and  the  golden  shields  which  Solomon  had  made.  For  some 
reason  (most  probably  the  submissive  reception  which  Rehoboam 
had  given  him)  Shishak  retired  without  doing  any  other  serious 
injury  to  the  kingdom.  The  real  cause  of  this  inexplicable 
conduct,  was  the  unconscious  influence  exerted  by  God  upon  the 
mind  of  the  Egyptian  king.  The  time  when  the  kingdom  of 
Judah  should  be  destroyed  had  not  yet  come,  and  Rehoboam 
was  left  in  the  peaceful  possession  of  his  throne. 

Like  his  father,  Rehoboam  had  taken  a  multitude  of  wives. 
The  favourite  queen  was  Maachah,  the  daughter  or  grand- 
daughter of  Absalom.  Her  son  Abijam,  or  Abijah,  was  made 
chief  amongst  his  brethren,  and  educated  as  the  heir  to  the 
throne.  After  the  invasion  of  Shishak,  we  hear  little  more  of 
this  king.  He  replaced  the  golden  shields  with  others  of  brass, 
which  were  carried  before  him  when  he  went  to  and  came  from 
the  temple.  We  know  not  whether  the  repentance  and  humilia- 
tion was  genuine  or  not.  In  some  cases  it  was  so,  for  we  are 
told  "that  in  Judah,  things  went  well;"  but  whether  there  was 
a  real  change  in  the  life  of  the  king  is  not  certain.  The  last 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  371 

record  we  have  is,  "  that  he  did  evil,  because  he  prepared  not 
his  heart  to  seek  the  Lord."  He  died,  after  a  reign  of  seven- 
teen years,  and  was  buried  in  the  city  of  David ;  and  Abijam 
his  son  reigned  in  his  stead.  Rehoboam  received  the  kingdom, 
embarrassed  with  the  results  of  Solomon's  luxury  and  sin.  His 
foolish  and  haughty  answer  to  the  prayer  of  an  oppressed 
people,  brought  about  the  disastrous  event  which  chiefly  marks 
his  reign.  In  his  later  years  he  appears  as  a  prudent,  but 
irreligious  king ;  and  left  his  diminished  kingdom  in  a  pros- 
perous condition,  and  under  an  efficient  government,  to  his  son 
Abijam. 

Meanwhile  Jeroboam  was  not  at  all  fulfilling  the  charge  which 
Ahijah  had  given  him.  Immediately  after  his  election  to  the 
throne  of  Israel,  he  built  Shechem,  as  the  capital  of  his  king- 
dom, and  Penuel  on  the  east  of  Jordan,  to  secure  the  allegiance 
of  the  eastern  tribes.  His  next  care  was  to  provide  for  the 
people  a  religion.  He  feared  that  the  people,  if  they  were 
allowed  to  go  and  sacrifice  in  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  would 
return  in  their  affections  to  Rehoboam.  He  therefore  devised 
a  political  religion  by  which  he  hoped  to  retain  the  hearts  of  his 
subjects.  "He  made  two  calves  of  gold,  (such  doubtless  as  he 
had  seen  worshipped  during  his  exile  in  Egypt,)  and  said  to  the 
people,  It  is  too  much  for  you  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem :  behold 
thy  gods,  0  Israel,  which  brought  thee  up  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt.  And  he  set  the  one  in  Dan,  and  the  other  at  Bethel," 
at  the  northern  and  southern  extremes  of  the  kingdom.  The 
plan  became  a  sin  to  Israel.  The  people  fell  in  readily  with 
the  suggestion  of  Jeroboam.  Solomon's  idolatry  had,  no  doubt, 
prepared  them  for  such  a  step.  He  appointed  likewise  priests 
out  of  the  house  of  Levi.  He  ordained  feasts  like  those  which 
God  had  commanded  by  Moses,  but  upon  different  days.  "  So 
he  offered  upon  the  altar  which  he  had  made  in  Bethel,  in  the 
month  which  he  had  devised  in  his  own  heart,  and  ordained  a 
feast  unto  the  children  of  Israel." 

While  Jeroboam  "  stood  at  the  altar  burning  incense,  there 
came  out  of  Judah  a  man  of  God,  by  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
and  cried  against  the  altar,  0  altar,  altar !  thus  saith  the  Lord, 
Behold,  a  child  shall  be  born  unto  the  house  of  David,  Josiah 
by  name ;  and  upon  thee  shall  he  offer  the  priests  of  the  high 
places  that  burn  incense  upon  thee ;  and  men's  bones  shall  be 
burnt  upon  thee."  "And  he  gave  a  sign,  Behold,  the  altar 
shall  be  rent  and  the  ashes  shall  be  poured  out." 

Jeroboam  ordered  him  to  be  arrested,  but  the  arm  of  the 
king,  which  he  put  forth  against  him,  was  withered.  And  the 
altar  was  rent,  as  had  been  predicted.  The  astonished  monarch 
now  asks  the  man  of  God  to  pray  that  his  hand  might  be  re- 
stored. And  he  besought  the  Lord,  and  the  king's  hand  was 


372  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

restored  as  before.  Jeroboam  now  asked  the  man  who  had 
warned  him  to  come  and  share  his  hospitality.  "But  the  man 
of  God  said,  If  thou  wilt  give  me  half  thine  house,  I  will  not 
go  in  with  thee ;  for  so  was  it  charged  me  by  the  Lord,  Eat 
no  bread,  nor  drink  water,  nor  turn  again  by  the  same  way  that 
thou  earnest."  It  will  be  remembered  that  Bethel  was  the  seat 
of  a  school  of  the  prophets.  The  sons  of  an  old  prophet,  who 
dwelt  there,  overheard  the  conversation  between  the  man  of 
God  and  the  king,  and  told  their  father.  The  old  prophet  im- 
mediately pursued  after  the  man  of  God,  and  found  him  resting 
under  an  oak.  Under  the  pretence  that  he  had  received  a  mes- 
sage from  God  to  this  effect,  he  persuades  him  to  return,  and 
eat  and  drink  at  his  house.  While  they  were  yet  at  the  table, 
the  word  of  the  Lord  came,  denouncing  punishment  upon  the 
man  of  God  for  his  disobedience,  in  returning  and  eating  in  the 
house  of  the  false  prophet.  The  sentence  was  almost  instantly 
executed.  As  he  was  returning  after  the  meal,  a  lion  met  him 
in  the  way,  and  slew  him,  and  there  stood  sentinel  over  his  car- 
cass, until  intelligence  was  carried  into  the  city ;  and  the  old 
false  prophet  came  and  took  the  body  of  the  man  he  had  seduced, 
and  carried  him  to  the  city  for  burial.  And  they  buried  him, 
and  mourned  over  him,  saying,  Alas !  my  brother.  After  the 
burial,  the  old  prophet  charged  his  sons  that  they  should  bury 
him  in  the  sepulchre  with  the  man  of  God:  "lay  my  bones  be- 
side his  bones ;  for  the  saying  which  he  cried,  by  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  against  the  altar  of  Bethel,  and  against  all  the  high 
places  in  Samaria,  shall  surely  come  to  pass."  All  these  mi- 
racles, and  even  the  death  of  the  true  prophet  for  his  disobe- 
dience, made  no  lasting  impression  upon  Jeroboam.  He  still 
went  on  in  his  evil  way.  "And  this  thing  became  sin  unto  the 
house  of  Jeroboam,  to  destroy  it  from  off  the  face  of  the  earth." 

We  have  no  full  account  of  the  mode  in  which  Jeroboam  ad- 
ministered his  government.  From  his  known  energy  and  bra- 
very, we  may  judge  that  he  did  not  lose  any  part  of  his  kingdom 
without  a  struggle.  The  only  other  incidents  recorded  in  his 
history,  occur  in  the  reign  of  Abijam,  king  of  Judah. 

Abijam  succeeded  to  the  throne  of  Judah  without  any  com- 
motion. His  reign  was  short  and  without  any  great  interest. 
The  only  memorable  thing  recorded  of  him,  is  the  battle  so 
disastrous  to  Jeroboam.  It  was  not  to  be  expected  that  these 
rival  kingdoms,  though  bound  together  by  many  ties,  could 
yet  remain  long  without  war.  During  the  reign  of  Reho- 
b'oam,  both  kings  had  other  objects  which  demanded  their 
attention.  Neither  had  the  time  nor  the  means  to  attack  the 
other.  They  were  fully  employed  in  securing  their  own  king- 
doms, without  molesting  others.  Still  there  was  no  cordial 
friendship  between  them.  On  the  first  opportunity  the  smoth- 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  373 

ered  enmity  breaks  out  into  open  war.  The  contest  terminated, 
for  the  present,  in  a  single  and  bloody  battle.  Abijam  led  out 
an  army  of  four  hundred  thousand  chosen  men.  Jeroboam 
met  him  with  an  army  twice  as  large,  all  mighty  men  of  valour. 
The  armies  met  in  Zemaraim,  in  mount  Ephraim.  In  the 
presence  of  both  armies,  Abijam  asserts  the  justice  of  his  cause, 
and  encourages  his  followers  with  the  assurance  that  Jehovah 
would  fight  for  them.  "Hear  me,  thou  Jeroboam,  and  all 
Israel.  Ought  ye  not  to  know  that  the  Lord  God  of  Israel 
gave  the  kingdom  to  David  for  ever?  Yet  Jeroboam  hath 
rebelled  against  his  lord,  and  gathered  to  himself  vain  men,  the 
children  of  Belial.  And  now  ye  think  to  withstand  the  king- 
dom of  the  Lord  in  the  hands  of  the  sons  of  David.  Have  ye 
not  made  golden  calves  for  gods,  and  cast  out  the  priests  of  the 
Lord,  the  sons  of  Aaron.  But  as  for  us,  the  Lord  is  our  God, 
and  we  have  not  forsaken  him,  and  the  priests,  the  sons  of 
Aaron,  wait  upon  their  service ;  and  burn  unto  the  Lord  offer- 
ings and  incense,  and  keep  the  charge  of  the  Lord  our  God.* 
And  behold  God  himself  is  with  us  for  our  captain,  and  his 
priests  to  cry  alarm  against  you.  0  children  of  Israel,  fight 
not  against  the  Lord  God  of  your  fathers ;  for  ye  shall  not 
prosper."  This  address,  no  doubt,  had  its  intended  effect.  It 
must  have  dispirited  the  forces  of  Jeroboam.  They  were  not 
so  far  lost  to  their  former  religion  that  they  could  array  them- 
selves against  God  with  clear  consciences,  or  stout  hearts.  They 
at  first  surrounded  the  men  of  Judah ;  but  at  the  shout  of  the 
battle  they  fled,  and  God  delivered  them  into  the  hand  of  Judah. 
"  There  fell  down  slain  of  Israel  five  hundred  thousand  chosen 
men."  As  the  fruit  of  the  victory  Abijam  took  the  cities  of  Be- 
thel, Jeshanah,  and  Ephrain,  all  bordering  towns  between  Benja- 
min and  Ephraim.  "Thus  the  children  of  Israel  were  brought 
under,  for  a  time,  and  the  children  of  Judah  prevailed,  be- 
cause they  relied  upon  the  Lord  God  of  their  fathers." 

Abijam  reigned  only  three  years,  "and  walked  in  the  sins  of 
his  father,  which  he  had  done  before  him:  and  his  heart  was 
not  perfect  with  the  Lord  his  God.  Yet  for  David's  sake  the 
Lord  his  God  gave  him  a  lamp  in  Jerusalem."  With  this  short 
and  melancholy  record  Abijam's  history  terminates.  He  was 
buried  in  the  city  of  David,  and  Asa  his  son  reigned  in  his 
stead. 

Jeroboam  never  recovered  from  the  shock  of  that  disastrous 
battle.  His  energy  and  courage  failed  him.  He  doubtless 
felt  that  the  hand  of  God  was  upon  him.  For  just  previous  to 

*  This  artful  speech  was  true  in  the  main;  but  comes  with  an  ill  grace  from  Abi- 
jam, who  was  only  an  indifferent  character.  It  was  true,  however,  that  the  temple 
service  was  continued,  and  doubtless  many  of  the  people  of  Judah  were  sincere 
worshippers  of  the  true  God;  while  Israel  was  very  generally  corrupted  with  the 
idolatry  of  Jeroboam. 


374  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

this,  or  at  this  time,  he  had  received  that  startling  message 
from  the  prophet  who  had  anointed  him,  threatening  the  utter 
destruction  of  his  whole  family.  The  occasion  upon  which  he 
received  it  was  the  following.  His  favourite  son,  Abijah,  was 
dangerously  ill,  and  the  anxious  father  sent  his  wife,  disguised, 
to  the  aged  prophet  Ahijah,  to  learn  what  should  be  the  fate  of 
the  child.  As  the  mother  came  to  the  door,  the  prophet  (pre- 
viously informed  by  God  of  her  coming)  salutes  her  as  the  wife 
of  Jeroboam,  and  delivers  his  message  of  woe.  "Go,  tell  Jero- 
boam, thus  saith  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as  I  exalted  thee  from 
among  the  people,  and  made  thee  prince  over  my  people  Israel ; 
and  thou  hast  not  kept  my  commandments,  and  followed  me 
with  all  thy  heart,  therefore  I  will  bring  evil  and  utter  de- 
struction upon  the  house  of  Jeroboam.  Him  that  dieth  in  the 
city  shall  the  dogs  eat ;  and  him  that  dieth  in  the  field  shall  the 
fowls  of  the  air  eat :  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it.  And  when 
thy  feet  enter  into  the  city  the  child  shall  die.  And  all  Israel 
shall  mourn  over  him;  and  he  only  of  Jeroboam  shall  come  to 
the  grave,  because  in  him  there  is  found  some  good  thing 
toward  the  Lord  God  of  Israel.  Moreover,  the  Lord  shall  raise 
him  up  a  king  who  shall  cut  off  the  house  of  Jeroboam.  For 
the  Lord  shall  smite  Israel,  as  a  reed  is  shaken  in  the  water, 
and  he  shall  root  up  Israel  out  of  this  good  land,  which  he  gave 
ta  their  fathers,  and  shall  scatter  them  beyond  the  river, 
because  they  have  made  their  groves,  provoking  the  Lord  to 
anger;  because  of  the  sins  of  Jeroboam,  who  did  sin,  and  who 
made  Israel  to  sin."  As  the  stricken  mother  came  to  her  beau- 
tiful palace  at  Tirzah,  the  child  died ;  and  they  buried  him,  and 
all  Israel  mourned,  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord. 

Suffering  under  the  loss  of  his  army,  and  sick  at  heart  with 
the  death  of  his  son,  and  the  woes  to  come  in  the  future,  Jero- 
boam, after  a  reign  of  twenty-two  years,  died,  and  Nadab  his 
son  reigned  in  his  stead.  Jeroboam  was  a  brave  man,  but  not 
a  great  one.  His  sole  object  was  to  prevent  the  re-union  of 
the  tribes.  In  doing  this,  he  committed  the  grand  error  and 
sin  of  his  life.  He  lacked  entirely  trust  in  God.  He  did  not 
recognize,  in  any  sense,  his  subordination  to  God,  as  the  real 
King  of  Israel.  He  attempted,  like  Saul,  to  rule  the  kingdom 
upon  mere  worldly  principles,  and  in  doing  this,  he  fell  into  sin, 
and  the  sin  brought  with  it  swift  destruction. 


TO   THE  BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  375 


SECTION  XIV. 

THE     GOOD     REIGN     OF     ASA — CONTEMPORARY    KINGS    OF    ISRAEL — NADAB,     BAASHA, 
ELAH,   ZIMRI,    (OMRI   AND   TIBNI,)    OilRI    ALONE,    AHAB. 

ASA  came  to  the  throne  of  Judah  at  a  propitious  moment.  The 
victory  of  Abijam  had  materially  increased  the  strength  of  the 
kingdom.  Its  consequences  were  felt  during  the  first  ten  years 
of  Asa's  reign,  in  a  happy  peace.  Asa  began  his  reign  in 
a  totally  different  spirit  from  his  two  predecessors.  "  He  did 
that  which  was  right  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  as  did  David  his 
father.  He  took  away  the  sodomites  out  of  the  land,  and  re- 
moved the  idols  that  his  fathers  had  made."  So  thorough  was 
the  reformation,  that  the  queen-mother  (or  grandmother)  was 
removed  from  her  authority,  and  her  idol  destroyed.  But  the 
high  places  at  which  Jehovah  was  worshipped  were  not  re- 
moved. "Nevertheless,  his  heart  was  perfect  with  the  Lord  all 
his  days ;  and  he  brought  the  things  which  his  father  had  dedi- 
cated, and  that  he  himself  had  dedicated,  into  the  temple,  and 
commanded  Judah  to  seek  the  Lord  God  of  their  fathers,  and 
to  do  the  law  and  the  commandment."  The  happy  consequences 
of  this  reformation  were  everywhere  visible.  The  Lord  gave 
the  land  rest.  The  pious  king  brought  around  him  all  the  real 
worshippers  of  Jehovah  in  the  land.  They  nocked  to  his  stan- 
dard with  great  enthusiasm.  His  enrolled  soldiers  were  five 
hundred  and  eighty  thousand,  all  mighty  men  of  valour.  This 
scene  of  quiet  was  soon  changed  by  a  threatened  invasion  from 
the  south.  Zerah  the  Ethiopian  (or  Cushite)  came  against  him 
with  a  numerous  host,  stated  as  a  million  of  men,  with  three 
hundred  chariots.  Relying  upon  Jehovah,  Asa  went  out  to  meet 
him,  and  set  the  battle  in  array,  in  the  valley  of  Zephathah. 
"And  Asa  cried  unto  the  Lord  his  God,  Lord,  it  is  nothing  for 
thee  to  help,  whether  with  many  or  with  them  who  have  no 
power :  help  us,  0  Lord  our  God,  for  we  rest  on  thee,  and  in 
thy  name  we  go  against  this  multitude.  0  Lord,  thou  art  our 
God;  let  not  man  prevail  against  thee."  This  prayer  was 
heard.  The  multitude  of  the  Cushites  were  destroyed  before 
the  Lord,  and  before  his  host,  and  Asa  and  the  people  pursued 
them  even  unto  Gerar.  "And  they  smote  the  cities  round 
about  Gerar,  (for  the  fear  of  the  Lord  came  upon  them,)  and 
took  away  very  much  spoil,  and  sheep  and  camels  in  abun- 
dance." 

As  the  victorious  host  of  Judah  were  returning  with  their 
spoil,  they  were  met  by  the  prophet  Azariah,  the  son  of  Oded, 
with  this  encouraging  message  :  "  Hear  ye  me,  Asa,  and  Judah, 
and  Benjamin.  The  Lord  is  with  you  while  ye  be  with  him; 


376  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

and  if  ye  seek  him  he  will  be  found  of  you ;  but  if  ye  forsake 
him  he  will  forsake  you.  For  a  long  season  Israel  (Judah)  hath 
been  without  the  true  God,  and  without  a  teaching  priest,  and 
without  law.  But  when  they,  in  their  trouble,  did  turn  unto 
the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  and  sought  him,  he  was  found  of  them. 
In  those  times  God  did  vex  them  with  adversity.  Be  ye  strong, 
therefore,  and  let  not  your  hands  be  weak :  for  your  work  shall 
be  rewarded."  Encouraged  by  this  message,  Asa  addressed 
himself  with  new  energy  to  extirpate  idolatry.  Many  strangers 
from  Ephraim,  Manasseh,  and  Simeon,  fell  to  him  out  of  Israel. 
Then  these,  with  all  Judah  and  Benjamin,  "in  the  fifteenth  year 
of  Asa,  entered  into  covenant  to  seek  the  Lord  God  of  their 
fathers,  with  all  their  heart  and  with  all  their  soul ;  that  whoso- 
ever would  not  seek  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  should  be  put  to 
death,  whether  small  or  great.  And  all  Judah  rejoiced  at  the 
oath :  for  they  had  sworn  with  all  their  heart,  and  sought  him 
with  their  whole  desire :  and  he  was  found  of  them,  and  the 
Lord  gave  them  rest  round  about." 

This  was  a  genuine  and  lasting  revival.  So  far,  Asa's  reign 
was  one  of  the  happiest  of  the  kings  of  Judah.  But,  in  his 
later  years,  his  faith  failed  him.  When  Baasha,  king  of  Israel, 
came  and  took  Ramah,  and  built  and  fortified  it,  "to  the  intent 
that  he  might  let  none  go  out  or  come  in  to  the  king  of  Judah,"* 
Asa,  the  conqueror  of  Zerah,  whose  faith  had  taught  him  that 
God  could  help  alike  with  few  or  many,  now  employed  the 
wealth  of  the  temple  and  the  royal  treasures  to  induce  the  king 
of  Syria  to  come  to  his  aid,  by  attacking  Baasha.  Benhadad,  the 
Syrian  king,  hearkened  to  his  request,  and  sent  an  army  against 
the  king  of  Israel.  The  plan  succeeded.  Baasha,  when  he 
heard  of  the  Syrian  invasion,  left  building  of  Ramah,  and 
went  to  protect  his  own  dominions.  With  the  materials  which 
Baasha  had  accumulated,  Asa  built  Geba  and  Mizpah.  The 
unhappy  king  thus  removed  his  enemy,  but  incurred  the  reproof 
of  Hanani  the  seer.  Reminding  the  king  of  his  former  faith 
and  consequent  victory,  he  charges  him  with  the  present  defec- 
tion :  "  For  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  run  to  and  fro  throughout  the 
whole  earth,  to  show  himself  strong  in  behalf  of  those  whose 
heart  is  perfect  towards  him.  Herein  thou  hast  done  foolishly, 

*  In  the  Chronicles  it  is  said  that  this  took  place  in  the  36th  year  of  Asa  ;  but 
Baasha  died  in  Asa's  26th  year.  We  must  therefore  suppose  that  the  time  was 
reckoned  from  the  division  of  the  kingdom,  or  that  a  mistake  has  crept  into  the 
account  of  the  chronicler.  The  first  supposition  would  agree  very  well  with  the 
history,  but  apparently  conflicts  with  the  statement  that  the  peace  lasted  until  Asa's 
35th  year.  But  if  we  make  this  date  also  to  count  from  .the  division,  then  all  will 
be  clear.  In  favour  of  this  may  be  urged,  that  Baasha's  attack  seems  to  have  been 
prompted  by  the  passing  over  of  so  many  to  covenant  with  Asa  to  serve  the  Lord : 
which  took  place  in  the  3oth  year  after  the  separation.  We  cannot  be  certain, 
however,  where  the  mistake  lies.  It  may  easily  have  entered  in  the  course  of  so 
many  years,  and  many  transcriptions. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  377 

therefore  from  henceforth  thou  shalt  have  wars."  Enraged  at 
the  bold  reproof  of  the  prophet,  Asa  put  him  in  prison ;  and,  it 
is  added,  he  oppressed  some  of  the  people  at  the  same  time,  pro- 
bably those  who  had  disapproved  of  his  conduct.  During  the 
last  three  years  of  his  reign,  Asa  suffered  from  disease,  but  he 
sought  only  to  the  physicians,  and  not  to  the  Lord  for  relief. 
His  afflictions  seem,  for  a  time  at  least,  to  have  hardened  him 
more  than  to  correct  his  faults.  He  found  it  easier  to  relax  his 
hold  upon  God  than  to  regain  it.  After  three  years  of  suffer- 
ing, and  in  the  forty-first  year  of  his  reign,  Asa  slept  with  his 
fathers,  and  was  buried  in  his  own  sepulchre,  in  the  city  of 
David,  with  a  costly  and  magnificent  funeral. 

Asa  was  one  of  the  few  kings  who  obtained  the  praise  that 
he  walked  in  the  steps  of  David  his  father.  His  sincere 
and  prudent  zeal  against  the  idolatry  of  his  fathers,  and  the 
thoroughness  with  which  he  carried  out  the  reformation,  entitle 
him  to  a  place  among  the  best  of  the  kings.  He  kept  steadily 
in  view  his  true  position,  as  the  vicegerent  of  God,  who  was  the 
real  King  of  his  people.  He  acted  generally  from  conscience, 
and  not  from  policy.  And  though  his  latter  years  are  stained 
with  unbelief  and  cruelty,  yet  we  cannot  but  hope  that  he  lived 
to  repent  of  his  errors,  and  died  in  the  spirit  and  blessings  of 
that  covenant :  "  to  seek  the  Lord  God  of  his  fathers  with  all 
his  heart." 

We  return  to  the  kingdom  of  Israel.  In  the  second  year  of 
Asa,  Nadab,  the  son  of  Jeroboam,  began  to  reign  over  Israel. 
He  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  walked  in  the  way  of 
his  father.  Early  in  his  reign,  he  marched  with  a  large  army 
into  the  country  of  the  Philistines,  and  laid  siege  to  Gibbethon. 
The  siege  was  cut  short  by  the  assassination  of  the  king.  Baa- 
sha  the  son  of  Ahijah,  of  the  tribe  of  Issachar,  rose  up  against 
him  and  slew  him,  and  all  his  house,  until  the  word  of  the  Lord 
concerning  Jeroboam  was  fulfilled.  Nadab  reigned  but  one 
year  and  part  of  the  second ;  a  part  of  the  year  being  counted 
as  a  whole.  The  dynasty  of  Jeroboam  perished  with  Nadab. 

There  does  not  appear  to  have  been  any  serious  opposition  to 
the  designs  of  Baasha.  He  succeeded  immediately  to  the  hon- 
our and  power  of  the  king  he  had  murdered.  His  reign  began 
during  the  third  year  of  Asa ;  and  he  also  did  evil  in  the  sight 
of  the  Lord,  and  walked  in  the  way  and  sin  of  Jeroboam.  We 
know  little  of  his  reign,  except  the  war  with  Asa,  which  ended 
with  the  affair  at  Ramah.  We  may  gather  from  the  account  of 
this  event,  however,  that  he  had  formed  an  alliance  with  Ben- 
hadad  the  king  of  Syria  (Damascus).  This  was  probably  formed 
in  the  early  part  of  his  reign.  His  kingdom  thus  secure  on 
the  north,  he  turned  his  arms  against  Judah,  but  was  called 
back  by  the  faithless  conduct  of  Benhadad,  who,  taking  the 


378  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

bribe  of  Asa,  had  invaded  the  kingdom  of  Israel.  In  the  latter 
part  of  his  life,  he  also  received  a  warning  from  God,  by  the 
mouth  of  Jehu  the  son  of  Hanani,  in  like  terms  with  that  sent  to 
Jeroboam,  and  threatening  the  destruction  of  his  whole  house 
as  a  punishment  for  his  sin ;  for  he  also  made  Israel  to  sin. 
It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  these  men,  and  the  other  wicked 
kings,  were  not  punished  alone  for  their  own  sin ;  but  for  their 
influence  in  drawing  away  the  people  of  God  from  his  service. 
It  would  be  well  if  this  lesson  were  borne  in  mind  by  those 
placed  in  stations  of  trust  and  honour.  After  a  reign  of  twenty- 
four  years,  Baasha  died,  and  was  buried  in  Tirzah,  (now  a  royal 
city,)  and  Elah  his  son  reigned  in  his  stead. 

Elah  gave  himself  up  to  drunkenness  and  revelling.  His 
army,  under  Omri,  were  sent  against  Gibbethon,  from  which  the 
Israelites  had  retired  when  his  father  Baasha  murdered  Nadab. 
In  the  second  year  of  his  reign,  Zimri,  captain  of  half  his 
chariots,  while  Elah  was  drinking  himself  drunk  in  the  house 
of  the  steward,  at  Tirzah,  slew  him,  and  usurped  his  authority. 
As  soon  as  Zimri  was  seated  on  the  throne,  he  slew  the  whole 
house  of  Baasha,  and  "left  it  utterly  desolate."  Thus  expired 
another  of  the  Israelitish  dynasties. 

Zimri  did  not  long  enjoy  the  reward  of  his  crimes.  So  soon 
as  the  army  at  Gibbethon  learned  that  Elah  was  slain,  and  the 
throne  usurped  by  the  traitor,  they  made  their  general,  Omri, 
king.  The  siege  of  Gibbethon  was  again  raised.  Omri,  with 
the  army,  marched  to  Tirzah,  and  took  the  city,  after  a  short 
siege.  Zimri  fled  to  the  royal  palace,  "  and  burnt  the  king's 
house  over  him  with  fire,"  and  died,  for  his  sins  which  he  sinned 
in  doing  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.  The  murder  of  Elah,  the 
election  of  Omri  by  the  army,  the  march  to  Tirzah,  and  the 
suicide  of  the  murderer,  occupied  only  seven  days.  Omri  did 
not  come  to  the  throne  without  opposition.  The  nation  were 
divided  into  two  equal  parts,  "half  of  the  people  followed 
Tibni  son  of  Ginath,  and  half  followed  Omri."  After  a  long 
conflict,  Tibni  was  conquered.  He  was  unable  to  cope  with  the 
superior  generalship  and  disciplined  forces  of  his  rival,  and 
Omri  became  sole  occupant  of  the  throne.  There  was  no  prin- 
ciple involved  in  all  these  strifes.  And  though  God  in  his  pro- 
vidence used  one  of  these  men  to  punish  another,  and  thus 
wrought  out  his  holy  purpose ;  yet  they  were  actuated  only  by 
the  most  selfish  and  cruel  lust  of  power.  No  one  of  them 
appears  to  have  had  a  thought  of  any  religious  reformation. 
All  were  alike  firmly  wed  to  their  idolatry. 

Omri  came  to  the  throne  without  any  great  crime.  He 
reigned  in  all  twelve  years,  from  the  twenty-seventh  to  the 
thirty-eighth  year  of  Asa.  Five  of  these  years  were  spent  in 


TO  THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  379 

the  war  with  Tibni.  The  only  thing  recorded*  of  Omri,  aside 
from  his  religious  character — which  was  worse  than  any  of  the 
kings  before  him — is  the  selection  of  a  new  capital.  Tirzah 
was  incapable  of  sustaining  any  siege.  Omri  himself  had  taken 
it  almost  by  storm.  He  accordingly  purchased  a  hill  from 
Shemer,  from  whom  the  city  took  its  name,  Samaria.  This 
important  city  was  finely  situated,  both  for  strength  and  beauty. 
The  hill  upon  which  it  was  placed,  rose  from  the  centre  of  a 
large  plain.  The  surrounding  country  was  fertile  and  highly 
cultivated :  and  the  strength  of  the  place  may  be  best  learned 
from  the  siege  it  sustained  in  the  subsequent  history  of  this 
kingdom.  After  completing  this  work,  Omri  died,  and  was 
buried  in  Samaria.  Ahab  his  son  reigned  in  his  stead. 

Ahab  was  both  a  weak  and  wicked  king.  It  is  recorded  of 
him,  "  that  he  did  more  to  provoke  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  to 
anger  than  all  the  kings  that  went  before  him."  The  sin  of 
the  previous  monarchs  of  Israel  consisted  in  the  worshipping  of 
the  true  God  by  images.  In  addition  to  this,  Ahab,  having 
married  Jezebel,  the  daughter  of  Eth-baal,  king  of  the  Zido- 
nians,  went  and  worshipped  false  gods — Baal  and  Ashtoreth 
(Astarti.)*  He  built  a  temple  and  altar  to  these  gods  in  his 
capital.  The  abominable  and  obscene  rites  which  accompanied 
the  worship  of  these  idol  gods,  could  not  but  outrage  the 
feelings  of  every  true  Israelite.  The  prophets  were  unsparing 
in  their  rebukes,  and  consequently  incurred  the  deadly  hatred 
of  Jezebel.  She  took  it  upon  herself  to  defend  the  worship  and 
priests  of  Baal;  and  Ahab,  who  was  the  slave  of  this  haughty 
woman,  gave  her  the  weight  of  his  authority.  Now  began  the 
martyr  age  of  the  prophets.  There  were  large  numbers  of  them 
at  this  time  in  Israel.  One  man  (Obadiah,  the  governor  of  the 
king's  house)  concealed  and  sustained  an  hundred.  Many  were 
murdered.  More  probably  fled  into  the  neighbouring  kingdom. 
Everything  went  as  Jezebel  wished.  The  weak  king  publicly 
worshipped  her  idols;  and  the  whole  nation,  apparently,  bowed 
the  knee  to  Baal. 

*  From  an  allusion,  in  the  later  history,  it  appears  that  he  must  either  have  been 
at  war  with  Syria  (Damascus)  or  else  have  tamely  submitted  to  his  authority.  For 
Benhadad  boasts  to  Ahab  that  his  father  had  made  streets  in  Samaria.  A  little 
incident  occurred  in  the  reign  of  Ahab,  showing  clearly  the  fulfilment  of  the  divine 
threatenings.  Notwithstanding  the  curse  of  Joshua,  a  man  by  the  name  Kiel 
determined  to  rebuild  Jericho.  "  He  laid  the  foundation  thereof  in  Abiram,  his 
first-born,  and  set  up  the  gates  in  his  youngest  son  Segub." 

t  It  is  generally  believed  that  Baal  and  Astarti  were  personifications  of  the  sun 
and  moon,  the  most  ancient  idolatry  of  the  eastern  nations. 


380  HISTORY   OP    THE  1SRAELITISH   NATION 


SECTION  XV. 

AHAB'S   REIGN   CONTINUED — HISTORY  OF  ELIJAH   THE  PROPHF.T — ARAB'S  WAR  WITH 

BENHADAD THE    SIN  OF  AHAB THE  REIGN  OF    JEHOSHAPHAT,  KING  OF    JUDAH 

THE   DEFEAT  AT  RAMETH JEHOSHAPHAT'S  CIVIL  GOVERNMENT HIS  COMMERCE 

HIS   WAR   WITH   MOAB   AND   AMMON. 

IN  this  sad  state  of  the  kingdom,  the  prophet  Elijah  appears 
before  us.  This  great  and  bold  reformer  breaks  in  upon 
us,  as  he  probably  did  upon  the  idolatrous  king,  without  any 
warning,  and  with  that  startling  message.*  "And  Elijah 
the  Tishbite  said  to  Ahab,  As  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  liv- 
eth,  before  whom  I  stand,  there  shall  not  be  dew  nor  rain 
these  three  years,  but  according  to  my  word."  With  this 
message  ringing  in  his  ears,  he  left  the  guilty  king.  He 
knew  what  was  to  be  expected  from  the  merciless  disposi- 
tion of  Jezebel.  "And  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  him, 
saying,  Get  thee  hence,  and  turn  thee  eastward,  and  hide  thy- 
self by  the  brook  Cherith,  that  is  before  Jordan.  And  thou 
shalt  drink  of  the  brook,  and  I  have  commanded  the  ravens 
to  feed  thee  there."  Elijah  did  as  commanded,  and  was 
fed  as  was  promised.  From  the  want  of  rain  the  brook  failed, 
and  God,  taking  care  for  his  faithful  servant,  "commanded 
him  to  go  to  Zarephath,  which  belonged  to  Zidon,  and  dwell 
there:  behold,  I  have  commanded  a  widow  woman  there  to 
sustain  thee.  So  he  arose  and  went,  and  found  the  woman 
at  the  gate  of  the  city  gathering  sticks,  and  called  to  her  to 
bring  him  a  little  water  to  drink.  As  she  was  going  for  the 
water,  he  asked  her  to  bring  him  a  morsel  of  bread  in  her  hand." 
At  this  request  the  generous  woman  was  brought  to  confess  her 
situation.  "As  the  Lord  thy  God  liveth,  I  have  not  a  cake, 
but  a  handful  of  meal  in  a  barrel  and  a  little  oil  in  a  cruse : 
and  behold  I  am  gathering  sticks  that  I  may  go  in  and  dress  it 
for  me  and  my  son,  that  we  may  eat  it,  and  die.  And  Elijah  said 
unto  her,  Fear  not;  go  and  do  as  thou  hast  said:  but  make  me 
thereof  a  little  cake  first,  and  bring  it  unto  me,  and  after  make 
for  thee  and  thy  son.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel, 
The  barrel  of  meal  shall  not  waste,  nor  the  cruse  of  oil  fail,  until 
the  day  that  the  Lord  sendethrain  upon  the  earth."  She  also, 
in  a  strong  faith,  went  and  did  as  directed,  and  to  her  the 
promise  was  abundantly  fulfilled. 

This  was  all  evidently  miraculous.  The  whole  history  here 
contains  more  miracles  than  any  other  part  of  the  sacred  his- 

*  It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  the  history  of  Elijah  and  Elisha  occupy  more  space 
than  the  political  history  of  the  kingdom.  The  same  thing  is  characteristic  of  the 
whole  history,  and  shows  its  design.  Only  those  kings  are  dwelt  upon  at  any  length 
whose  reigns  are  in  some  way  connected  with  the  religious  condition  and  training 
of  the  people.  This  is  the  main  element  in  all  the  books. 


TO   THE  BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  381 

tor y,  if  we  except  the  period  of  the  exodus,  and  the  life  of  our 
Lord. 

While  Elijah  abode  at  Zarephath,  the  only  son  of  the  widow 
fell  sick  and  died.  In  her  anguish  the  mother  came  to  the  pro- 
phet, "and  said,  What  have  I  to  do  with  thee,  0  thou  man  of 
God?  Art  thou  come  unto  me  to  call  my  sin  to  remembrance, 
and  to  slay  my  son?"  Moved  at  the  sight  of  her  grief,  "Elijah 
took  her  son  and  laid  him  upon  his  own  bed,  And  cried  unto  the 
Lord,  0  Lord  my  God,  hast  thou  also  brought  evil  upon  the 
widow  with  whom  I  sojourn,  by  slaying  her  son?  And  he 
stretched  himself  upon  the  child  three  times,  and  cried  unto 
the  Lord:  0  Lord  my  God,  I  pray  thee  let  the  child's  soul' 
come  to  him  again."  The  Lord  heard  the  voice  of  Elijah;  the 
child  was  restored  to  life,  and  the  astonished  mother  professes 
her  faith,  "  by  this  I  know  that  thou  art  a  man  of  God,  and  that 
the  word  of  the  Lord  in  thy  mouth  is  truth."  Thus  was  this 
woman  rewarded  for  her  faith  and  her  kindness  to  the  exiled 
prophet. 

After  three  years,  Elijah,  by  the  command  of  God,  goes  to 
meet  Ahab,  and  declare  to  him  the  return  of  rain.  The  king 
had  not  been  quiet  in  the  meantime.  Finding  the  word  of  the 
prophet  true,  and  his  land  suffering  from  thirst,  he  had  sought 
for  Elijah,  and  had  sent  to  every  kingdom,  taking  an  oath  from 
them  that  they  knew  not  where  he  was.  It  was  with  no  kind 
intention  that  Ahab  sought  Elijah.  He  had  been  only  hardened 
by  his  reproof,  and  sought  his  life. 

The  land  was  now  groaning  with  a  famine.  As  Elijah  went 
to  Ahab,  he  met  Obadiah,  a  good  man,  one  who  feared  God  in. 
the  midst  of  the  general  apostacy,  and  had  showed  kindness  to 
the  persecuted  prophets.  Obadiah  was  in  office  at  the  court, 
and  was  now  going  in  one  direction,  while  the  king  went  in  an- 
other, in  search  of  water.  When  Obadiah  met  the  prophet,  he 
fell  on  his  face,  and  said,  "Art  thou  that  my  lord  Elijah?" 
He  answered,  "lam;  go  tell  thy  lord,  behold,  Elijah  is  here." 
Obadiah  objected  that  while  he  was  gone  Elijah  would  disappear, 
and  the  disappointed  king  would  slay  him  in  his  anger.  He 
pleads  his  former  kindness  to  the  prophets,  in  the  persecutions 
of  Jezebel,  as  a  reason  why  he  should  not  thus  be  exposed  to 
the  cruel  tyranny  of  Ahab.  "  Then  Elijah  said,  As  the  Lord 
of  hosts  liveth,  before  whom  I  stand,  I  will  surely  show  myself 
unto  him  to-day."  Obadiah  went  and  called  the  king.  When 
Ahab  saw  Elijah,  "he  said,  Art  thou  he  that  troubleth  Israel? 
And  he  answered,  I  have  not  troubled  Israel:  but  thou  and  thy 
father's  house,  in  that  ye  have  forsaken  the  commandments  of 
the  Lord,  and  thou  hast  followed  Baalim."  Then  follows  the 
scene  between  Elijah  and  the  prophets  of  Baal.  At  the  com- 
mand of  Elijah,  Ahab,  who  was  now  awed  by  the  miraculous 


382  HISTORY  OF   THE    ISRAELITISH   NATION 

powers  of  Elijah,  gathered  all  Israel  and  the  false  prophets  at 
Carmel.  Elijah  then  appealed  unto  the  people:  "How  long 
halt  ye  between  two  opinions  ?  If  the  Lord  be  God,  follow  him : 
but  if  Baal,  then  follow  him.  The  people  answered  not  a  word." 
Elijah  then  proposed  that  Baal's  prophets  should  build  an  altar, 
and  slay  the  sacrifice :  and  that  he,  as  the  only  prophet  of  the 
God  of  Israel,  should  do  the  same;  and  that  the  God  who 
answered  by  fire  from  heaven  should  alone  be  worshipped  as 
the  true  God.  The  besotted  idolatrous  priests  accepted  the  pro- 
position. They  first  built  their  altar,  prepared  their  sacrifice, 
and  called  upon  Baal  from  morning  until  noon.  Elijah  then 
taunted  them :  "  Cry  aloud :  for  he  is  a  god ;  either  he  is  talking, 
or  pursuing,  or  on  a  journey,  or  peradventure  he  is  sleeping, 
and  must  be  awaked."  Provoked  by  this  irony,  they  lacerated 
themselves  with  knives,  but  to  no  purpose.  When  this  farce 
had  gone  so  far  that  all  were  satisfied,  Elijah  called  all  the  people 
unto  him,  and  repaired  the  broken  altar  of  the  Lord.  And 
took  twelve  stones,  according  to  the  number  of  the  tribes,  and 
built  an  altar,  surrounded  with  a  deep  trench.  Upon  the  altar 
were  laid  the  pieces  of  the  victim ;  and  then  four  barrels  of 
water  were  poured  upon  the  sacrifice  and  the  altar.  To  show 
that  there  was  no  fraud,  this  was  done  a  second  and  a  third 
time,  until  the  trench  was  full.  Then,  at  the  time  of  the 
evening  sacrifice,  in  the  calmness  and  majesty  of  a  simple  faith, 
with  no  outcries  or  cuttings,  he  utters  his  prayer:  "Lord  God 
of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  of  Israel,  let  it  be  known  this  day  that 
thou  art  God  in  Israel,  and  that  I  am  thy  servant,  and  that  I 
have  done  all  these  things  at  thy  word.  Hear  me,  0  Lord,  hear 
me,  that  this  people  may  know  that  thou  art  the  Lord  God,  and 
that  thou  hast  turned  their  heart  back  again.  Then  the  fire 
of  the  Lord  fell,  and  consumed  the  burnt  sacrifice,  and  the 
wood,  and  the  stones,  and  the  dust,  and  licked  up  the  water  in 
the  trench.  When  the  people  saw  it,  they  fell  on  their  faces, 
and  said,  The  Lord  he  is  the  God:  the  Lord  he  is  the  God." 
While  the  people  were  yet  under  the  influence  of  this  astonish- 
ing miracle,  Elijah  commanded  them  to  take  these  false  prophets 
and  slay  them  at  the  brook  Kishon,  which  ran  at  the  foot  of 
the  mountain.  Ahab,  no  doubt,  gave  his  consent  to  the  sen- 
tence of  the  prophet,  which  was  in  accordance  with  the  express 
command  of  God's  law.  (Deut.  xiii.  5.) 

He  then  promised  the  king  that  there  should  be  abundance 
of  rain,  and  went  again  to  the  top  of  Carmel  to  pray  that  the 
promise  might  be  fulfilled.  After  waiting  long,  and  sending 
his  servant  seven  times  to  look  for  its  approach,  his  prayer  was 
answered.  A  little  cloud  arises  out  of  the  Mediterranean,  gra- 
dually covers  the  heavens  with  blackness,  and  pours  its  waters 
upon  the  thirsty  earth.  And  Elijah  went  with  Ahab  to  Jezreel. 

% 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  383 

We  should  think  that  such  a  series  of  miracles  would  have 
convinced  the  wicked  Jezebel,  or  at  least  have  awed  her  into 
submission  to  the  service  of  Jehovah.  But  the  moment  she 
learned  the  execution  of  her  prophets,  she  avows  her  purpose 
to  take  the  life  of  Elijah,  in  revenge.  To  escape  her  wrath,  the 
prophet  fled  into  Judah,  from  thence  to  Beersheba,  and  from 
thence  a  day's  journey  into  the  desert,  toward  Sinai.  He 
who  had  been  so  bold,  and  reproved  Ahab  to  his  face,  was  now 
fearful  before  the  passion  of  this  haughty  woman.  In  despair, 
at  the  want  of  the  success  he  had  probably  anticipated,  he 
requests  that  he  may  die.  "  It  is  enough ;  now,  0  Lord,  take 
away  my  life;  for  I  am  not  better  than  my  fathers."  While 
in  the  desert,  "an  angel  touched  him,  and  said,  Arise,  eat. 
And  he  looked,  and  behold,  a  cake  baken  on  the  coals,  and  a 
cruse  of  water  at  his  head:  and  he  did  eat  and  drink,  and  laid 
down  again."  This  was  repeated  a  second  time,  and  in  the 
strength  of  this  the  prophet  went  forty  days  and  forty  nights, 
unto  Horeb,  the  mount  of  God. 

In  Horeb  the  Lord  appeared  to  him,  with  the  question, 
"What  dost  thou  here,  Elijah?  And  he  said,  I  have  been 
very  jealous  for  the  Lord  God  of  hosts:  for  the  children  of 
Israel  have  forsaken  thy  covenant,  thrown  down  thine  altars, 
and  slain  thy  prophets  with  the  sword ;  and  I,  I  only,  am  left, 
and  they  seek  my  life  to  take  it  away."  To  the  despairing 
prophet,  God  revealed  himself,  in  a  strong  wind,  in  the  earth- 
quake, and  in  the  fire ;  and  after  these  displays  of  his  power,  he 
came  in  the  still  small  voice;  "and  when  Elijah  heard  it  he 
wrapped  his  face  in  his  mantle,  and  went  out,  and  stood  in  the 
mouth  of  the  cave."  The  same  question  was  asked  as  before, 
and  the  same  answer  returned.  And  the  Lord  said,  "  Go  to  the 
wilderness  of  Damascus,  and  anoint  Hazael  king  over  Syria; 
and  Jehu  the  son  of  Nimshi  king  over  Israel;  and  Elisha  the  son 
of  Shaphat  prophet  in  thy  room.  He  that  escapeth  the  sword 
of  Hazael  shall  Jehu  slay ;  and  he  that  escapeth  Jehu  shall 
Elisha  slay."  God  having  thus  appointed  the  instruments  by 
whom  he  would  vindicate  his  justice,  encourages  the  sinking 
faith  of  Elijah,  by  this  unexpected  assurance:  "I  have  left  me 
seven  thousand  in  Israel,  which  have  not  bowed  the  knee  unto 
Baal."  So  he  departed  thence  and  found  Elisha  ploughing  in 
the  field ;  and  he  cast  his  mantle  over  him ;  and  immediately 
Elisha  left  all  and  went  after  Elijah,  and  ministered  unto  him. 
He  could  not  mistake  or  resist  the  divine  impression,  which 
followed  the  act  of  Elijah.  Like  the  apostles,  at  the  calling  of 
our  Lord,  there  was  no  delay  or  questioning.  Elijah  now 
disappears  from  the  history  for  a  time.  Doubtless  he  and  his 
scholar  were  earnestly  engaged  in  the  private  duties  of  their 

O 


384  HISTOKY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

office;  building  up  the  schools  of  the  prophets,  and  strength- 
ening the  faith  of  the  true  Israel  of  God. 

During  the  general  apostacy,  and  probably  led  on  by  the 
distress  of  the  people  in  the  famine,  Benhadad,  the  king  of 
Syria,  invaded  the  dominions  of  Ahab.  He  came  with  a  large 
number  of  tributary  princes;  and  advanced,  without  serious 
opposition,  to  the  capital  itself.  Exulting  in  his  succss,  he 
sent  messengers  to  Ahab;  " thy  silver  and  thy  gold  is  mine; 
thy  wives  also,  and  thy  children,  even  the  goodliest,  are  mine." 
The  terrified  Ahab  consented  at  once  to  his  insulting  demands : 
"  I  am  thine,  and  all  that  I  have."  Upon  this  submission  Ben- 
hadad sends  again  the  former  message,  with  this  addition,  that 
his  servants  should  search  the  palace  and  houses  of  Samaria,  and 
take  away  whatever  was  desirable  to  its  owner.  This  outrage- 
bus  demand  gave  Ahab  the  courage  of  despair.  He  called  a 
counsel  of  his  officers,  and  they  advised  him  not  to  consent.  To 
Benhadad's  demand,  he  replied,  that  he  would  do  as  at  first 
proposed,  but  further  he  could  not  go.  The  Syrian  king  boasts 
that  he  would  utterly  destroy  Samaria.  "The  gods  do  so  to 
me,  and  more  also,  if  the  dust  of  Samaria  shall  suffice  for  hand- 
fuls  for  all  the  people  that  follow  me.  And  the  king  of  Israel 
answered,  Tell  him,  Let  not  him  that  girdeth  on  his  harness 
boast  himself  as  he  that  putteth  it  off."  Benhadad  now  pre- 
pared to  execute  his  threat,  and  pressed  the  siege  with  vigour. 

In  this  emergency,  the  prophets,  who  were  always  in  the  true 
sense  patriotic,  appeared  to  encourage  the  king,  whom  they 
knew  mainly  as  a  persecutor,  but  now  as  the  defender  of  God's 
chosen  people.  One  of  them  assured  him,  in  the  name  of  Je- 
hovah, "Behold,  I  will  deliver  the  great  multitude  of  thine 
enemies  into  thy  hand,  this  day ;  and  thou  shalt  know  that  I 
am  the  Lord."  And  Ahab  said,  By  whom?  The  prophet 
answered,  By  the  young  men  of  the  provinces,  and  that  the  king 
himself  should  lead  in  the  battle.  Ahab  then  numbered  two 
hundred  princes,  and  seven  thousand  men.  With  this  small 
force  he  marched  out,  and  attacked  the  Syrian  host,  while 
engaged  in  drinking  and  feasting.  Benhadad  gave  his  orders 
without  leaving  his  cups,  that  the  company  of  the  Israelites 
should  be  captured  and  brought  into  the  camp.  But  a  sudden 
panic  seized  his  men.  A  supernatural  fear  fell  upon  them,  and 
they  were  powerless  before  the  Israelites.  Benhadad  and  his 
host  fled,  and  the  king  of  Israel  smote  the  horses,  and  chariots, 
and  Syrians,  with  a  great  slaughter. 

The  prophet  warned  the  victorious  king  to  strengthen  him- 
self for  another  attack.  The  Syrians  were  not  discouraged  at 
their  defeat.  The  battle  which  they  had  lost  had  been  fought 
with  chariots,  and  upon  rough  ground.  The  counsellors  of 


TO   THE  BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  385 

Benhadad  advised  Mm  to  number  an  army  like  the  previous 
one,  and  to  meet  the  Israelites  in  the  plain;  where  (as  they 
termed  them)  the  gods  of  the  hills  would  not  assist  them.  At 
the  return  of  the  year,  accordingly,  Benhadad  came  with  his 
host,  and  encamped  in  Aphek,  probably  in  the  great  battle-plain 
of  Esdraelon.  The  children  of  Israel,  who  went  out  to  meet 
them,  were  like  little  flocks  of  kids,  while  the  Syrians  filled  the 
land.  At  this  juncture  Ahab  was  again  assured  of  success. 
"A  man  of  God  came  to  him,  and  said,  Thus  saith  the  Lord, 
Because  they  said,  The  Lord  is  God  of  the  hills  and  not  God  of 
the  valleys,  I  will  deliver  all  this  great  multitude  into  thine 
hand,  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord."  After  seven 
days  the  Syrians  were  again  defeated,  with  numerous  loss.  An 
hundred  thousand  men  perished  in  the  battle,  and  twenty-seven 
thousand  by  the  fall  of  a  wall  in  Aphek.  By  the  advice  of  his 
servants,  the  boastful  Syrian  now  casts  himself  upon  the  mercy 
of  Ahab.  Instead  of  using  his  victory  to  break  the  power  of 
his  enemy,  and  the  enemy  of  God  and  the  true  religion,  this 
infatuated  king  salutes  him  by  the  name  of  brother,  and  sends 
him  away  in  peace,  with  the  condition  that  the  cities  which  his 
father  had  taken  should  be  restored,  and  Ahab  should  have  the 
right  of  building  streets  in  Damascus. 

Upon  this,  a  prophet,  getting  another  man  to  wound  him,  pre- 
sents himself,  covered  with  ashes  and  disguised,  to  the  king, 
with  this  parable :  "  Thy  servant  went  out  into  the  midst  of 
the  battle ;  and  behold  a  man  turned  aside  and  brought  a  man 
unto  me:  and  said,  Keep  this  man;  if  by  any  means  he  be 
missing,  then  shall  thy  life  be  for  his  life,  or  thou  shalt  pay  a 
talent  of  silver.  And  as  thy  servant  was  busy  here  and  there, 
he  was  gone."  The  king  replied,  that  the  judgment  should  be 
according  to  the  agreement.  And  the  prophet,  taking  the 
ashes  from  his  face,  applied  the  parable  to  the  king.  "Thus 
saith  the  Lord,  Because  thou  hast  let  go  out  of  thy  hand  a  man 
whom  I  appointed  to  utter  destruction,  therefore  thy  life  shall 
go  for  his  life,  and  thy  people  for  his  people."  The  victorious 
king,  in  the  midst  of  his  triumphs,  returned  to  Samaria,  displeased 
and  sorrowing. 

We  now  get  a  glimpse  of  the  private  life  of  this  wicked  king, 
and  Elijah  breaks  upon  us  again  with  his  bold  and  stern  rebukes. 
Near  by  the  palace  of  Ahab  was  the  vineyard  of  Naboth  the 
Jezreelite.  Ahab  wished  to  secure  it  as  an  addition  to  his  gar- 
dens, and  offered  to  purchase  it  at  its  value.  But  it  was  the 
inheritance  of  Naboth,  and,  by  the  law  of  God,  could  not  be 
alienated.  He  therefore  declined  the  offers  of  the  king.  Vexed 
at  his  failure,  Ahab  went  to  his  palace,  and  refused  to  see  his 
friends,  or  even  to  eat  bread.  Jezebel,  learning  the  cause  of  his 
grief,  and  knowing  no  conscience  at  any  steps  which  might 
25 


38G  HISTOEY  OF   THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION 

reach  her  ends,  regardless  of  all  law,  both  of  God  and  of 
humanity,  sent  her  commands  to  have  Naboth  slain,  under  pre- 
tence of  blasphemy.  The  rulers  were  ready  to  obey  her  com- 
mands. A  religious  fast  was  proclaimed,  false  witnesses  were 
brought  to  prove  the  guilt  of  Naboth ;  he  was  condemned  and 
executed,  though  innocent;  and  Jezebel  went  with  the  welcome 
intelligence  to  her  childish  and  pettish  husband.  And  Ahab 
went  down  to  take  possession  of  the  vineyard  of  Naboth. 

But  he  was  not  to  enjoy  the  possession  thus  wickedly  acquired. 
At  the  command  of  God,  Elijah  went  down  and  found  Ahab  in 
his  new  possession,  and  said  to  him,  "  Hast  thou  killed  and  also 
taken  possession?  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  In  the  place  where 
dogs  licked  the  blood  of  Naboth,  shall  dogs  lick  thy  blood,  even 
thine.  And  Ahab  said,  Hast  thou  found  me,  0  mine  enemy  ? 
And  he  answered,  I  have  found  thee,  because  thou  hast  sold 
thyself  to  work  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.  Behold,  I  will 
bring  evil  upon  thee,  and  will  take  away  thy  posterity,  and 
make  thy  house  like  the  house  of  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Nebat. 
And  Jezebel  also  shall  the  dogs  eat  by  the  wall  of  Jezreel." 
Upon  this  rebuke  of  the  prophet,  Ahab  humbled  himself,  and 
apparently  repented,  though  after-events  proved  it  insincere. 
Yet  even  this  assumed  temporary  repentance  led  to  a  modifica- 
tion of  the  sentence.  Elijah  was  informed  that  the  evil  which 
was  denounced  upon  Ahab  himself,  should  not  come  until  the 
days  of  his  son.  The  remainder  of  Ahab's  life  is  inwoven  with 
the  history  of  Jehoshaphat  king  of  Judah,  to  which  we  now 
return. 

Jehoshaphat  ascended  the  throne  at  the  age  of  thirty-five, 
after  the  long  and  prosperous  reign  of  Asa,  his  father.  "  He 
walked  in  the  first  ways  of  David,  and  sought  the  Lord  God  of 
his  father,  and  walked  in  his  commandments,  and  not  after  the 
doings  of  Israel."  He  was  still  more  zealous  against  the  idola- 
try and  sinfulness  of  the  land  than  Asa.  "  Therefore  the  Lord 
established  the  kingdom  in  his  hand :  and  he  had  riches  and 
honour  in  abundance."  In  the  third  year  of  his  reign,  he  esta- 
blished an  itinerant  ministry  of  princes  and  Levites,  who  went 
throughout  all  the  cities  of  Judah,  and  taught  the  people  out 
of  the  book  of  the  law  of  the  Lord.  Thus  faithful  to  God, 
the  kingdom  of  Judah  was  united  and  happy,  while  their 
brethren  of  Israel  were  rent  and  distracted  with  civil  wars. 
The  fear  of  the  Lord  fell  upon  the  neighbouring  kingdoms,  so 
that  they  made  no  war  with  Jehoshaphat.  The  Arabians  and 
Philistines  brought  large  presents  and  trinkets.  With  a  united 
people  at  home,  and  at  peace  with  foreign  nations,  Jehoshaphat 
"waxed  great  exceedingly,  and  built  castles  and  store  cities." 
His  army  was  divided  into  five  parts,  under  five  generals,  and 
amounted  to  one  million  one  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  men, 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  387 

men  of  valour.  There  were,  besides,  the  forces  in  actual  service 
as  guards  of  the  cities.  Under  this  king,  Judah  rose  to  a  power 
and  wealth  which  it  had  not  known  since  the  separation.  For 
more  than  half  his  reign,  Jehoshaphat  was  thus  contented  and 
prosperous.  At  length,  however,  he  committed  the  great  mis- 
take of  joining  himself  in  affinity  with  the  impious  Ahab.  He 
united  his  son  Jehoram  in  marriage  with  Athaliah,  the  daughter 
of  Ahab  and  Jezebel. 

While  at  the  court  of  the  Israelitish  king,  Ahab  proposes 
that  they  should  unite  their  forces,  to  wrest  Ramoth-gilead  from 
the  hands  of  the  king  of  Syria.*  This  was  an  important  place 
in  the  country  of  the  eastern  tribes.  Jehoshaphat  accedes  to 
the  proposition  at  once.  He  was  not,  however,  willing  to  com- 
mence the  war  without  consulting  God  by  the  prophets.  Ahab 
gathered  his  false  prophets,  and  they,  of  course,  gave  him  the 
highest  assurance  of  success.  Still  Jehoshaphat  was  not  satis- 
fied, and,  at  his  request,  Ahab  sent  and  called  for  Micaiah,  a 
prophet  of  the  Lord,  at  the  same  time  stating  that  he  hated 
him  on  account  of  his  faithful  reproofs.  As  the  two  kings,  in 
royal  apparel,  were  sitting  in  the  gate  of  Samaria,  and  the  false 
prophets  were  vociferously  urging  them  to  go  to  the  battle, 
Micaiah  came  into  their  presence.  To  the  question  of  Ahab,  he 
answered  in  the  words  of  the  false  prophets,  but  in  an  ironical 
tone,  "  Go  and  prosper :  for  the  Lord  shall  deliver  it  into  the 
hand  of  the  king."  Ahab  adjured  him  to  tell  nothing  but  the 
truth,  and  the  prophet  answered,  "I  saw  all  Israel  scattered 
upon  the  hills,  as  sheep  without  a  shepherd :  and  the  Lord  said, 
These  have  no  master;  let  them  return  every  man  to  his  house 
in  peace."  Ahab  understood  this  as  a  discouraging  answer,  and 
as  an  implied  reflection  upon  his  weakness,  and  blamed  Micaiah. 
The  prophet  then  relates  a  vision  which  had  been  made  known 
to  him :  that  God  had  permitted  the  false  prophets  to  persuade 
Ahab  to  go  to  Ramoth  to  die  there.  To  the  injuries  and  insults 
of  the  false  prophets,  this  bold  man  answers  only  by  referring 
them  to  the  time  when  his  predictions  should  be  fulfilled.  The 
enraged  king  commands  him  to  be  imprisoned  until  he  should 
come  in  peace.  "And  Micaiah  said,  If  thou  return  at  all  in. 
peace,  the  Lord  hath  not  spoken  by  me.  And  he  said,  Hearken, 
0  people,  every  one  of  you."  The  fearful  words  of  the  prophet 
did  not  change  the  purpose  of  the  kings.  They  marched 
against  Ramoth.  In  the  battle,  Ahab,  fearing  the  truth  of  the 
prophet's  words,  disguised  himself,  while  Jehoshaphat  fought  as 
king.  Benhadad  ordered  his  officers  to  direct  all  their  efforts 

*  Ahab  was  thus  reaping  the  reward  of  his  morbid  clemency  to  this  faithless  and 
ungrateful  king.  It  had  not  been  more  than  twelve  years  since  Ahab  spared  his 
life,  and  we  find  him  already  in  possession  of  a  part  of  Ahab's  dominions. 


388  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

against  the  king  of  Israel.  They  accordingly  pursued  after 
Jehoshaphat,  but,  discovering  their  mistake,  turned  back  to 
seek  Ahab.  Ahab's  scheme  did  not  save  him.  "A  certain 
man  drew  a  bow  at  a  venture,  and  smote  the  king  of  Israel  be- 
tween the  joints  of  the  harness,  or  armour."  (God  accomplished 
his  purposes  and  fulfilled  the  word  of  the  prophet,  even  by  what 
we  term  a  random  shot.)  The  battle  was  obstinately  contested 
till  night,  when  the  order  was  given  for  every  man  to  seek  his 
city,  and  every  man  his  country.  Ahab  died  at  evening,  and 
•was  buried  in  Samaria.  The  blood  from  his  chariot  was  given 
to  the  dogs,  according  to  the  word  of  Elijah.  His  son  Ahaziah 
reigned  in  his  stead.  Ahab  was  of  a  weak,  yielding  character, 
and,  under  the  influence  of  Jezebel,  sold  himself  to  work  wicked- 
ness. His  reign  is  only  remarkable  as  it  includes  so  large  a 
part  of  the  miracles  and  teachings  of  Elijah;  which,  however 
they  failed  of  producing  any  permanent  effect  upon  the  mind 
of  the  king,  must  yet  have  been  a  great  blessing  to  the  seven 
thousand  pious  of  Israel. 

When  Jehoshaphat  returned  from  Ramoth,  Jehu  the  son  of 
Hanani  met  him,  and  reproved  him  for  his  unwise  expedition. 
"  Shouldest  thou  help  the  ungodly,  and  love  them  that  hate  the 
Lord  ?  therefore  is  wrath  upon  thee  from  the  Lord.  Neverthe- 
less there  are  good  things  found  in  thee,  in  that  thou  hast 
taken  away  the  groves  out  of  the  land,  and  hast  prepared  thine 
heart  to  seek  God."  He  then  went  through  his  kingdom, 
reclaiming  those  who  had  wandered  from  the  faith.  He  estab- 
lished judges  in  the  cities,  and  charged  them  "to  judge  not  for 
man,  but  for  the  Lord,  who  is  with  you  in  judgment.  Where- 
fore let  the  fear  of  the  Lord  be  upon  you,  take  heed  and  do  it: 
for  there  is  no  iniquity  with  the  Lord  our  God,  nor  respect  of 
persons,  nor  taking  of  gifts."*  A  supreme  council,  composed 
of  priests,  Levites,  and  chief  of  the  fathers,  was  established  at 
Jerusalem.  To  these  the  more  important  causes  were  referred 
for  adjudication :  and  they  were  charged  to  deal  faithfully  and 
courageously  in  the  fear  of  Jehovah.  Amariah  the  chief  priest 
was  to  preside  in  all  religious  questions,  and  Zebadiah,  ruler  of 
the  house  of  Judah,  in  civil  matters. 

Having  thus  provided  for  the  administration  of  justice,  Je- 
hoshaphat turned  his  attention  to  commerce.  He  built  ships  at 
Ezion-geber,  to  go  to  Ophir  for  gold.  That  port,  and  the 
intervening  country,  were  still  under  the  power  of  Judah.  At 
first  he  allowed  the  king  of  Israel  to  take  part  in  the  enterprise. 
For  this  the  ships  were  broken.  Taught  by  the  prophet  Eliezer 
as  to  the  cause  of  the  misfortune,  Jehoshaphat  declined  any 

*  It  seems  most  probable  that  the  82d  Psalm  was  composed  at  this  time,  and 
addressed  to  these  judges. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  389 

further  offers  from  Ahaziah,  and  prosecuted  the  enterprise  alone. 
The  trade  does  not  appear  to  have  been  very  successful,  and 
was  not  long  continued. 

Soon  after  this,  we  find  Jehoshaphat  in  alliance  with  the  kings 
of  Israel,  and  engaged  in  carving  on  a  war  with  Moab.  Moab 
had  fallen  to  the  kingdom  of  Israel  in  the  separation.  Until 
the  death  of  Ahab  it  remained  in  subjection,  but  then  rebelled. 
Jehoshaphat  lent  his  aid  to  the  king  of  Israel  in  reclaiming  it  to 
his  subjection.  Exasperated  at  the  part  he  had  taken  in  this 
war,  the  children  of  Moab  turned  their  wrath  against  him. 
They  enlisted  the  Ammonites  and  Edomites  in  their  cause,  and 
secured  aid  from  the  Syrians.  From  all  these  sources  a  large 
army  was  gathered,  and  marched  against  Jehoshaphat.  They 
entered  the  land  of  Judah,  and  pitched  their  camp  at  Engedi. 
Alarmed  at  this  array,  "Jehoshaphat  feared,  and  set  himself  to 
seek  the  Lord,  and  proclaimed  a  fast  throughout  all  Judah." 
The  whole  congregation  were  assembled,  and  the  king  stood  in 
the  court  of  the  temple,  and  prayed,  acknowledging  the  sove- 
reign power  of  God  in  all  things,  and  in  planting  Judah  as  a 
nation ;  pleading  his  promises  to  hear  the  cries  of  his  people  in 
their  emergency ;  urging  their  present  danger  and  distress  as  a 
ground  and  motive  for  his  present  interference,  closing  with 
these  memorable  words  of  humility  and  faith,  "0  our  God, 
wilt  thou  not  judge  them?  for  we  have  no  might  against  this 
great  company  that  cometh  against  us;  neither  know  we  what 
to  do;  but  our  eyes  are  upon  thee."  In  the  silence  that  per- 
vaded that  vast  assembly,  a  single  voice  was  heard,  pronouncing 
deliverance.  Jahaziel,  a  Levite,  moved  by  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord,  encouraged  them  to  go  without  fear  and  meet  th,e  enemy, 
"  and  then  to  stand  still,  and  see  the  salvation  of  the  Lord,  for 
the  battle  is  not  yours,  but  God's."  Upon  this  assurance,  the 
king,  and  all  the  congregation,  bowed  their  faces,  and  offered 
praise  unto  God.  In  the  morning  they  went  as  directed  to  meet 
their  threatening  foe;  but  not  so  much  in  the  strength  of  arms, 
as  in  the  strength  of  faith.  As  they  went,  the  singers  went 
before  them,  praising  God,  "whose  mercy  endureth  for  ever." 
When  they  began  to  sing,  the  allied  forces,  from  a  supernatural 
influence,  quarrelled  among  themselves,  and  destroyed  one 
another;  so  that  when  the  army  of  Jehoshaphat  reached  the 
scene  of  strife,  their  enemies  were  fallen,  "and  nothing  was 
left  for  them  but  to  take  the  spoils  of  the  slain."  After  four 
days  they  returned  with  great  joy,  and  songs  of  thanksgiving. 
"And  the  fear  of  God  was  on  all  those  countries  when  they 
heard  that  the  Lord  fought  against  the  enemies  of  Israel.  So 
the  realm  of  Jehoshaphat  was  quiet ;  for  his  God  gave  him  rest 
roundabout."  Thus  ended  the  days  of  this  pious  king.  "He 
reigned  twenty-five  years,  and  departed  not  from  that  which 


390  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

was  right  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord."  He  was  buried  with  his 
fathers  in  the  city  of  David,  and  Jehoram  his  son  reigned  in 
his  stead. 

Jehoshaphat  was  among  the  best  of  the  kings  of  Judah.  The 
kingdom  was  never  more  happy  or  prosperous  than  under 
his  reign.  He  sought  the  Lord  with  all  his  heart;  and  proved 
the  power  of  a  strict  adherence  to  his  faith,  to  make  a  people 
both  great  and  good.  He  was  loved  by  his  people,  respected 
by  foreign  nations,  and  feared  by  his  foes.  He  did  more  to 
settle  the  kingdom  upon  its  right  principles  than  all  who  had 
preceded  him,  from  David  onward.  He  was  never  elated  by 
success.  He  was  humble  and  relying  upon  the  guidance  and 
arm  of  God  in  all  events.  He  strictly  adhered  to  his  principles 
to  the  last ;  and  in  the  final  public  act  of  his  life,  his  humility 
and  his  faith  shine  the  clearest.  He  stands  before  us  as  a  model 
of  a  wise,  benevolent,  and  pious  king. 


SECTION  XVI. 

AHAZIAH'S  REIGN — HISTORY  OF  ELISHA,  AND  THE  REIGN  OF  JEHORAM — NAAMAK 
THE  LEPER — THE  SIEGE  OF  SAMARIA  AND  ITS  MIRACULOUS  DELIVERANCE — THE 
ANOINTING  OF  JEHU  AND  HAZAEL — THE  REIGN  OF  JEHORAM  AND  AHAZIAH  KING 
OF  JUDAH. 

THE  remaining  acts  of  Jehoshaphat's  reign  follow  those  of  the 
king  of  Israel.  He  could  not  well  extricate  himself  from  the 
alliance  he  had  made.  We  resume,  therefore,  the  thread  of  the 
Israelitish  history,  at  the  time  of  the  death  of  Ahab.  Ahaziah 
his  son  came  to  the  throne  at  a  most  unfortunate  juncture  of 
affairs.  His  kingdom  weakened  by  the  disaster  at  Ramoth,  and 
the  hearts  of  his  best  subjects  alienated  by  the  shameless  idolatry 
of  Ahab,  he  did  nothing  to 'reclaim  their  affections,  "but  walked 
in  the  way  of  his  father,  and  in  the  way  of  his  mother,  and  did 
evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord ;  and  served  Baal,  and  worshipped 
him." 

After  a  short  reign  of  between  one  and  two  years,  he  met 
with  an  accident  which  was  fatal  in  its  result :  "  He  fell  through 
a  lattice  in  his  upper  chamber,  in  Samaria,  and  was  sick." 
True  to  the  idolatrous  faith  of  his  parents,  Ahaziah  sent  to 
consult  Baal-zebub,  the  god  of  Ekron.  On  their  way  thither, 
the  messengers  were  met  by  Elijah,  sent  from  the  Lord  with 
this  message  to  the  king:  "Is  it  not  because  there  is  not  a  God 
in  Israel,  that  ye  go  to  inquire  of  Baal-zebub  the  god  of  Ekron  ? 
Now,  therefore,  saith  the  Lord,  Thou  shalt  not  come  down  from 
that  bed  on  which  thou  art  gone  up."  Thus  warned,  the  mes- 
sengers suddenly  return  to  their  master,  and  deliver  the  mes- 
sage which  they  had  received.  From  the  description  of  his 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH  CAPTIVITY.  391 

person,  as  well  as  from  the  tenor  of  his  words,  the  king  knew 
that  the  man  who  had  thus  boldly  arrested  his  servants,  wa- 
Elijah.  Determined  to  secure  him,  he  sent  a  captain  and  fiftj 
men  to  bring  him  into  his  presence.  The  officer  went  up  to  the 
prophet,  and  said,  "Thou  man  of  God,  the  king  hath  said,  Come 
down.  And  Elijah  answered,  If  I  be  a  man  of  God,  then  let 
fire  come  down  and  consume  thee  and  thy  fifty;"  and  fire  came 
down  and  consumed  them.  This  was  repeated  a  second  time, 
with  a  like  result.  Still  persisting  in  his  purpose,  and  unaf- 
fected by  the  judgments  his  men  had  experienced,  a  third 
captain  was  sent  to  arrest  the  prophet.  This  captain,  wiser 
than  his  master,  came  and  besought  Elijah,  "  0  man  of  God,  I 
pray  thee,  let  my  life,  and  the  life  of  these  fifty  thy  servants, 
be  precious  in  thy  sight."  His  prayer  was  granted.  Warned 
of  God,  the  prophet  arose  at -once,  and  went  down  to  the  king; 
and  repeats  the  message  in  person  which  he  had  previously  sent 
by  the  king's  messengers.  "Ahaziah  died  according  to  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  which  Elijah  had  spoken ;  and  Jehoram,  or 
Joram,  (his  brother,)  reigned  in  his  stead."* 

Elijah  had  now  finished  his  public  labours;  and  the  time  of 
his  departure  was  at  hand.  Conscious  of  this,  he  determines  upon 
a  circuit  among  the  schools  of  the  prophets,  giving  them  his 
final  instructions  and  benediction.  Elisha,  who  had  been  fore- 
warned of  his  master's  coming  departure,  steadfastly  adhered  to 
his  purpose  of  accompanying  him  in  this  last  journey.  At 
Gilgal,  at  Bethel,  and  at  Jericho,  Elijah  urges  him  to  remain, 
but  the  only  answer  of  this  faithful  follower  is,  "As  the  Lord 
liveth,  and  as  thy  soul  liveth,  I  will  not  leave  thee."  As  these  two 
went  on,  they  came  to  the  Jordan,  and  Elijah,  as  if  to  make 
a  last  display  of  the  miraculous  power  so  long  intrusted  to  him, 
"took  his  mantle  and  wrapped  it  together  and  smote  the  waters, 
and  they  were  divided  hither  and  thither  so  that  they  two  went 
over  on  dry  ground."  Before  he  was  taken  from  him,  Elijah 
asked  Elisha  what  he  should  do  for  him ;  and  Elisha,  conscious  of 
the  difficult  duties  before  him,  answers,  "I  pray  thee,  let  a  double 
portion  of  thy  spirit  be  upon  me."  "And  he  said,  Thouhast  asked 
a  hard  thing ;  nevertheless  if  thou  see  me  when  I  am  taken  from 
thee,  it  shall  be  so  unto  thee;  but  if  not,  it  shall  not  be  so."  "As 
they  still  went  on  and  talked,  behold  there  appeared  a  chariot 
of  fire  and  horses  of  fire,  and  parted  them  asunder,  and  Elijah 
went  up  by  a  whirlwind  into  heaven."  "Elisha  saw  it,  and  said, 
My  father,  my  father,  the  chariot  of  Israel  and  the  horsemen 
thereof."  But  though  bereaved,  he  was  not  without  support ;  he 

*  In  2  Kings  i.  17,  it  is  said  that  Jehoram's  reign  began  in  the  second  year  of 
Jehoram,  son  of  Jehoshaphat,  king  of  Judah.  As  Jehoshaphat  reigned  after  this 
nearly  eight  years,  it  is  supposed  that  he  admitted  his  son  to  reign  with  him  for 
nine  years  before  his  death.  The  date  here  refers  to  the  years  of  his  reign  as 
associate  king. 


392  HISTORY   OF   THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

had  fulfilled  the  condition,  and  he  received  the  promise.  The 
mantle  of  Elijah  remained  with  him,  (that  mantle  with  which 
he  had  been  called,  that  mantle  with  which  the  last  miracle  of 
Elijah  had  been  wrought,)  as  a  pledge  and  token  of  the  spirit 
and  power  of  Elijah. 

Having  thus  followed  his  master  to  the  last,  he  turned  back, 
and  smiting  the  waters  of  Jordan,  said,  "Where  is  the  Lord  God 
of  Elijah?  and  when  he  had  also  smitten  the  waters  they  parted 
hither  and  thither;  and  Elisha  went  over."  Witnessing  both 
miracles,  the  sons  of  the  prophets  at  Jericho  "  went  out  to  meet 
Elisha,  and  bowed  themselves  to  the  ground  before  him,  and 
said,  The  spirit  of  Elijah  doth  rest  on  Elisha."  Wanting  the 
faith  or  knowledge  of  their  master,  as  to  the  ascension  of  Elijah, 
they  seek  leave  to  go  and  search  for  him.  Elisha  gave  a  reluct- 
ant consent;  and  the  search  was  vain. 

Elisha  wrought  another  miracle  at  Jericho.  The  waters  of  that 
city,  like  most  of  the  springs  near  the  Dead  Sea,  were  brack- 
ish. The  men  of  the  city  came  to  the  prophet  for  help,  and  as 
if  to  confirm  their  faith  in  the  fulness  of  his  Divine  mission,  he 
took  salt  and  cast  it  into  the  waters,  "and  said,  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  I  have  healed  these  waters ;  there  shall  not  be  from  thence 
any  more  death  or  barren  land ;  and  the  waters  were  healed." 

He  now  passes  on  from  Jericho  to  Bethel,  another  school  of 
the  prophets.  On  his  way  thither,  there  came  out  little  children 
(or  perhaps  young  men,)  instigated  by  their  idolatrous  parents, 
"and  mocked  him,  saying,  Go  up,  thou  bald-head;  go  up,  thou 
bald-head."  There  was  an  evident  allusion  to  the  ascent  of 
Elijah  in  these  words,  and  an  impious  assertion  of  their  unbelief. 
God  was  insulted  by  the  insults  heaped  upon  his  prophets :  Elisha, 
inspired  to  pronounce  their  sentence,  turned  back,  and  pro- 
nounced a  curse  upon  them,  "in  the  name  of  the  Lord."  The 
judgment  was  speedily  executed;  "there  came  forth  two  she- 
bears  from  the  wood,  and  tore  forty  and  two  children  of  them." 
The  prophet  then  went  on  to  Carmel  and  Samaria. 

The  history  of  Elisha  now  falls  in  with  the  civil  history  of  the 
kingdom.  Joram  was  better  than  his  father  Ahab.  Either  from 
the  influence  of  the  prophet,  or  from  the  influence  of  Jehosha- 
phat,  with  whom  he  was  in  alliance,  he  took  away  the  statue  of 
Baal.  The  reformation,  however,  went  no  further  than  this.  There 
was  no  attempt  made  to  correct  the  sin  of  Jeroboam.  After  the 
death  of  Ahab  and  the  defeat  at  Ramoth,  the  king  of  Moab, 
who  had  been  tributary  to  Israel,  revolted.  Joram  persuaded 
Jehoshaphat  to  join  him  in  an  expedition  to  bring  this  king  back 
to  his  allegiance.  It  was  probably  impossible  for  him  now  to  reach 
or  subdue  Moab  in  any  other  way.  The  ways  on  the  east  of 
the  Dead  Sea  were  shut  in  by  the  victorious  Syrians  under  Ben- 
hadad.  The  joint  armies  of  Judah  and  Israel,  with  the  army 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  393 

of  the  king  of  Edom,*  were  therefore  led  through  the  wilder- 
ness of  Edom.  After  a  seven  days  march,  they  were  distressed 
for  the  want  of  water.  Joram  was  in  despair  at  the  calamity, 
but  Jehoshaphat  inquires  for  a  prophet.  One  of  Joram's  ser- 
vants told  him  that  Elisha  was  present  in  the  camp ;  upon  learn- 
ing this,  the  three  kings  went  down  to  his  tent.  "And  Elisha 
said  to  the  king  of  Israel,  What  have  I  to  do  with  thee  ?  get  thee 
to  the  prophets  of  thy  father  and  mother."  The  king  urges 
the  danger  and  straits  of  the  army,  and  impliedly  confesses  the 
inability  of  his  father's  gods  to  help.  Still,  however,  the  prophet, 
unsatisfied  with  this  insincere  profession,  continues,  "As  the 
Lord  of  hosts  liveth,  before  whom  I  stand,  surely,  were  it  not 
that  I  regard  the  presence  of  Jehoshaphat  the  king  of  Judah,  I 
would  not  look  toward  thee."  Then  calling  for  a  minstrel  to 
sooth  his  agitated  spirit,  he  commands  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  "Make  this  valley  full  of  ditches;  for  thus  saith  the  Lord, 
ye  shall  not  see  wind,  neither  shall  ye  see  rain ;  yet  that  valley 
shall  be  filled  with  water,  that  ye  may  drink,  both  ye,  and  your 
cattle.  And  this  is  but  a  light  thing  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord ;  he 
will  deliver  the  Moabites  also  unto  your  hand,  and  ye  shall  smite 
their  cities,  and  mar  their  land."  According  to  the  prediction,  in 
the  morning  the  water  came,  and  that  in  great  abundance. 

The  same  water  proved  a  snare  to  the  Moabites.  Learning 
the  approach  of  the  kings,  they  had  marshalled  their  forces,  and 
were  now  in  sight  of  their  enemies.  Looking  upon  the  water, 
as  it  lay  under  the  light  of  the  morning  sun,  they  supposed  it 
to  be  blood,  and  that  the  allied  forces  had  smitten  each  other. 
They  then  rushed  on,  confident  of  victory.  Instead,  however, 
of  a  deserted  camp,  they  met  the  Israelitish  army  ready  for 
battle.  They  fled  at  once  in  the  greatest  panic,  and  were  pur- 
sued to  their  own  land;  their  cities  were  beaten  down,  their 
trees  felled,  their  land  marred  with  stones,  and  the  king  himself 
besieged  in  his  capital.  In  despair  at  his  misfortunes,  the  king 
of  Moab  attempts  to  cut  his  way  through  the  forces  of  his 
enemies  and  escape.  Failing  in  this,  he  then  sacrificed  his 
eldest  son,  as  a  burnt-offering,  on  the  wall  of  his  capital  city. 
Struck  with  horror  at  this  dreadful  act,  the  kings  of  Judah  and 
Israel  withdrew  their  armies  and  returned  into  their  own  land. 

The  narrative  turns  at  once  from  this  last  extremity  of  war 
to  the  mission  and  deeds  of  Elisha  as  a  messenger  of  good. 
The  widow  of  a  prophet  tells  him  that  her  husband,  having 
died  in  debt,  the  creditor  was  come  to  take  her  sons  as  bond- 
men, and  pleads  for  his  assistance.  Elisha  asks  what  she  had 
wherewith  she  could  aid  herself.  She  replied,  there  was  nothing 

*  The  king  of  Edom  mentioned  here,  2  Kings,  iii.  9,  could  only  have  been  a 
viceroy  or  governor,  as  we  are  expressly  told  1  Kings  xxii.  47,  that  there  was  no 
king  in  Edom  at  this  time. 


394  HISTOEY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

left  save  one  pot  of  oil.  He  then 'commanded  her  to  borrow 
empty  vessels  from  her  neighbours,  and  fill  them  from  the  single 
vessel  until  they  were  full.  The  widow  did  as  she  was  directed, 
and  selling  the  oil,  thus  miraculously  multiplied,  paid  her  debt, 
and  saved  her  children  from  bondage. 

In  the  course  of  his  journeyings  Elisha  came  to  Shunem, 
"where  lived  a  "great  woman."  She  often  entertained  the  pro- 
phet hospitably.  Perceiving  him  to  be  "a  holy  man  of  God," 
and  longing  to  enjoy  his  converse,  she  at  length  proposed  to  her 
husband  that  they  should  build  a  chamber  for  the  prophet,  where 
lie  might  rest  in  his  journeys.  The  chamber  was  built  and 
furnished,  and  eventually  the  prophet  became  its  occupant. 
Grateful  for  this  constant  kindness,  he  commanded  Gehazi,  his 
servant,  to  call  the  woman,  and  said,  "Behold,  thou  hast  been 
careful  for  us  with  all  this  care :  what  is  to  be  done  for  thee  ? 
Wouldest  thou  be  spoken  for  to  the  king,  or  to  the  captain  of 
his  host?"  She  chose,  however,  to  decline  the  prophet's  offer, 
"and  to  dwell  among  her  own  people."  Still  she  lacked,  as 
Gehazi  had  learned,  one  thing  to  complete  her  happiness.  "  She 
had  no  child."  Upon  learning  this,  Elisha  had  her  recalled, 
and  promised  her  a  son.  The  child  grew  up  until  he  was  able 
to  accompany  his  father  into  his  harvest-field,  and  then  the 
hopes  of  his  friends  were  crushed  by  his  sudden  death.  The 
godly  mother  immediately  turns  herself  to  him  from  whom  she 
had  received  her  son  by  promise.  She  had  faith  that  he  who 
had  given  her  the  child  could  now  restore  him  to  her.  She 
accordingly  goes  with  all  haste  to  the  man  of  God.  To  the  re- 
monstrance of  her  husband,  she  simply  answers,  "It  shall  be 
well."  "So  she  came  to  the  man  of  God,  at  Carmel;"  and  to 
the  questions  of  Gehazi,  who  had  been  sent  to  meet  her,  "  Is  it 
well  with  thee,  and  thy  husband,  and  thy  child?"  she  answers 
with  a  wonderful  faith  and  resignation,  "It  is  well."  When 
she  came  where  the  prophet  was,  with  all  the  depth  and  tender- 
ness of  a  mother's  sorrow,  she  informs  him  of  her  loss.  "  Did 
I  desire  a  sou  of  my  lord?  did  I  not  say,  Do  not  deceive  me?" 
Elisha  immediately  sent  Gehazi  to  lay  his  staff  upon  the  child. 
But  the  mother,  conscious  that  her  son  was  dead,  was  not  thus 
easily  satisfied.  "As  the  Lord  liveth,  and  as  thy  soul  liveth, 
I  will  not  leave  thee,"  was  her  steadfast  purpose.  Gehazi's 
errand,  as  the  mother  had  conjectured,  was  in  vain.  "The 
child  had  not  awaked."  When  Elisha  reached  the  house,  he 
found  indeed  that  it  was  no  swoon,  but  natural  death.  "  He 
•went  in,  therefore,  and  shut  the  door,  and  prayed  unto  the 
Lord."  Then  using  the  natural  means,  which  Elijah  had  used 
in  a  like  case  before  him,  his  prayer  was  answered,  and  the  child, 
raised  to  life,  was  restored  again  to  its  mother. 

The  next  event  recorded  in  the  history  of  Elisha  was  heal- 


TO   THE  BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  395 

ing  of  the  poisoned  pottage.  "  There  was  a  dearth  in  the  land, 
and  the  sons  of  the  prophets  were  seething  their  pottage." 
One  of  their  number,  by  mistake,  had  gathered  a  poisonous 
fruit,  and  mingled  it  with  their  food.  As  they  were  about  to 
eat,  they  discovered  the  mistake,  and,  appealing  to  Elisha,  he 
cast  meal  into  the  pot,  and  miraculously  neutralized  the  poison, 
so  that  they  eat  with  safety. 

He  then  feeds  and  sustains,  with  twenty  small  loaves,  an 
hundred  of  his  brother  prophets — a  miracle  which  reminds  us, 
very  strongly,  of  those  which  were  wrought  by  our  Saviour,  in 
his  day. 

Some  time  in  the  course  of  the  previous  events,  occurs  the 
history  of  Naaman,  the  Syrian  general.  This  man  was  of 
great  importance  to  his  king;  by  his  hand,  indeed,  had  God 
given  deliverance  to  Syria.  But,  with  all  his  greatness,  he  was 
an  incurable  leper.  Among  the  servants  of  his  wife  there  was 
a  captive  Israelitish  maid,  who  had  heard  of  Elisha,  and  gave 
utterance  to  her  faith,  "Would  God  my  lord  were  with  the  pro- 
phet in  Samaria!  for  he  would  recover  him  of  his  leprosy." 
This  saying  was  told  to  Naaman,  and  by  him  to  the  king.  Naa- 
man went  to  the  king  of  Israel,  with  letters  from  the  king  of 
Syria,  and  a  large  present  in  silver  and  gold.  The  king  saw 
in  it  only  a  plan  to  provoke  a  war ;  but  Elisha  sent  to  him  to 
let  Naaman  "  come  to  him,  and  he  should  know  that  there  is  a 
prophet  in  Israel."  Naaman  went  accordingly,  with  all  his 
train,  and  stood  at  the  door  of  Elisha.  As  a  leper  he  could  not 
enter  the  house,  and  Elisha  went  not  out  to  meet  him,  as  he  had 
expected,  but  sent  and  told  him  to  "  Go  and  wash  in  Jordan 
seven  times,  and  thou  shalt  be  clean."  Enraged  at  this,  be- 
cause he  was  not  healed  in  the  way  he  expected  to  be,  Naaman 
was  about  to  return  home;  but,  yielding  to  the  wise  entreaties 
of  his  servants,  he  at  length  went  to  the  Jordan  and  washed, 
"  and  his  flesh  came  again  like  unto  the  flesh  of  a  little  child,  and 
he  was  clean."  Gratitude  soon  led  him  back  to  the  door  of  the 
prophet,  which  he  had  just  left  in  pride  and  anger.  He  pro- 
fesses his  faith  in  the  God  of  Israel  as  the  only  true  God,  and 
urged  the  prophet  to  take  a  reward.  But  Elisha  refused.  He 
then  asks  for  earth  enough  to  build  an  altar  unto  the  Lord,  "for 
thy  servant  will  henceforth  offer  neither  burnt-offerings  nor 
sacrifice  unto  other  gods,  but  unto  the  Lord."  He  sought, 
however,  the  indulgence  to  attend  the  king  of  Syria  into  his 
idol  temple  of  Rimmon.  Elisha,  without  answering  directly  his 
request,  dismissed  him  in  peace.  Scarcely  had  he  departed, 
when  he  was  overtaken  by  Gehazi,  who,  less  scrupulous  than 
his  master,  had  followed  the  lordly  Syrian,  and  with  a  lie  in 
his  mouth  sought  from  him  a  gift  in  the  name  of  his  master. 
Naaman,  in  the  flow  of  his  gratitude,  urged  upon  him  double 


396  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

what  he  asked.  Gehazi  returned  with  his  ill-gotten  spoil,  and 
having  laid  it  away,  "went  in  and  stood  before  his  master." 
The  prophet  asked  him  where  he  had  been  ;  and  on  his  answer- 
ing, No  whither,  Elisha,  clothing  himself  in  the  attributes  of  a 
judge,  rebuked  sternly  his  avarice,  and  pronounces  upon  him 
the  terrible  doom,  "The  leprosy  of  Naaman  shall  cleave  unto 
thee  and  thy  seed  for  ever.  And  he  went  out  from  his  presence, 
a  leper  as  white  as  snow." 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  morals  of  the  people,  the 
prophets  maintained  their  integrity.  An  instance  of  this  oc- 
curs in  the  narrative.  In  the  increase  of  their  number  they 
went  out  to  build  beside  the  Jordan,  and  Elisha  went  with  them. 
In  the  course  of  their  labours,  while  cutting  a  beam,  the  axe 
head  of  one  of  them  fell  into  the  river.  The  loss  was  small, 
but  the  axe  was  borrowed,  and  this  added  greatly  to  the  loser's 
distress.  Elisha,  however,  relieved  his  anxiety,  by  miraculously 
causing  the  iron  to  swim. 

In  the  course  of  the  history,  Elisha  appears  again  as  con- 
nected with  the  interests  of  the  state.  The  kingdoms  of  Israel 
and  Syria  were  again  at  war.  All  the  plans  which  Benhadad 
laid  were  revealed  unto  Elisha,  and  by  him  made  known  to  the 
king  of  Israel.  The  king  of  Syria,  thus  frustrated  in  every 
attempt,  suspected  some  traitor  in  his  camp,  but  on  inquiry  his 
servants  told  him  that  it  was  Elisha  "who  tellest  the  king  of 
Israel  the  words  that  thou  speakest  in  thy  bedchamber."  Upon 
this  Benhadad  sent  an  armed  band,  "a  great  host,  to  compass 
Dothan,  and  bring  the  prophet  to  his  camp."  He  does  not  seem 
to  have  thought  that  this  plan  could  be  foreseen  and  frustrated, 
as  well  as  the  others  which  he  had  laid.  When  they  rose  in  the 
morning  "the  host  compassed  the  city  with  horses  and  chariots." 
The  servant  of  Elisha  was  alarmed ;  but  Elisha  calmed  his  fears, 
and  in  answer  to  his  prayer,  "  the  Lord  opened  the  eyes  of  the 
young  man,  and  he  saw;  and  behold  the  mountain  was  full  of 
horses  and  chariots  of  fire  round  about  Elisha."  The  prophet 
now  went  forth  to  meet  the  enemy,  and  in  answer  to  his  prayer 
again,  "the  Lord  smote  the  Syrians  with  blindness."  Elisha 
then  led  them  to  Samaria,  where  their  blindness  was  removed, 
and  the  astonished  Syrians  saw  the  prophet  in  the  midst  of  the 
city.  Jehoram,  who  saw  his  enemy  thus  within  his  power,  would 
have  put  them  to  death,  but  the  prophet  prevented  him,  and 
sent  them  back  to  their  master.  This  put  an  end  to  the  present 
campaign.  The  king  of  Syria  saw  that  it  was  vain  to  contend 
against  supernatural  power,  and  abandoned  the  contest  for  the 
present. 

Soon  after  this,  however,  Benhadad  again  led  his  armies  into 
Israel,  and  laid  siege  to  Samaria.  So  strict  was  the  siege,  that 
all  communication  was  cut  off,  and  Samaria  suffered  the  horrors 


TO  THE  BABYLONISH  CAPTIVITY.  397 

of  a  famine.  The  famine  was  so  severe  that  the  very  vilest 
substances  were  sold  at  an  enormous  price.  Nor  was  this  all. 
Parents,  mothers  were  found  feeding  upon  their  deceased 
children.  In  his  distress,  at  such  scenes  at  this,  the  king 
plunges  deeper  and  deeper  into  sin,  and  at  last,  by  a  solemn 
oath,  swears  to  take  the  life  of  Elisha.  But  God  forewarns  the 
prophet  of  his  danger ;  and  to  the  messengers  who  were  come 
to  take  him,  he  predicts  by  the  word  of  the  Lord,  "to-morrow, 
about  this  time,  shall  a  measure  of  fine  flour  be  sold  for  a  shekel, 
and  two  measures  of  barley  for  a  shekel,  in  the  gate  of  Sa- 
maria." This  promise  was  incredible  to  the  faithless  Israelites, 
notwithstanding  all  the  miraculous  deliverances  which  they  had 
witnessed*  A  lord  who  heard  the  assurance,  openly  expressed 
his  unbelief,  and  the  prophet  rebuked  him  with  the  sentence, 
"  thou  shalt  see  it  with  thine  eyes,  but  thou  shalt  not  eat  thereof." 
On  the  following  night  "the  Lord  caused  the  Syrians  to  hear 
the  noise  of  a  great  host,"  as  of  the  Hittites  and  the  Egyptians, 
and  they  arose  and  fled,  and  left  their  tents  filled  with  gold  and 
food.  Four  lepers,  who  were  hanging  around  the  gate,  had 
resolved,  in  despair,  to  cast  themselves  upon  the  mercy  of  the 
Syrians.  When  they  reached  their  camp,  they  found  that  they 
had  fled.  Loading  themselves  thrice  with  the  spoil,  from  the 
Syrian  camp,  they  at  length  brought  the  "  good  tidings  to  the 
city."  The  news  was  communicated  rapidly  to  the  king.  Jo- 
ram  at  first  suspected  a  snare;  that  the  Syrians  had  feigned  a 
retreat  to  lure  them  from  the  city,  and  then  turn  upon  them 
and  take  them  before  they  could  find  a  refuge  within  its  walls. 
Sending  out  spies,  however,  he  found  that  the  flight  was  real. 
As  far  as  Jordan  "the  way  was  strewn  with  garments  and 
vessels  which  the  Syrians  h'ad  cast  away  in  their  haste."  "  And 
the  people  went  out  and  spoiled  the  tents  of  the  Syrians,"  so 
that  the  prediction  of  Elisha  was  literally  fulfilled.  Another 
prophecy  also  was  fulfilled.  The  lord  who  had  expressed  his 
unbelief  of  the  prophet  so  boldly  and  tauntingly,  was  made 
keeper  of  the  gate,  and  in  the  press  of  the  people,  to  secure  the 
food,  "he  was  trodden  and  died;"  he  saw  the  abundance,  but 
did  not  eat  thereof. 

At  some  interval  after  the  siege  and  deliverance,  though 
directly  following  it  in  the  narrative,  we  have  given  to  us  God's 
gracious  care  of  the  pious  Shumanite.  As  a  seven  years'  famine 
was  about  to  come,  Elisha  warned  her  "to  go  with  her  house- 
hold and  sojourn  wheresoever  thou  canst  sojourn."  She  did 
as  Elisha  advised,  "  and  went  with  her  household  and  sojourned 
in  the  land  of  the  Philistines."  At  the  end  of  seven  years  she 
returned,  but  found  her  land  in  the  possession  of  others.  She 
went  immediately  to  the  king  with  her  cause;  who  was  just  then, 
providentially,  listening  to  Gehazi's  account  of  Elisha's  miracles. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

Gehazi  told  the  king  that  this  was  the  woman  whose  son  Elisha 
had  raised  to  life.  Impressed  with  this  coincidence,  the  king 
ordered  an  officer  "  to  restore  all  that  was  hers,  and  all  the 
fruits  of  the  field  since  the  day  that  she  left  the  land  until  now." 
We  find  Elisha  next  in  Damascus.  He  went,  probably,  to 
fulfil  the  command  given  long  before  to  Elijah  his  master. 
Hearing  of  his  presence,  Benhadad  sent  Hazael  with  a  present 
"to  the  man  of  God,  to  inquire  whether  he  should  recover 
from  the  disease"  under  which  he  was  then  suffering.  Elisha 
answered,  "Thou  mayest  certainly  recover;  howbeit  the  Lord 
hath  showed  me  that  he  shall  surely  die."  The  prophet  "then 
settled  his  countenance  and  wept."  Upon  being  asked  the 
cause  of  this,  by  Hazael,  he  replied,  "I  know  the  evil  thou  wilt 
do  in  Israel :  their  strongholds  wilt  thou  set  on  fire,  their  young 
men,  women,  and  children,  wilt  thou  slay."  "Hazael  said,  is 
thy  servant  a  dog,  that  he  should  do  this  great  thing?  Elisha 
answered,  The  Lord  hath  showed  me  that  thou  shalt  be  king 
over  Syria."  Hazael  went  from  the  prophet,  and  commenced 
his  career  of  crime  by  murdering  his  master.  Soon  after  this, 
Elisha  sent  one  of  the  sons  of  the  prophets  to  anoint  Jehu  son 
of  Nimshi  king  over  Israel.  Having  thus  fulfilled  the  com- 
mand given  to  Elisha,  we  hear  no  more  of  him  till  the  reign  of 
Joash.  His  efforts  to  reform  the  people  were  comparatively 
fruitless.  At  length,  in  a  good  old  age,  he  was  called  to  follow 
his  master.  Among  those  who  gathered  around  the  dying 
prophet  was  Joash  king  of  Israel.  The  king  wept  over  him 
as  the  stay  and  hope  of  Israel.  The  prophet  once  more  feeling 
the  inspiration  of  God  upon  him,  directed  the  weeping  king  to 
take  a  bow  and  arrows,  and  "shoot  from  the  window,  eastward." 
The  arrows  were  symbolical  of  the  Lord's  deliverance,  and  the 
deliverance  from  Syria.  He  then  told  him  "to  smite  with  the 
arrows  upon  the  ground,  and  he  smote  thrice  and  stayed." 
Elisha  reproved  him  for  not  smiting  oftener,  "for  then  hadst 
thou  smitten  Syria  until  thou  hadst  consumed  it,  but  now  thou 
shalt  smite  it  but  three  times."  "Then  Elisha  died  and  was 
buried:"  and  as  if  to  honour  him  after  death,  his  bones  were 
gifted  by  God  with  the  power  of  restoring  a  dead  body  to  life. 
Elisha  was  little  less  eminent  than  Elijah.  Though  less  stern, 
he  was  still  severe  in  his  reproof  of  the  apostate  kings.  His 
miracles  were  numerous  and  stupendous;  but  they  failed  in 
accomplishing  that  for  which  many  of  them  were  wrought.  He 
died  as  he  lived,  in  the  midst  of  a  general  apostacy,  and  with 
the  sad  conviction  that  the  chosen  people  were  still  to  suffer  as 
a  consequence  of  their  sins.  Men  were  more  willing  to  weep 
over  his  death,  as  a  public  calamity,  than  to  yield  to  his  in- 
structions while  living. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  399 

Having  thus  followed  out  the  life  of  Elisha,  we  turn  back  to 
bring  up  the  history  of  Judah  and  Israel  to  the  rebellion  of 
Jehu,  which  exerted  so  important  an  influence  on  both  kingdoms. 
Upon  the  death  of  Jehoshaphat,  his  son  Jehoram,  who  had 
reigned  for  some  years  jointly  with  his  father,  succeeded  "to  the 
kingdom  of  his  father."  Fenced  cities  were  given  to  the  other 
members  of  the  royal  family.  Jehoram  did  not  follow  the  ex- 
ample of  his  pious  father;  "  but  walked  in  the  ways  of  the  kings 
of  Israel,  like  as  did  the  house  of  Ahab."  This  departure  from 
the  faith  was  due  to  the  influence  of  his  wife,  the  daughter  of 
Ahab  and  Jezebel,  a  woman,  who,  like  her  mother,  knew  no 
restraints  in  crime.  The  deplorable  results  of  Jehoshaphat's 
alliance  with  Ahab  were  already  manifest.  "  Howbeit  the  Lord 
would  not  destroy  the  house  of  David,  because  of  the  covenant  he 
had  made  with  him,  and  promised  him  and  his  children  a  light 
for  ever." 

During  his  reign  the  Edomites  revolted  from  the  dominion  of 
Judah,  "and  made  themselves  a  king."  Jehoram  marched  with 
a  large  army  to  recover  his  dominion,  but  though  successful  in  a 
single  battle,  he  was  not  able  to  subdue  the  rebels  so  as  to  bring 
them  under  tribute.  At  the  same  time  Libnah  revolted,  "be- 
cause he  had  forsaken  the  Lord."  The  specific  act  which  gave 
rise  to  this  revolt,  was  probably  the  inhuman  murder  of  his 
brothers  by  the  wicked  king ;  such  an  act  might  very  naturally 
excite  discontent  in  the  fenced  cities  over  which  these  brothers 
were  placed.  Aside  from  the  loss  of  the  Edomites,  his  kingdom 
was  invaded  by  the  Philistines  and  Arabians,  who  ravaged  the 
land,  plundered  the  royal  palace,  and  carried  captive  the  wives 
and  sons  of  the  king,  except  the  youngest  son  Jehoahaz. 

In  the  midst  of  his  wretchedness  and  idolatry,  he  received  a 
warning  from  Elijah,  (who  though  now  dead  had  been  inspired 
to  write  this  warning,  and  delivered  to  one  of  the  prophets  to 
give  to  the  king,)  denouncing  heavy  calamities  and  personal  af- 
flictions, as  a  punishment  for  his  apostacy  and  crimes.  The  sick- 
ness which  the  prophet  threatened  came  upon,  him  in  his  latter 
days.  After  a  short  reign  of  eight  years,  and  suffering  two 
years  under  sore  diseases,  he  died,  and  public  opinion  denied 
him  the  customary  honors  of  a  royal  funeral,  and  refused  him 
burial  in  the  sepulchres  of  his  fathers. 

Ahaziah,  (Jehoahaz,)  his  youngest  son  reigned  in  his  stead. 
Ahaziah  was  twenty-two  years  old  when  he  began  to  reign,  and 
he  reigned  but  one  year;  "like  his  father  he  walked  in  the  ways 
of  Ahab,  and  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord."  Jehoram's  ad- 
visers, and  the  queen-mother  Athaliah,  were  his  only  counsellors, 
"to  his  destruction." 

He  immediately  joined  himself  with  Joram  king  of  Israel,  in 
a  war  against  Hazael  at  Ramoth-gilead.  In  the  battle  Joram 


400  HISTORY   OF  THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION 

•was  severely  wounded,  "and  returned  to  Jezreel  to  be  healed  of 
his  wounds."  While  lying  in  his  palace  he  received  a  visit  from 
the  king  of  Judah,  and  then  occurred  the  rebellion  of  Jehu, 
which  was  so  fatal  to  both. 


SECTION  XVII. 

JEHU'S     CONSPIRACY AND    HEIGN — ATHALIAH    USURPS   THE    THRONE    OF    JUDAH — 

JOASH  THE  KING  OF  JUDAH — JOASH  KINO  OF  ISRAEL — THE  HISTORY  OF  AMAZIAH 
AND  JEROBOAM  (II.) — THE  REIGNS  OF  UZZIAH  AND  JOTHAM — THE  CONSPIRACY 
AGAINST  ZECHARIAH  KING  OF  ISRAEL — THE  CIVIL  WAR  UNDER  MENAHEM,  AND 
THE  INVASION  FROM  ASSYRIA. 

JEHU  was  anointed  king  in  the  camp  at  Ramoth-gilead.  At 
the  command  of  Elisha.  one  of  the  prophets  came  to  the  camp, 
and  calling  Jehu  "from  among  the  captains  of  the  host," 
"poured  oil  on  his  head,"  and  said,  Thus  saith  Jehovah,  God  of 
Israel,  I  have  anointed  thee  king  over  the  people  of  the  Lord, 
and  thou  shalt  smite  the  house  of  Ahab,  that  I  may  avenge  the 
blood  of  my  servants  the  prophets,  and  the  blood  of  all  the  ser- 
vants of  the  Lord  at  the  hand  of  Jezebel."  Jehu  returned  to  the 
council  of  his  fellow  captains,  and  informed  them  of  the  com- 
mission he  had  received.  They  -were  prepared  for  the  intelli- 
gence, and  without  dissent  hasted  "to  the  top  of  the  stairs," 
and  spread  their  garments  beneath  his  feet,  "and  blew  with 
trumpets,  saying,  Jehu  is  king."  This  was  done  in  presence  of 
the  army,  and  without  any  opposition.  Jehu  lost  no  time  and 
took  no  half  measures.  He  immediately  entered  his  chariot  and 
drove  for  Jezreel,  to  be  the  first  to  tell  of  his  own  conspiracy. 
Joram  and  Ahaziah  were  both  at  Jezreel.  Jehu's  coming  was  seen 
by  the  watchmen  of  Jezreel,  and  two  messengers,  one  after  an- 
other, were  sent  by  the  king  to  meet  him,  and  were  commanded 
by  Jehu  to  fall  in  with  his  own  company  in  the  rear.  By  this 
time  the  watchmen  recognised  the  driving  as  that  of  Jehu.  The 
king  himself  now  went  forth  to  meet  him,  and  Ahaziah  went  with 
him.  They  met  in  the  field  of  Naboth.  Joram  saluted  his  gen- 
eral with,  "  Is  it  peace,  Jehu?"  "And  he  answered,  What  peace,  so 
long  as  the  idolatries  of  thy  mother  Jezebel,  and  her  witchcrafts 
are  so  many."  Joram  turned  to  flee,  but  Jehu,  who  knew  no 
warning,  drew  a  bow  with  his  full  strength,  and  shot  the  king 
through  the  heart.  He  then  ordered  the  body  to  be  cast  into  the 
field  of  Naboth,  that  the  word  of  the  Lord  by  Elijah  might  be 
fulfilled :  "  The  blood  of  Naboth  and  the  blood  of  his  sons  will  I 
requite  thee  in  this  field."  (Ahaziah  escaped,  but  he  was  pur- 
sued and  wounded  so  that  he  died  at  Megiddo,  a  town  west  of 
Jezreel,  and  not  far  from  the  mountains  of  Carmel.  "  His  ser- 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  401 

vants  carried  him  to  Jerusalem  and  buried  him  in  the  sepulchres 
of  his  fathers.")* 

Jehu  went  on  and  entered  the  city.  The  news  of  his  conspi- 
racy, however,  went  before  him.  Jezebel  in  the  mean  time  at- 
tiring herself  in  her  queenly  dress,  stood  at  the  window  and 
saluted  Jehu  as  he  passed,  "  Had  Zimri  peace,  who  slew  his 
master?"  Jehu,  unmoved  at  her  question,  commanded  the  eu- 
nuchs to  throw  her  down.  They  did  not  hesitate  to  obey  his  com- 
mand, and  this  proud  and  guilty  woman  was  trodden  under 
foot  by  Jehu's  horses.  After  he  had  obtained  possession  of  the 
palace,  and  had  dined,  Jehu  sent  his  servants  to  bury  Jezebel. 
They  found  only  a  few  remnants  of  her  body,  and  as  they  came 
to  tell  their  fierce  master,  he  quotes  the  prophecy  of  Elijah, 
"  In  the  portion  of  Jezreel  shall  dogs  eat  the  flesh  of  Jezebel." 

Samaria,  the  capital,  was  still  in  the  hands  of  Ahab's  sons. 
Jehu  therefore  wrote  letters  to  the  elders  of  the  city,  telling 
them  to  choose  one  of  Ahab's  seventy  descendants,  and  make  him. 
king ;  but  upon  receiving  a  submissive  answer,  he  commands 
them  to  show  their  submission,  by  beheading  their  master's  sons. 
The  command  was  executed,  and  the  heads  of  the  slain  were 
brought  to  him  at  Jezreel.  As  he  came  forth  the  next  morning, 
he  found  them  lying  at  the  entering  of  the  gate.  In  the  sight 
of  these  heads,  Jehu  explains  his  conduct  as  the  executioner  of 
the  Divine  purpose:  "and  of  the  word  which  the  Lord  had 
spoken  by  his  servant  Elijah."  After  this  he  "slew  all  that 
remained  of  the  house  of  Ahab  in  Jezreel,  his  kinsfolks  and  his 
priests."  He  then  proceeded  to  Samaria.  On  the  way  thither 
he  fell  in  with  the  brethren,  (relatives,  probably  nephews,)  of 
Ahaziah,  who  had  heard  nothing  of  the  conspiracy,  and  were  on 
their  way  to  salute  the  king  and  queen.  These  also  were  taken, 
by  this  blood-thirsty  man,  and  slain,  to  the  number  of  forty-two. 
Further  on,  he  met  Jehonadab  the  son  of  Rechab,  and  took  him 
into  his  chariot,  that  he  might  "show  him  his  zeal  for  the  Lord," 
which  was  now  plainly  only  a  cover  for  his  own  fierce  ambition. 
When  he  reached  Samaria,  he  repeated  the  same  exterminating 
process  which  he  had  carried  on  at  Jezreel.  With  these  fell  the 
house  and  family  of  Ahab,  and  the  third  dynasty  of  Israel. 

Still,  however,  a  large  part  of  his  commission  remained  un- 
executed. The  adherents  and  priests  of  Baal  were  yet  living, 
and  these  were  strictly  within  the  scope  of  his  commission. 
To  reach  his  end,  Jehu  feigns  himself  a  zealous  worshipper  of 
Baal,  and  "  proclaimed  a  solemn  assembly"  for  the  idol  god.  All 

*  The  account  in  Chronicles  xxii.9,  varies  slightly  from  that  given!  in  the  Kings, 
which  we  have  followed,  (2  Kings  ix.  28.) — It  seems  probable  that  the  events  re- 
lated in  the  rest  of  the  9th,  and  first  part  of  the  10th  chapters,  occurred  before  the 
death  of  Ahaziah.  This  would  reconcile  all  the  main  differences  in  the  two  accounts. 
The  narrative  of  the  chronicler  is  here  more  condensed. 

26 


402  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

the  worshippers  of  Baal  were  brought  to  this  feast.  The  temple 
at  Samaria  was  thronged  with  worshippers,  who  were  clothed 
•with  priestly  vestments.  Those  who  were  suspected  of  any 
attachment  to  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  were,  by  the  command 
of  Jehu,  carefully  excluded.  When  the  temple  was  thus  full, 
soldiers  were  posted  at  every  door,  who,  at  a  signal  from  the 
king,  rushed  in  and  put  every  worshipper  to  the  sword.  The 
images  were  then  brought  out  and  burned,  and  the  temple 
broken  down  and  defiled. 

Although  Jehu  was  thus  zealous  against  the  service  of  Baal, 
he  failed  utterly  of  entering  into  the  true  spirit  of  his  calling. 
He  fell  readily  into  the  policy  of  Jeroboam,  and  maintained  the 
worship  of  the  calves  at  Bethel  and  Dan.  For  this  partial 
obedience  he  received  the  assurance  "  that  his  children,  to  the 
fourth  generation,  should  sit  on  the  throne  of  Israel."  For 
his  disobedience  in  following  the  sin  of  Jeroboam,  his  dynasty 
was  limited  to  four  generations,  and  his  own  reign  was  troubled 
with  the  inroads  of  the  Syrians  under  Hazael.  All  the  east  of 
Jordan  was  wrested  from  his  dominion.  We  hear  no  more  of 
him  than  that  he  reigned  twenty-eight  years,  and  was  buried  in 
Samaria.  Jehu  was  remarkable  for  the  energy  and  decision  of 
his  character.  He  was  fierce,  but  his  passion  never  mastered 
his  reason.  His  plans  were  adopted,  and  never  flinched  from, 
•whatever  their  execution  might  cost.  His  zeal  was  selfish ;  it 
reached  no  farther  than  the  interests  of  religion  squared  with 
his  own  ambition.  He  was  raised  up  by  God  for  special  ends, 
but  the  methods  by  which  he  reached  those  ends  were  only  his 
own  ;  and  he  only  is  accountable  for  them.  His  motives  were 
bad;  and  we  cannot  but  feel  horror-struck  at  the  cruelties  and 
barbarous  deeds  which  everywhere  mark  his  course.  Jehoahaz, 
his  son,  reigned  in  his  stead. 

While  the  worship  of  Baal  was  thus  exterminated  in  Samaria, 
it  fled  and  established  itself  in  the  holy  city.  Athaliah,  the 
daughter  of  Jezebel,  was  yet  in  power  at  Jerusalem.  When 
she  heard  of  the  murder  or  execution  of  her  mother,  and  her 
son,  she  determined  to  grasp  the  sceptre  herself.  Seizing  the 
opportunity,  she  put  all  her  grandchildren  to  death  except  Joash, 
an  infant  son  of  Ahaziah,  who  was  rescued  by  her  daughter, 
the  wife  of  Jehoiada,  the  priest,  and  kept  secretly  "in  the  house 
of  the  Lord  for  six  years."  In  the  seventh  year  of  Athaliah, 
Jehoiada  revealed  the  secret  to  the  officers  of  the  guard,  "the 
chief  of  the  fathers,  and  to  the  Levites."  Finding  them  loyal 
to  the  true  heir  to  the  throne,  he  "brought  them  into  the  temple 
and  showed  them  the  king's  son."  The  whole  assembly  swore 
allegiance  to  Joash.  Every  thing  was  secretly  arranged  by 
Jehoiada,  and  the  Levites  and  officers,  for  the  crowning  of  the 
young  king.  The  courses  of  the  Levites  were  not  dismissed, 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  403 

so  that  a  large  number  were  congregated  in  and  about  the 
temple.  The  spears  and  shields,  which  had  been  dedicated  and 
placed  in  the  temple,  were  given  to  the  captains  of  the  guard. 
On  the  day  appointed,  the  young  king  was  brought  out  into  the 
court  of  the  temple,  the  crown  was  placed  upon  his  head,  the 
testimony  was  given  to  him,  "and  they  anointed  him  king." 
They  then  clapped  "their  hands,  and  shouted,  God  save  the 
king." 

When  Athaliah  heard  the  joyful  shouts  of  the  people,  and 
the  music  of  the  instruments,  she  came  to  the  temple,  and,  seeing 
the  newly  crowned  king  surrounded  by  the  people,  rent  her 
clothes,  and  cried,  "Treason!"  Jehoiada  ordered  her  to  be 
removed  from  the  courts  of  the  temple,  and  slain. 

"Jehoiada  then  made  a  covenant  between  the  Lord,  and  the 
king,  and  the  people,  that  they  should  be  the  Lord's  people." 
Having  thus  solemnly  covenanted  with  God,  we  naturally  expect 
to  find  them  jealous  for  his  honour.  From  the  place  of  cove- 
nanting they  rose  up  and  "  went  to  the  house  of  Baal  (which 
Athaliah  had  built)  and  brake  it  down;"  its  altars  and  images 
were  broken  to  pieces,  and  its  priest  slain  before  the  altar. 
The  orders  and  courses  of  the  temple  service  were  restored, 
and  the  kingdom  settled  upon  a  firm  foundation.  This  revolu- 
tion was  so  discreetly  planned  and  executed,  that  but  two 
persons  perished;  the  usurper  and  the  idolatrous  priest. 

Joash  began  to  reign  in  his  seventh  year.  His  mother's 
name  was  Zibiah  of  Beersheba.  During  the  minority  of  the 
king,  Jehoiada  was  regent,  and  the  government  was  well  ad- 
ministered: "but  the  high-places  were  not  taken  away;  the 
people  still  sacrificed  and  burnt  incense  in  the  high-places." 
Even  Jehoiada  found  it  impossible  to  break  up  this  custom  to 
which  the  people  were  wedded.  The  attention  of  Joash  was 
soon  turned  to  the  dilapidated  condition  of  the  temple,  and 
orders  were  "given  to  the  priests  that  the  money  and  dedicated 
things  should  be  brought  into  the  house  of  the  Lord;"  and 
with  the  avails  of  these  they  were  directed  to  repair  the 
breaches  of  the  house.  The  priests,  however,  were  not  so 
earnest  as  the  king.  In  the  twenty-third  year  of  his  reign 
nothing  had  been  done.  The  priests  were  now  called  to  an 
account,  and  another  expedient  adopted  to  secure  the  end.  A 
proclamation  was  made  through  Judah,  to  bring  to  the  Lord 
the  collection  that  Moses  laid  upon  Israel  in  the  wilderness. 
"Jehoiada  took  a  chest,  and  made  a  hole  in  the  lid  of  it,"  and 
in  this  all  the  money-gifts  for  the  temple  were  deposited.  The 
people  offered  willingly.  After  a  time  the  high-priest,  and  the 
king's  scribe,  took  the  money  and  counted  it,  "and  gave  it  to 
those  that  did  the  work,  that  had  the  oversight  of  the  temple." 
"So  the  workmen  wrought,  and  the  work  was  perfected  by 


404  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

them,  and  they  set  the  house  of  God  in  his  state,  and  strength- 
ened it."  They  made  no  vessels  of  gold  and  silver  until  the 
temple  was  thoroughly  repaired,  and  then,  from  the  money  left, 
these  vessels  were  made.  In  all  this  work,  the  officers  "dealt 
faithfully,"  though  held  to  no  strict  account  for  the  money  they 
received. 

Jehoiada  died  at  the  advanced  age  of  an  hundred  and  thirty 
years.  "And  they  buried  him  among  the  kings,  because  he 
had  done  good  in  Israel,  (Judah,)  both  toward  God  and  toward 
his  house."  After  his  death,  Joash,  seduced  by  the  princes  of 
Judah,  who  had  never  heartily  consented  to  Jehoiada's  religious 
government,  "left  the  God  of  his  fathers,  and  served  groves 
and  idols."  The  prophets  were  sent  with  their  warnings,  but 
were  not  heard.  The  infatuated  king,  galled  by  the  bold  reproof 
of  Zechariah  the  son  of  Jehoiada,  notwithstanding  all  the  kind- 
ness he  had  received  from  Jehoiada,  "stoned  his  son  with 
stones,"  till  he  died.  And  when  Zechariah  "died,  he  said,  The 
Lord  look  upon  it,  and  require  it."  For  this  apostacy  fron^  the 
faith,  and  this  ingratitude  to  the  family  of  Jehoiada,  Joash  was 
visited  with  the  Divine  displeasure.  The  Syrians  came  into  his 
land,  with  a  small  band  defeated  his  army,  devastated  the 
country,  and  besieged  the  king  in  Jerusalem.  He  was  able  to 
bribe  Hazael  to  depart,  with  the  treasures  of  the  temple  and 
the  crown,  and  thus  preserve  himself  from  entire  destruction. 
Beside  these  outward  calamities,  he  was  visited  with  a  painful 
disease,  and  at  last  died  by  the  hands  of  his  own  subjects,  who 
conspired  against  him  "  for  the  blood  of  the  sons  of  Jehoiada 
the  priest."  He  was  buried  in  the  city  of  David,  but  not  in  the 
sepulchre  of  the  kings.  "  Amaziah  his  son  reigned  in  his  stead." 

During  the  long  reign  of  Joash  king  of  Judah,  the  kingdom 
of  Israel  had  been  undergoing  serious  changes.  Jehoahaz  the 
son  of  Jehu  came  to  the  throne  when  its  power  was  shut  in  on 
every  side  by  the  victorious  Syrians.  The  whole  land  east  of 
Jordan,  which  constituted  two-fifths  of  the  kingdom,  was  in 
the  possession  of  Hazael.  He  did  nothing  to  recover  his  domi- 
nion; but  was  hemmed  in  more  and  more  by  the  armies  of 
Hazael,  until  at  length  "all  his  forces  amounted  to  only  fifty 
horsemen,  ten  chariots,  and  ten  thousand  footmen."  Reduced 
to  this  extremity,  "  Jehoahaz  besought  the  Lord ;  and  the  Lord 
hearkened  unto  him,  and  gave  Israel  a  saviour,  so  that  they 
went  out  from  the  hand  of  the  Syrians,  and  dwelt  in  their 
tents  as  beforetime."  This  saviour  was  Joash  his  son,  who 
reigned  for  two  years  with  his  father,  and  then  succeeded  him 
in  the  throne.  He  bears  a  fairer  character  than  the  most  of 
the  Israelitish  kings,  though  he  also  followed  the  steps  of  Je- 
roboam. It  was  this  king  who  came  and  wept  at  the  death-bed 
of  Elisha,  and  was  assured  by  the  prophet  that  he  should  be 


TO  THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  405 

victorious  over  the  Syrians.  The  prediction  of  Elisha  was  soon 
fulfilled.  In  three  successive  battles  the  Syrians  were  defeated, 
and  the  cities  which  they  had  taken  restored  to  the  kingdom  of 
Israel ;  "  for  the  Lord  was  gracious  unto  his  people,  and  had 
compassion  on  them ;  and  would  not  destroy  them  because  of 
his  covenant  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob." 

Meanwhile  Amaziah  had  also  been  strengthening  himself 
against  his  foreign  enemies.  "He  did  that  which  was  right  in 
the  sight  of  the  Lord,  but  not  as  David  his  father."  As  soon 
as  he  ascended  the  throne  he  "slew  the  servants  which  had 
murdered  his  father."  "But  the  children  of  the  murderers  he 
slew  not,  according  to  the  law  of  Moses" — "that  the  children 
should  not  die  for  the  sin  of  their  fathers."  He  immediately 
prepared  to  check  the  inroads  of  the  Edomites.  For  this  pur- 
pose he  gathered  the  thousands  of  Judah  and  Benjamin,  from 
twenty  years  old  and  upward.  To  this  immense  army  he  added, 
as  hired  forces,  "  an  hundred  thousand  mighty  men  of  valour 
out  of  Israel."  As  he  was  about  to  march,  a  prophet  directed 
him  to  dismiss  his  hired  forces.  Amaziah  obeyed,  (and  thus 
manifested  that  he  knew  his  true  position  as  subordinate  to 
Jehovah,  the  real  king,)  though  it  cost  him  the  loss  of  their  aid, 
and  the  sacrifice  of  the  reward  he  had  given  them.  The  Israel- 
ites were,  however,  exasperated  at  their  treatment,  and  on  their 
homeward  march  "fell  upon  the  cities  of  Judah,  smote  three 
thousand  of  their  inhabitants,  and  took  much  spoil.  Amaziah 
led  his  army  "into  the  Valley  of  Salt,"  (the  old  battle-ground 
of  David's  army  and  the  Edomites,)  smote  ten  thousand  of  the 
Edomites,  captured  Selah,  their  capital  city,  and  cruelly  mur- 
dered ten  thousand  of  the  captives  by  hurling  them  from  the 
tops  of  their  native  rocks. 

After  this  complete  victory,  the  king  strangely  adopted  the 
gods  of  the  nation  he  had  conquered,  and  worshipped  them  as 
his  gods.  For  this  the  anger  of  the  Lord  was  kindled  against 
him.  A  prophet  was  sent  to  remonstrate  against  this  sin  and 
folly,  but  his  counsel  was  rejected.  The  king  was  hardened  to 
his  own  destruction. 

Puffed  up  with  his  victory  over  the  Edomites,  Amaziah  sent 
a  challenge  to  Joash,  inviting  him  to  battle.  Joash,  at  first, 
tauntingly  declined  the  challenge ;  but  Amaziah  pressed  it  upon 
him,  and,  at  last,  he  marched  out  and  met  the  king  of  Judah  at 
Beth-shemesh.  The  men  of  Judah  were  routed;  and  Joash, 
capturing  the  boastful  king,  entered  Jerusalem  without  resist- 
ance. He  then  "  brake  down  the  wall  for  four  hundred  cubits," 
"took  the  gold  and  silver,  and  the  vessels  that  were  found  in 
the  temple,  and  the  king's  treasures,  and  returned  to  Samaria." 
This  disastrous  fortune  came  upon  Judah  "because  they  sought 
after  the  gods  of  Edom."  Amaziah,  however,  still  reigned  upon 


406  HISTORY   OF   THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

the  throne  of  David.  He  never  regained  the  confidence  of  his 
subjects,  and,  like  his  father,  fell  a  victim  to  conspiracy.  He 
•was  slain  at  Lachish,  but  brought  to  Jerusalem  and  buried  in 
the  royal  sepulchre.  Azariah  (Uzziah)  his  son,  who  was  only 
sixteen  years  of  age,  came  to  the  throne. 

After  his  victory  over  Judah,  Joash  returned  to  Samaria. 
He  did  not  long  survive  his  conquest.  His  reign,  on  the  whole, 
was  prosperous.  Under  his  dominion  Israel  was  partially  re- 
stored to  its  former  glory.  He  died  in  peace,  at  Samaria,  and 
Jeroboam,  his  son,  reigned  in  his  stead.  Jeroboam  followed  in 
the  steps  of  his  father.  His  reign  was  long  and  flourishing. 
He  prosecuted  successfully  the  war  with  Syria,  restored  the 
ancient  border,  retook  Damascus  and  Hamath,  and,  so  far  as 
the  short  account  reaches,  was  universally  victorious.  From 
the  prophet  Amos  (who  wrote  during  this  reign)  it  appears 
that  this  outward  success  was  not  followed  by  any  religious  re- 
formation. The  prophet,  accordingly,  threatens  the  Divine  dis- 
pleasure. Nation  after  nation  is  called  into  judgment,  and  at 
last  the  guilty  Israelites  are  cited,  and  the  sentence  of  God's 
justice  pronounced.  Jeroboam  reigned  forty-one  years,  and  left 
the  kingdom  to  Zachariah  his  son. 

After  this  short  history  of  Jeroboam,  the  narrative  brings  us 
back  to  the  kingdom  of  Judah.  Uzziah  was  made  king  by  the 
popular  will.  During  the  first  part  of  his  reign,  (while  Zecha- 
riah,  a  man  of  eminent  piety,  lived,)  "he  sought  God,"  and 
prospered.  He  was  successful  in  his  wars  against  the  Philis- 
tines, Arabians,  and  Ammonites.  He  built  the  walls  and 
towers  of  Jerusalem.  He  dug  wells  and  erected  towers  in  the 
desert,  for  his  flocks.  "He  loved  husbandry,"  and  fostered  it. 
He  organized  the  army  anew,  into  bands,  under  twenty-six 
hundred  chiefs,  who  were  sent  to  war  by  rotation.  For  all  this 
host  he  provided  armour,  "spears,  and  helmets,  and  bows,  and 
slings."  He  had  engines  "for  shooting  arrows  and  great 
stones,"  invented,  and  placed  upon  the  towers  and  bulwarks  of 
Jerusalem.  "And  his  name  spread  far  abroad,  for  he  was 
marvellously  helped  until  he  was  strong." 

At  length,  however,  his  heart  was  lifted  up  to  his  destruction ; 
"he  went  into  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  to  burn  incense,  and 
transgressed  against  the  Lord  his  God."  Azariah,  the  priest, 
reproved  him  for  his  daring  presumption,  and  prevented  him 
from  the  sacrilege  he  designed.  In  the  midst  of  his  strife  with 
the  bold  and  conscientious  priest,  and  in  the  very  act  of  burning 
incense,  he  was  smitten  with  the  leprosy,  and  thrust  out  by  the 
priests.  "And  the  Lord  smote  the  king,  so  that  he  was  a  leper 
unto  the  day  of  his  death,  and  he  dwelt  in  a  several  house: 
and  Jotham  was  over  the  house,  judging  the  people  of  the  land." 

This  took  place  some  time  before  the  close  of  his  reign,  and 


TO    THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  407 

Jotham  therefore  was  associated  with  his  father  in  the  govern- 
ment. Upon  the  death  of  Uzziah,  Jotham  began  his  reign 
alone,  and  reigned  sixteen  years.  He  did  that  which  was  right 
in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  avoiding  the  sin  of  his  father.  He 
ruled  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  he  was  prospered  accordingly. 
The  Ammonites  were  constrained  to  pay  a  heavy  tribute : 
"The  high  gate  of  the  temple  was  built" — new  fortifications 
were  constructed  in  Jerusalem,  "castles  and  towers"  were 
erected  "in  the  mountains  of  Judah,  and  in  the  wilderness." 
"So  Jotham  became  mighty,  because  he  prepared  his  ways 
before  the  Lord  his  God."  Jotham  died,  lamented  by  his 
people,  and  was  buried  in  the  city  of  David :  and  Ahaz  his  son 
reigned  in  his  stead.* 

While  the  kingdom  of  Judah  was  enjoying  these  long  and 
prosperous  reigns,  the  neighbouring  kingdom  was  in  the  midst 
of  civil  war.  Jeroboam  had  scarcely  died  when  we  find  the 
restless  spirit  of  this  people  manifesting  itself.  There  appears 
to  have  been  no  strong  attachment  to  any  reigning  family. 
Zechariah,  the  son  of  Jeroboam,  had  scarcely  seated  himself  on 
the  throne,  when  Shallum  "conspired  against  him,  and  slew 
him  before  the  people,  and  reigned  in  his  stead."  With  this 
king  the  dynasty  of  Jehu  ceased,  according  to  the  word  of  the 
Lord  to  him,  "  Thy  sons  shall  sit  on  the  throne  of  Israel  until 
the  fourth  generation." 

Shallum  reigned  but  one  month,  when  he,  in  turn,  was  slain 
by  Menahem,  the  son  of  Gadi.  Menahem  spared  no  cruelties 
to  establish  himself  upon  the  throne ;  every  one  who  opposed 
his  usurpation  was  put  to  the  sword.  Like  the  other  kings 
of  Israel,  he  followed  in  the  steps  of  Jeroboam,  "and  did 
that  which  was  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord."  The  most 
memorable  event  in  his  reign  was  the  invasion  of  Pul,  tho 
king  of  Assyria.  This  is  the  first  that  we  hear  of  that 
kingdom  or  empire,  which  was  to  exert  such  an  influence  upon 
these  kingdoms,  and  which  occupies  so  large  a  space  in  the 
world's  history.  Menahem  at  once  purchased  a  peace,  and 
exacted  the  money,  by  an  arbitrary  and  oppressive  tax,  from 
his  people.  The  ambitious  monarch  of  Assyria  was  satisfied 
for  the  present ;  but  the  extortion  of  Menahem  left  him  little  to 
hope  from  the  loyalty  of  his  people.  While  he  lived,  all  insur- 
rections were  suppressed;  but  when,  after  a  reign  of  eleven 
years,  he  left  the  throne  to  Pekahiah,  a  conspiracy  broke  out 
immediately.  One  of  his  captains,  Pekah,  son  of  Remaliah, 
rose  up  against  him,  and  slew  him  in  the  royal  palace,  "and 
reigned  in  his  room."  Pekah's  reign  was  not  a  peaceful  one. 

*  In  the  days  of  these  kings,  we  have  Isaiah,  Hosea,  and  Micah,  the  prophets. 
From  the  warnings  in  which  these  prophets  abound,  we  cannot  fail  to  see  that  the 
nation  was  becoming  more  and  more  corrupt. 


408  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH    NATION 

He  had  scarcely  obtained  the  kingdom  when  another  invasion 
from  Assyria  threatened  the  land.  This  time  the  king  was  not 
to  be  satisfied  with  a  bribe — he  came  for  spoil.  All  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  kingdom  fell  a  prey  to  his  power,  and  its  inhabi- 
tants were  carried  captive  to  people  his  capital.  Thus  began  the 
fulfilment  of  that  threatening  which  God  had  uttered  by  Moses, 
against  his  apostate  people.  So  general  was  this  devastation, 
that  Ephraim  alone  henceforth  expresses  the  whole  kingdom. 
This  terrible  calamity  drew  forth  the  prophet  Isaiah.  We  hear 
him  lamenting  over  Ephraim,  and  yet  adding,  as  the  end  of  all, 
the  mournful  conviction:  "for  all  this  his  anger  is  not  turned 
away,  but  his  hand  is  stretched  out  still."  Indeed,  none  of 
God's  judgments,  terrible  as  they  were,  made  any  salutary 
impression  on  the  people. 


SECTION  XVIII. 

THE  REIGN  OF    AHAZ — THE    FALL    OF  SAMARIA,  AND    DESTRUCTION  OF   THE  KINGDOM 

OF  ISRAEL THE    GOOD  REIGN  OF    HEZEKIAH — MANASSEH  REIGNS  WICKEDLY — THE 

REIGN  OF  AMON. 

HAVING  thus  lost  a  large  part  of  his  kingdom,  and  finding 
himself  unable  to  reclaim  it,  Pekah  allies  himself  with  Rezin 
king  of  Damascus,  in  an  attack  against  the  quiet  land  of  Judah. 
To  this  kingdom  we  must  now  return.  From  the  prophet  Isaiah, 
we  learn  that  the  war  was  cruel  as  it  was  unexpected.  It  began 
in  the  latter  days  of  Jotham.  The  fortresses  which  he  had 
constructed  were  now  of  great  service.  But  just  at  this  junc- 
ture, when  his  experience  was  most  needed,  he  was  removed 
from  the  throne,  and  the  kingdom  left  to  the  young  and 
inexperienced  Ahaz.  To  add  to  their  calamity,  Ahaz  proved 
one  of  the  most  corrupt  of  the  kings  of  Judah.  "  He  walked 
in  the  ways  of  the  kings  of  Israel,  made  molten  images  for 
Baalim,  caused  his  sons  to  pass  through  the  fire,  and  sacrificed 
and  burnt  incense  in  every  high  place."  As  we  might  expect, 
the  armies  of  such  a  king  could  not  stand  against  their  foes. 
They  were  given  into  the  hands  of  Rezin  and  Pekah.  A  large 
number  of  the  people  were  carried  captive  to  Damascus.  In  the 
battle  with  Pekah,  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  fell,  and  a 
greater  number  still  were  taken  captive.  But  as  the  king  of 
Ephraim  returned  to  Samaria*  "  with  his  captives  and  his  spoils," 
the  prophet  Obed  met  him  and  forbade  the  enslavement  of  their 
brethren.  The  nobles  of  Ephraim  generously  seconded  the 

*  Rezin  appears  to  have  gone  on  with  his  army  across  the  kingdom  of  Ahaz,  to 
the  desert  of  Arabia,  and  captured  the  city  of  Elath,  at  the  head  of  the  Red  Sea. 
This  shows  clearly  how  effectually  Ahaz  was  subdued,  when  a  hostile  army  could 
pass  through  the  land  without  opposition. 


TO    THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  409 

message  of  the  prophet,  and  said  unto  them  that  caihe  from  the 
war:  "  Ye  shall  not  bring  in  the  captives  hither ;  for  whereas  we 
have  offended  against  the  Lord,  ye  intend  to  add  more  to  our 
sins  and  our  trespass."  Upon  this  double  remonstrance,  the 
captives  were  fed  and  clothed,  and  carried  back  to  their  brethren 
at  Jericho. 

While  Ahaz  was  thus  suffering  from  the  allied  powers  of 
Syria  and  Ephraim,  he  was  also  attacked  by  the  Philistines  on 
the  south,  who  took  possession  "of  six  towns,  with  their  vil- 
lages." At  the  same  time  the  Edomites  threw  off  the  yoke  of 
Ahaz,  marched  into  Judah,  "and  carried  away  captives."* 
"For  the  Lord  brought  Judah  low,  because  of  Ahaz,  who  made 
Judah  naked,  and  transgressed  sore  against  the  Lord." 

The  distress  of  Ahaz  wrought  no  reformation.  Though 
warned  by  Isaiah  (vii.  10.)  not  to  fear,  and  assured  of  de- 
liverance from  his  foes,  he  yet  "sent  messengers  to  Tiglath- 
pileser,  king  of  Assyria,"  "to  save  him  from  the  hand  of  Syria 
and  Israel."  With  the  ambassadors  he  sent  all  the  treasures, 
royal  and  sacred,  and  even  became  tributary  to  the  monarch 
of  Assyria.  The  Assyrian  king  accepted  the  conditions, 
marched  immediately  against  Rezin,  slew  him  in  battle,  and 
captured  Damascus.  Upon  this,  Ahaz  went  to  Damascus  to 
meet  his  new  ally.  While  there,  he  sacrificed  to  the  gods  of 
Syria.  Nor  was  this  all ;  he  determined  to  carry  the  nation 
with  him  in  his  idolatry.  He  found  Urijah  the  priest  a  fit 
instrument  for  his  purpose.  Against  the  king's  return,  Urijah 
had  constructed  an  altar  after  the  pattern  which  had  been 
sent  from  Damascus.  Upon  this  altar  the  king  himself,  with 
his  more  guilty  priest,  offered  offerings  and  sacrifices  continu- 
ally. The  brazen  altar  was  removed  from  its  place,  the  lavers 
were  taken  from  their  bases,  the  brazen  sea  taken  down  from 
the  oxen  "that  were  under  it,  the  doors  of  the  house  of  the  Lord 
were  shut  up,"  "and  altars  built  in  every  corner  of  Jerusalem." 
Thus,  having  abolished  the  public  worship  of  God,  and  made 
high  places  unto  other  gods  in  every  city,  this  miserable  king 
passes  from  our  notice.  The  only  record  which  remains  is, 
"that  he  was  not  buried  in  the  sepulchre  of  the  kings."  He 
had  lived  to  see  his  country  wasted,  his  subjects  made  captive, 
and  his  kingdom  pass  into  a  more  tributary  power.  The  ally 
which  he  sought  in  his  distress  proved  a  troublesome  protection, 
whose  temporary  favour  could  be  bought  only  with  the  wealth  of 
the  kingdom.  Hezekiah,  his  son,  reigned  in  his  stead. 

In  the  meantime,  the  kingdom  of  Israel  was  rapidly  tend- 
ing to  its  fall.  Pekah  did  not  long  enjoy  his  victory  over  Ahaz. 
He  was  slain  in  a  conspiracy  by  Hoshea,  the  son  of  Elah. 

*  Perhaps  we  may  place  the  prophecy  of  Obadiah  here. 


410  HISTORY    OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

"  Hoshea  did  that  which  was  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  but 
not  as  the  kings  of  Israel  before  him."  Fearing  the  Assyrian 
power,  Hoshea  entered  into  an  alliance  with  So,  king  of  Egypt, 
and  failed  in  his  tribute  to  Assyria.  This  caused  Shalmanezer, 
king  of  Assyria,  to  march  an  army  into  the  land  of  Israel  and 
besiege  Samaria.  After  a  three  years'  siege  Samaria  was 
taken,  "and  the  people  of  Israel  carried  away  into  Assyria." 
Hoshea  had  reigned  nine  years,*  and  with  him  the  kingdom  of 
Israel  came  to  its  end.  "For  so  it  was,  that  the  children  of 
Israel  had  sinned  against  the  Lord  their  God,  which  had  brought 
them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  had  feared  other  gods." 
For  this  they  were  punished.  Although  warned  by  the  pro- 
phets, and  besought  to  turn  from  their  evil  ways,  yet  they  had 
rejected  his  statutes  and  his  covenant,  and  gone  after  the  hea- 
then and  their  vanities.  They  had  left  the  commandments  of 
the  Lord,  and  worshipped  Baal.  "  They  had  caused  their  sons 
to  pass  through  the  fire,  and  used  enchantments,  and  sold  them- 
selves to  do  evil."  "  Therefore,  the  Lord  was  very  angry,  and 
removed  them  out  of  his  sight:  as  he  had  said  by  all  his  ser- 
vants, the  prophets."  They  had  not  fallen  from  any  political 
necessity,  but  solely  from  their  apostacy  and  sin.  From  the 
days  of  Jeroboam,  onward,  every  king  had  failed  utterly  to 
recognize  his  true  relation  to  God,  and  therefore  they  were 
rejected. 

While  the  Israelites  were  thus  removed  to  other  parts  of  the 
Assyrian  empire,  men  from  Babylon,  Ava,  Sepharvaim,  and 
Hamath,  were  brought  in  to  supply  their  place.  These  inhabi- 
tants brought  their  idolatry  with  them,  and,  being  infested  with 
lions,  sent  to  the  king  of  Assyria.  A  priest  accordingly  was 
sent  to  them,  "  who  should  teach  them  the  way  (as  they  termed 
it)  of  the  God  of  the  land."  Thus  originated  the  mixed  re- 
ligious worship  of  the  Samaritans;  "they  feared  Jehovah  and 
served  their  own  gods."  This  sad  end  of  Israel  did  not  fail  to 
attract  the  notice  of  the  prophets  of  Judah.  Their  calamity  is 
made  the  ground  of  warning  to  the  nobles  of  Jerusalem.  A 
warning,  alas!  not  heeded,  though  faithfully  and  repeatedly 
pressed  upon  their  attention. 

Still,  however,  the  kingdom  of  Judah  was  yet  to  experience 
the  favour  of  God.  The  prophecy  of  Isaiah  received  its  first 
fulfilment  in  the  coming  of  a  better  earthly  king.  Hezekiah 
came  to  the  throne  at  the  age  of  twenty-five,  and  immediately 
began  to  restore  the  true  religion.  "  He  did  that  which  was 

*  The  chronology  of  this  reign  is  much  perplexed.  Some  have  supposed  that 
there  was  a  space  of  ten  years  between  Pekah  and  Hoshea.  The  duration  of  the 
kingdom  of  Israel  (whatever  means  we  may  adopt  to  reconcile  different  dates)  will 
be  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  years.  We  may  refer  a  part  of  the  prophecy  of 
Hosea  to  this  reign. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  411 

right  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  according  to  all  that  David  his 
father  had  done."  The  temple  was  again  opened  and  repaired; 
the  priests  and  Levites  were  restored  to  their  offices ;  all  the 
high-places,  and  images,  and  groves,  with  "  the  brazen  serpent 
that  Moses  had  made,"  were  destroyed.  The  pious  king,  con- 
fessing the  sin  of  his  fathers,  acknowledging  the  justice  of  God 
in  his  punishments,  calls  upon  the  priests  to  sanctify  themselves, 
and  join  him  "in  a  covenant  with  the  Lord  God  of  their  fathers, 
that  his  fierce  wrath  may  turn  away  from  us." 

The  priests  and  Levites  seem  to  have  entered  cordially  into 
the  plans  of  the  king.  In  large  numbers  they  sanctified  them- 
selves, and  then  "cleansed  the  house  of  the  Lord."  They 
began  their  work  on  the  first  day  of  the  month,  and  finished 
upon  the  sixteenth.  Hezekiah,  having  thus  kindled  the  zeal  of 
the  priests,  and  purified  the  temple  from  all  its  abominations 
which  Ahaz  had  brought  into  it,  "gathered  the  rulers  of  the 
city,"  "and  went  up  to  the  temple"  to  sacrifice  sin-offerings 
"  for  the  kingdom,  for  the  sanctuary,  and  for  Judah."  In  the 
most  solemn  manner  they  confessed  their  sin,  "laying  their 
hands  upon  the  head  of  the  victims,"  "and  sprinkling  the  altar 
with  their  blood,"  "and  thus  made  an  atonement  for  all  (Israel) 
Judah."  While  the  sacrifices  were  going  on,  the  services  of  the 
public  temple-worship  were  re-instituted.  The  king  and  all  the 
congregation  bowed  and  worshipped,  and  the  Levites,  with  their 
instruments,  "sang  praises  unto  the  Lord  in  the  words  of  David, 
and  of  Asaph  the  seer."  Then  followed  a  multitude  of  thank- 
offerings,  "from  all  the  free-hearted  of  the  congregation."  So 
the  service  of  the  house  of  the  Lord  was  set  in  order.  "And 
Hezekiah  rejoiced  and  all  the  people,  that  God  had  prepared 
the  people,  for  the  thing  was  done  suddenly." 

This  revival  of  genuine  religion  was  evidently  a  work  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  brought  with  it  a  renewal  of  the  great 
annual  feasts.  It  was  resolved  to  keep  the  passover  on  the 
second  month,  one  month  after  the  ordinary  time,  "for  the 
priests  were  not  sanctified,  and  the  people  were  not  gathered"  at 
the  usual  time.  Accordingly  posts  were  despatched  to  the 
remnant  of  Ephraim  and  Manasseh,  inviting  them  to  "turn 
unto  the  Lord  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Israel,"  and  join 
in  this  service.  "Be  not  stiff-necked,  as  your  fathers  were,  but 
turn  again  unto  the  Lord,  and  enter  his  sanctuary.  For  if  ye 
turn  again,  your  brethren  and  your  children  shall  find  compas- 
sion before  them  that  lead  them  captive,  and  shall  come  again 
into  this  land:  for  the  Lord  your  God  is  gracious  and  merciful, 
and  will  not  turn  away  his  face  from  you,  if  ye  return  unto 
him."  Some  of  the  Israelites  laughed  the  couriers  to  scorn. 
Some  received  the  message  gladly,  and  came  to  Jerusalem.  All 
Judah  came  as  with  one  heart,  "moved  by  the  hand  of  God." 


412  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

The  multitude  having  assembled,  they  first  took  the  altars  of 
incense  in  the  city,  "and  cast  them  into  the  brook  Kidron." 
Then  they  killed  the  passover,  and  the  priests  sanctified  them- 
selves, "and  presented  the  offerings  according  to  the  law  of 
Moses."  Many  of  the  people,  gathered  in  such  haste,  were  not 
ceremonially  clean,  but  Hezekiah  prayed,  "The  good  Lord 
pardon  every  one  that  prepareth  his  heart  to  seek  the  Lord  God 
of  his  fathers,  though  he  be  not  cleansed  according  to  the  pu- 
rification of  the  sanctuary."  The  prayer  was  heard,  and  the 
people  were  healed.  So  profound  was  the  impression  of  this 
service,  that  the  whole  multitude  resolved  to  keep  "other 
seven  days :  and  they  kept  them  with  gladness."  During 
these  days  the  Levites  were  employed  in  teaching  the  people. 
"So  there  was  great  joy  in  Jerusalem:  for  since  the  time 
of  Solomon  there  was  not  the  like  in  Jerusalem.  Then  the 
priests  blessed  the  people;  and  their  voice  was  heard,  and 
their  prayer  came  up  to  his  holy  dwelling-place,  even  unto 
heaven." 

From  this  feast,  the  people,  full  of  pious  enthusiasm,  went 
throughout  the  land,  breaking  the  images  in  pieces,  cutting 
down  the  groves,  and  throwing  down  the  high-places  and 
altars,  till  they  had  destroyed  every  vestige  of  idolatry,  when 
every  man  returned  to  his  own  abode. 

The  courses  of  the  priests  and  Levites  were  next  set  in  order, 
the  set  feasts  established,  and  the  tithes  secured.  From  every 
quarter  the  willing  people  brought  in  abundance,  "from  the 
third  to  the  seventh  month."  Store-rooms  were  prepared  for 
that  which  was  left,  after  the  abundant  supply  of  the  priests. 
Over  these  free- will-offerings  and  dedicated  things  men  were 
appointed,  whose  office  it  was  to  distribute  to  the  priests  accord- 
ing to  their  genealogy.  "Thus  did  Hezekiah  throughout  all 
Judah ;  and  in  every  work  that  he  began  in  the  service  of  the 
house  of  God,  he  did  it  with  all  his  heart  and  prospered." 
"He  trusted  in  the  Lord  God  of  Israel;  so  that  after  him  there 
was  none  like  him  among  all  the  kings  of  Judah,  nor  any  that 
•were  before  him." 

Having  thus  accomplished  this  great  work  of  reformation,  he 
marched  his  armies  against  the  Philistines,  "and  smote  them 
unto  Gaza."  Encouraged  by  this  success,  he  threw  off  the  yoke 
of  Assyria.  Sennacherib  the  king  of  Assyria  came  at  once  with 
an  army  to  bring  him  to  subjection.  Unable  to  cope  with  so 
formidable  a  power  in  battle,  Hezekiah  prepared  himself  and 
Jerusalem  for  a  protracted  siege.  The  fountains  were  closed, 
the  walls  were  repaired,  and  a  second  wall  built  around  the  city ; 
weapons  were  made,  and  captains  set  over  the  men.  In  this 
emergency  the  king  encourages  his  men,  "Be  strong,  and  not 
dismayed,  for  there  be  more  with  us  than  with  him.  With  him 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  413 

is  an  arm  of  flesh ;  but  with  us  is  the  Lord  our  God,  to  help  us, 
and  to  fight  our  battles."* 

At  length,  however,  when  the  Assyrians  had  reached  Lachish, 
Hezekiah's  courage  and  faith  failed,  and  he  sent  to  Sennache- 
rib, saying,  "I  have  offended;  return  from  me:  that  which  thou 
puttest  on  me  will  I  bear."  Sennacherib  consented  to  with- 
draw his  army  on  payment  of  "  three  hundred  talents  of  silver, 
and  thirty  talents  of  gold."  Hezekiah  gave  him  the  gold  and 
silver  of  the  royal  treasures,  and  of  the  temple,  and  the  gold 
which  was  upon  the  pillars  of  the  temple. 

The  Assyrian  king  broke  faith  with  Hezekiah,  and  still  carried 
on  the  war.  While  he  continued  at  Lachish  he  sent  forward  his 
servant,  Rabshakeh.  Coming  to  Jerusalem,  Rabshakeh  deliv- 
ered his  message  in  the  most  insulting  manner  to  the  king,  and 
to  Jehovah,  whom  they  worshipped.  He  charges  them  with 
relying  upon  Egypt;  he  blasphemes  the  God  in  whom  they 
trusted;  he  taunts  them  with  their  weakness;  and  at  last  pleads 
that  he  was  obeying  a  divine  commission  in  thus  seeking  to 
destroy  Jerusalem.  Turning  from  the  king's  messengers,  he 
addresses  himself  to  the  people;  urges  them  to  renounce  their 
trust  in  Jehovah,  to  rebel  against  their  king,  to  pay  a  tribute 
to  Sennacherib,  to  wait  until  he  should  come  and  remove  them 
from  their  land,  and  closes  his  oration  with  a  blasphemous 
assertion  that  the  God  whom  they  trusted  was  in  no  way  differ- 
ent or  more  powerful  than  the  gods  of  Hamath  or  Arpad.  To 
this  insulting  speech  no  answer  was  given.  When  the  report 
came  to  Hezekiah,  he  went  at  once  to  the  temple.  His  only 
refuge  now  was  in  God.  To  Isaiah  the  prophet,  the  king  sent 
a  report  of  this  speech;  with  an  expression  of  his  hope  and 
confidence  that  God  would  hear  the  words  of  the  king  of  As- 
syria, and  vindicate  his  own  name  and  honour.  For  this  result 
he  asks  the  prophet  to  pray.  To  this  message  Isaiah  was  di- 
rected by  God  to  reply,  "Be  not  afraid  of  the  words  which  thou 
hast  heard,  with  which  the  servants  of  the  king  of  Assyria  have 
blasphemed  me.  Behold,  I  will  send  a  blast  upon  him,  and  he 
shall  hear  a  rumour,  and  shall  return  to  his  own  land;  and  I 
will  cause  him  to  fall  by  the  sword  in  his  own  land." 

Meanwhile  Rabshakeh  had  returned  to  his  master,  who  was 
now  besieging  Libnah.  He  heard  the  rumour  that  the  king  of 
Ethiopia  was  coming  to  meet  him.  Enraged  at  his  disappoint- 
ment, he  sent  again  to  Hezekiah  other  messengers,  with  a 
threatening  letter  containing  much  the  same  boasting  and  insult 
as  before. 

With  this  letter  Hezekiah  went  in  before  the  Lord  and 
prayed:  "0  Lord  God  of  Israel,  which  dwellest  between  the 

*  From  Isaiah  xxx.,  which  was  written  about  this  time,  it  appears  that  some  of 
the  nobles  (probably  not  the  king)  had  sent  to  Egypt  for  aid. 


414  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

cherubims,  thou  art  the  God,  even  thou  alone,  of  all  the  king- 
doms of  the  earth.  Lord,  bow  down  thine  ear,  and  hear;  open, 
Lord,  thine  eyes,  and  see;  and  hear  the  words  of  Sennacherib, 
which  he  hath  sent  to  reproach  the  living  God."  "Now  there- 
fore, 0  Lord  our  God,  I  beseech  thee,  save  thou  us  out  of  his 
hand,  that  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  may  know  that  thou 
art  the  Lord  God,  even  thou  only." 

Isaiah  was  sent  with  an  answer  to  this  prayer,  strengthening 
the  faith  of  the  king.  He  charges  Sennacherib  with  his  blas- 
phemy ;  shows  him  the  true  position  in  which  he  stands,  as  the 
instrument  of  God,  and  not,  as  he  supposes,  doing  what  he  did 
for  his  own  aggrandizement:  tells  him  that  his  work  was  ac- 
complished, and  that  it  was  the  purpose  of  God  that  he  should 
go  no  further.  He  then  promises  blessings  to  the  remnant  of 
Judah,  and  the  escaped  of  Zion;  and  closes  with  a  most  posi- 
tive prediction,  that  the  king  of  Assyria  should  not  so  much  as 
come  near  the  city,  "for,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  defend  this  city, 
to  save  it,  for  my  own  sake,  and  for  my  servant  David's  sake.'' 
"  On  that  very  night  the  angel  of  the  Lord  went  out  and  smote 
in  the  camp  of  the  Assyrians  an  hundred  and  eighty-five  thou- 
sand." "Sennacherib  returned  to  Nineveh,  and  as  he  was 
worshipping  in  the  house  of  his  god,  his  own  sons  smote  him 
•with  the  s\vord."  Thus  Jehovah  interfered  for  his  own  honour, 
and  saved  his  people  who  trusted  in  him. 

But  Hezekiah  was  to  experience  another  salvation  at  the  hand 
of  God.  At  the  same  time  that  he  was  delivered  from  the  As- 
syrians, "he  fell  sick  unto  death."  Isaiah  came  to  him  with  a 
message  from  the  Lord  confirming  his  worst  fears.  "  Thus 
saith  the  Lord,  set  thine  house  in  order;  for  thou  shalt  die,  and 
not  live."  The  love  of  life,  and  the  state  of  his  kingdom,  led 
him  to  pray  that  the  sentence  might  be  changed ;  "  I  beseech 
thee,  0  Lord,  remember  now  how  I  have  walked  before  thee  in 
truth,  and  with  a  perfect  heart,  and  have  done  that  which  is 
good  in  thy  sight."  The  prayer  was  heard.  Before  the  prophet 
had  left  the  palace,  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  him,  "  Tell 
Hezekiah,  I  have  heard  thy  prayer,  I  have  seen  thy  tears :  be- 
hold, I  will  heal  thee ;  on  the  third  day  thou  shalt  go  up  to  the 
house  of  the  Lord.  And  I  will  add  unto  thy  days  fifteen  years. 
At  Isaiah's  command  a  lump  of  figs  was  laid  upon  the  boil,  and 
he  recovered.  In  the  meantime,  however,  while  the  cure  was 
going  on,  Hezekiah  demanded  a  sign  to  confirm  his  faith.  At 
his  request  the  sign  was  given  him,  the  shadow  of  the  sun  went 
back  upon  the  dial  of  Ahaz,  "ten  degrees,  which  it  had  gone 
down."  * 

*  In  the  account  of  this  miraculous  cure,  given  us  in  Isaiah  xxxviii.,  we  have  the 
song  of  Ilezekiah  upon  his  recovery.  With  the  close  of  Hezckiah's  reign,  a  large 
part  of  the  prophet's  duties  were  finished. 


TO   THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  415 

The  miraculous  destruction  of  the  Assyrian  army,  and  cure  of 
Hezekiah,  drew  the  attention  of  foreign  powers.  Among  others, 
the  king  of  Babylon  sent  presents,  "  for  he  had  heard  of  Heze- 
kiah's  sickness."  "Hezekiah's  heart  was  lifted  up"  at  his  im- 
portance, and  made  a  display  of  all  his  treasures  to  the  Baby- 
lonish ambassadors.  For  this  he  was  reproved  by  the  prophet, 
with  this  startling  announcement,  that  all  that  was  in  his  house, 
and  his  own  descendants,  should  be  carried  captive  by  this  very 
kingdom  of  Babylon.  With  his  usual  submission  to  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  Hezekiah  replied,  "  Good  is  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  which  thou  hast  spoken,  is  it  not  good  if  peace  and  truth 
be  in  my  days."  The  rest  of  his  reign  was  prosperous.  He 
increased  in  wealth,  beautified  Jerusalem,  increased  the  number 
of  store  cities,  and  after  the  fifteen  years  were  passed,  he  was 
gathered  to  his  fathers,  and  slept  in  the  chiefest  of  the  sepul- 
chres of  the  sons  of  David.  His  character  and  memory  were 
held  in  the  highest  respect,  and  he  was  sincerely  mourned  by  a 
whole  people,  the  best  tribute  to  the  life  of  a  wise  and  good  king. 
He  is  the  most  spotless  of  the  kings  of  Judah. 

His  son  Manasseh  came  to  the  throne  at  the  early  age  of 
twelve  years.  The  enemies  of  Hezekiah's  reform  appear  to 
have  had  the  control  of  his  early  years.  Either  from  this  cause, 
or  from  his  own  disposition,  he  took  directly  the  opposite  course 
from  his  father:  "He  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  after 
the  abominations  of  the  heathen."  The  altars  which  Hezekiah 
had  broken  down,  were  again  rebuilt;  altars  for  Baal  were 
placed  again  in  the  temple,  even  in  its  very  courts ;  his  sons  were 
made  to  pass  through  the  fire ;  familiar  spirits  were  sought  for, 
and  a  graven  image  that  he  had  made,  placed  in  the  house  of 
God,  where  Jehovah  had  placed  his  name.  Under  the  influ- 
ence of  this  king,  the  people  were  seduced  to  do  more  evil  than 
did  the  nations  which  God  had  cast  out  before  them. 

Prophets  were  sent  to  reprove  him,  but  in  vain.  The  judg- 
ments which  had  fallen  upon  Samaria  were  shown  to  be  im- 
pending over  Jerusalem,  but  they  excited  no  alarm :  instead  of 
a  reformation,  they  hardened  the  infatuated  king,  and  he  added 
to  his  iniquities  "  by  shedding  innocent  blood  very  much,  till  he 
had  filled  Jerusalem  from  one  end  to  another."  At  length  the 
threatenings  of  God's  just  displeasure  were  executed.  The  As- 
syrian generals  came  with  an  irresistible  host.  Manasseh  at- 
tempted flight,  "but  was  overtaken  among  the  thorns,  bound 
with  fetters,  and  carried  away  to  Babylon."  In  this  affliction, 
he  came  to  himself,  "and  besought  the  Lord  his  God,  and 
humbled  himself  greatly  before  the  God  of  his  fathers."  As 
if  to  show  that  sincere  prayer  was  never  vain,  this  miserable 
king  was  heard  and  restored  to  his  kingdom  in  Jerusalem.  On 
his  return  he  built  the  wall  without  the  city  of  David,  fortified 


416  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

the  city,  "  took  away  the  strange  gods,  and  the  idol  out  of  the 
house  of  the  Lord,  and  all  the  altars  that  he  had  huilt  in  Jeru- 
salem, and  repaired  the  altar  of  the  Lord,  and  sacrificed  there- 
on. He  could  not,  however,  remedy  the  effects  of  his  own 
early  bad  example.  "  The  people  sacrificed  still  in  the  high- 
places,  but  unto  the  Lord  only."  After  a  long  but  disastrous 
reign  of  fifty-five  years,  "he  slept  with  his  fathers,  and  was 
buried  in  the  garden  of  his  own  house."  The  happy  scene  of 
his  father's  reign  was  thus  quickly  overcast  with  heavy  clouds ; 
and  though  his  repentance  seems  sincere,  yet  we  may  see  how 
little  a  late  repentance  can  atone  for  an  early  crime,  and  how 
little  in  itself  it  stays  the  progress  of  God's  justice.  He  did 
much  evil,  though  we  may  hope  that  he  died  a  good  man. 

Amon  succeeded  his  father  at  the  age  of  twenty-two.  "He 
also  did  that  which  was  evil,  as  his  father  Manasseh  did,  and 
served  and  worshipped  the  idols  that  his  father  served,  arid  for- 
sook the  Lord  God  of  his  fathers."  He  did  not,  however,  follow 
his  father  in  his  good  days.  "  He  did  not  humble  himself  as  his 
father  did."  After  a  reign  of  two  years,  of  which  we  hear 
nothing,  "  he  was  slain  by  his  servants  in  his  own  house."  The 
people,  however,  revenged  the  murder  of  the  king,  and  slew 
those  "who  had  conspired  against  Amon,"  "and  made  Josiah 
his  son  king  in  his  stead." 


SECTION  XIX. 

JOSIAH'S    REIGN — THE  FINDING  OF  THE  COPY   OF  THE  LAW JOSIAH'S   REFORMATION 

— JEHOAHAZ   AND  JEHOIAKIM — THE    FIRST  REMOVAL   OF   THE  PEOPLE   TO  BABYLON 

JEHOIAKIM — THE  SECOND  REMOVAL  TO  BABYLON — ZEDEKIAH,  THE  LAST  KING  OF 

JUDAH — THE  CAPTURE   OF  JERUSALEM. 

JOSIAH  was  only  eight  years  of  age  when  he  was  placed  upon 
the  throne.  But  the  change  was  a  happy  one  for  the  kingdom. 
From  the  first  he  was  well  inclined.  "  He  did  that  which  was 
right,"  followed  the  steps  of  David,  "  and  turned  not  aside  to  the 
right  hand  or  to  the  left."  In  his  sixteenth  year  he  began  to  show 
more  clearly  his  disposition,  and  in  the  twentieth  he  commenced 
the  work  which  characterized  his  reign.  Judah  and  Jerusalem 
were  again  purged  of  the  high-places,  the  altars  of  Baalim  were 
broken  down,  and  the  images  and  groves  cut  down,  and  the  mol- 
ten images  ground  to  "dust  and  sown  upon  the  graves  of  those 
who  had  sacrificed  to  them."  The  bones  of  the  priests  were 
burnt  upon  the  altars.  Not  content  with  cleansing  Judah  and 
Jerusalem,  he  went  also  and  did  the  same  in  the  cities  which 
had  belonged  to  Israel. 

In  the  eighteenth  year  of  his  reign,  and  twenty-sixth  of  his 
age,  he  began  to  repair  the  house  of  the  Lord  his  God.  Ac- 
cording to  the  king's  commandment,  the  officers  over  the  treasury 


TO   THE  BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  417 

went  to  Hilkiah  the  priest,  and  took  the  sum  of  the  money 
which  the  people  had  offered,  "and  gave  it  to  the  workmen  who 
had  the  oversight  of  the  house  of  the  Lord."  The  men  did  the 
work  faithfully  and  honestly. 

In  the  course  of  this  pious  work,  Hilkiah  the  high-priest 
found  "a  book  of  the  law  of  the  Lord  given  by  Moses," 
which  seems  to  imply  that  it  was  the  original  copy  as  written 
by  Moses  himself.  When  this  was  read  to  the  king,  it  produced 
the  greatest  consternation.  Whether  he  was  entirely  ignorant 
of  the  law  previously,  which  is  scarcely  probable,  or  whether 
the  denunciations  against  the  sins  of  the  land,  coming  from  that 
venerable  and  authoritative  copy,  may  have  produced  convic- 
tions of  sin  which  other  copies  had  failed  to  produce ;  in  what- 
ever way  we  may  account  for  it,  the  reading  of  this  book  alarmed 
even  this  pious  king  with  the  sense  of  his  sin,  and  the  fearful 
sins  and  dangers  of  the  kingdom. 

In  his  alarm,  Josiah  sent  his  servants  with  Hilkiah,  "to  in- 
quire of  the  Lord  for  them  that  are  left  in  Israel  and  Judah." 
They  went  "to  Huldah  the  prophetess,"  with  the  message  of 
the  king.  Her  answer  assured  him  that  the  wrath  which  he 
feared  should  surely  come.  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  bring 
evil  upon  this  place  and  upon  the  inhabitants  thereof,  even  all 
;the  curses  that  are  written  in  the  book"  of  the  law:  "Because 
they  have  forsaken  me  and  have  burned  incense  unto  other  gods, 
therefore  my  wrath  shall  be  poured  upon  this  place,  and  shall 
not  be  quenched."  The  piety  of  Josiah  was  not,  however,  left 
unrewarded.  His  repentance,  and  humility,  and  prayers,  gained 
for  him  the  sentence  that  he  should  "be  gathered  to  the  grave 
in  peace,  and  his  eye  should  not  see  all  the  evil"  that  was  to 
come  upon  Jerusalem. 

Upon  receiving  this  answer  from  the  prophetess,  the  king 
immediately  "  gathered  all  the  elders  of  Judah  and  Jerusalem, 
and  went  up  to  the  temple,  with  the  priests  and  prophets,  and 
all  the  people,  both  small  and  great,"  and  read  the  book  of  the 
law  in  their  hearing.  "And  he  stood  by  a  pillar,  and  made  a 
covenant  before  the  Lord  to  walk  after  the  Lord,  to  keep  his 
commandments,  and  his  testimonies,  and  his  statutes,  with  all 
their  heart,  and  with  all  their  soul,  to  perform  the  words  of  this 
covenant  that  were  writen  in  this  book.  And  all  the  people 
stood  to  the  covenant." 

Having  thus  in  their  hearts  returned  to  God,  they  at  once 
carried  out  a  thorough  reformation  throughout  the  land.  The 
temple  was  cleansed  of  its  remaining  pollutions;  the  images  and 
altars  of  Baal  were  everywhere  destroyed ;  all  the  idolatrous 
priests  were  put  down ;  the  high-places,  where  they  had  burned 
incense,  were  defiled.  Moreover,  the  king,  in  person,  went  to 
Bethel,  brake  down  the  altar  and  grove,  took  the  bones  of  the 
27 


418  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

idolatrous  priests  "  and  burned  them  upon  the  altar,  according 
to  the  word  of  the  Lord,"  which  he  spake  by  the  man  of  God  to 
Jeroboam.  As  he  had  done  in  Bethel,  so  he  did  throughout 
Samaria — breaking  down  the  altars,  slaying  the  idolatrous 
priests,  and  polluting  their  places  of  worship  with  the  bones  of 
men.  All  the  workers  with  familiar  spirits  were  banished. 

When  this  was  done,  and  the  king  had  returned  to  Jerusalem, 
he  prepared  to  celebrate  the  passover.  Placing  the  priests  in 
their  charges,  and  the  Levites  in  their  courses,  according  to 
the  writing  of  David,  he  commanded  to  kill  the  passover,  and 
sanctify  themselves  "according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord  by  the 
hand  of  Moses."  Josiah,  and  the  princes  and  the  priests,  gave 
willingly  to  the  people  victims  for  the  passover  and  offerings. 
Every  thing  was  done  carefully,  and  strictly  in  accordance  with 
the  institution  given  by  Moses.  The  singers,  also,  were  present. 
In  its  conformity  with  the  Mosaic  institution,  and  perhaps  in 
its  magnificence,  "  there  was  not  holden  such  a  passover  from 
the  days  of  Samuel  the  prophet ;  neither  did  all  the  kings  of 
Israel  keep  such  a  passover  as  Josiah  kept." 

But  all  this  availed  not  to  avert  the  calamities  which  were 
now  threatening  them.  The  hour  of  God's  mercy  had  passed, 
for  "the  Lord  turned  not  from  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath, 
wherewith  his  anger  was  kindled  against  Judah,  because  of  all. 
the  provocations  that  Manasseh  had  provoked  him." 

The  time  for  that  removal  which  had  been  promised  Josiah 
was  now  at  hand.  His  kingdom  was  probably  tributary  to 
Assyria  or  Chaldea;  and  when  Pharaoh-nechoh  went  up  against 
Assyria,  Josiah  came  out  to  meet  him.  Pharaoh  sent  ambas- 
sadors to  persuade  the  king  of  Judah  not  to  fight ;  urging  that 
he  was  in  haste  to  execute  the  commands  of  God.  "But  Josiah 
would  not  turn  his  face  from  him."  The  battle  was  fought  in 
the  valley  of  Megiddo,  and  the  king  of  Judah  was  wounded  in 
the  fight.  His  servants  took  him  from  his  war-chariot,  and 
brought  him  to  Jerusalem,  where  he  died,  after  a  reign  of  thirty- 
one  years.  No  king  so  "followed  the  Lord  with  all  his  heart" 
as  Josiah.  No  king  was  more  sincerely  lamented  by  his  people. 
By  the  good,  he  was  universally  mourned.  The  prophet  Jere- 
miah composed  an  elegiac  ode  to  his  memory,  which  was  long 
preserved  among  the  people.*  He  did  what  he  could  to  stay 
the  progress  of  the  destruction  fast  coming  upon  his  kingdom ; 
and  though  his  efforts  were  vain,  he  was  yet  kindly  taken  away 
from  the  evil  which  was  approaching. 

Josiah  fell  in  battle,  and  did  not  appoint  his  successor.     The 

*  This  prophet  commenced  his  prophecy  in  the  thirteenth  year  of  .Tosiah.  From 
the  general  strain  of  his  prophecy,  we  may  infer  that  in  the  midst  of  the  external 
reformation  under  Josiah,  the  mass  of  the  people  were  still  corrupt.  Subsequent 
history  proves  this. 


TO  THE   BABYLONISH   CAPTIVITY.  419 

people  therefore  took  (Shallum)  Jehoahaz  his  son,  and  anointed 
him  king.  He  did  that  which  was  evil,  (notwithstanding  his 
father's  example)  and  reigned  but  three  months.  It  seems 
strange,  that  in  this  short  time  he  could  so  have  corrupted  him- 
self, as  to  deserve  this  bad  character.  But  there  are  no  limits 
to  the  evil  heart,  aside  from  the  grace  of  God.  At  the  end  of 
three  months  Pharaoh  returned  from  a  successful  expedition, 
took  Jehoahaz  captive,  placed  his  elder  brother  (Eliakim)  Je- 
hoiakim  on  the  throne,  and  laid  the  land  under  a  heavy  tribute. 

Jehoiakim  was  compelled  to  tax  the  people,  in  order  to  raise 
the  tribute  money  for  Pharaoh.  He  also,  like  his  brother,  did 
evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.  It  is  plain  now  that  many  of  the 
royal  household  could  not  have  partaken  in  the  revival  of  pure 
religion  under  Josiah.  The  hearts  of  these  sons  remained 
untouched.  We  hear  little  of  the  first  year  of  his  reign,  but 
from  hints  in  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah,  we  may  gather  that  he 
was  oppressive  to  the  people,  and  the  determined  enemy  of  the 
prophets.  In  the  third  year  of  his  reign,  Nebuchadnezzar  king 
of  Babylon  came  against  him  and  took  him  captive,  with  the 
design  of  removing  him  to  Babylon;  but  afterwards  restored 
him  to  the  throne.  Some  of  the  vessels  of  the  temple,  and  a 
number  of  the  people,  among  whom  was  Daniel,  were  at  this 
time  carried  to  Babylon.  In  the  following  year  the  Egyptians 
were  defeated  on  the  banks  of  the  Euphrates.  (Jer.  xlvi.  2.)  In 
the  same  year  Jeremiah  caused  a  collection  of  his  prophecies  to 
be  made,  and  to  be  publicly  read  in  the  temple.  Jehoiakim 
sent  for  it,  to  hear  what  it  contained.  Displeased  with  its  bold 
reproofs,  he  took  the  leaves  as  they  were  read  and  cast  them 
into  the  fire.  Upon  this  a  new  roll  was  made,  to  which  were 
added  heavier  denunciations  still.  But  all  this  had  no  effect 
upon  the  king. 

After  three  years  he^  threw  off  the  yoke  of  the  Chaldeans,  in 
the  face  of  the  earnest  remonstrances  of  Jeremiah.  For  this 
he  lost  his  throne.  The  armies  of  the  Chaldeans  soon  came, 
and  took  possession  of  Jerusalem.  Jehoiakim  was  slain,  and 
his  body  left  without  burial,  as  Jeremiah  had  foretold.  He 
reigned  eleven  years.  The  king  of  Babylon  placed  his  son 
Jehoiachin  on  the  throne;  but  soon  afterwards  returned  and 
besieged  Jerusalem.  When  Nebuchadnezzar  appeared  before 
the  city,  Jehoiachin  immediately  went  out  and  surrendered, 
with  all  his  family  and  the  whole  court.  He  was  carried  to 
Babylon,  with  all  his  household,  princes,  artificers,  craftsmen, 
and  smiths,  to  the  number  of  ten,  or  perhaps  eighteen  thou- 
sand men.  With  these  there  were  taken  also  the  royal  trea- 
sures, the  treasures  of  the  temple,  and  the  vessels  of  the  temple, 
which  Solomon  had  made.  Little  was  left  now  but  the  mere 
form  of  nationality.  Still  it  was  not  now  Nebuchadnezzar's 


420  HISTORY   OF  THE    ISRAELITISH  NATION 

purpose  to  destroy  Jerusalem.  Accordingly  he  placed  (Matta- 
niah)  Zedekiah,  the  youngest  son  of  Josiah,.upon  the  throne. 
Jehoiachin,  as  we  afterwards  learn,  was  held  as  a  captive  until 
Nebuchadnezzar's  death,  when  he  was  taken  from  prison,  and 
made  to  sit  at  the  king's  table,  "and  his  throne  was  placed 
above  the  thrones  of  all  the  captive  kings  at  Babylon." 

Zedekiah  was  but  twenty-one  when  he  began  to  reign.  He 
followed  in  the  footsteps  of  "his  father,  and,  as  a  consequence, 
was  left  of  God  without  support  in  his  afflictions.  He  followed 
the  advice  of  his  nobles,  rather  than  that  of  Jeremiah.  In  the 
fourth  year  of  his  reign  (Jer.  li.  59)  he  went  to  Babylon,  and 
returned.  In  the  face  of  the  most  solemn  oath,  he  rebelled 
against  the  king  of  Babylon,  (probably  about  the  ninth  year  of 
his  reign,)  and  made  alliance  with  Egypt.  Nebuchadnezzar 
soon  came  to  punish  his  faithless  vassal.  In  the  ninth  year 
and  the  tenth  month,  he  laid  siege  to  Jerusalem.  For  a  year 
and  a  half  it  resisted  the  whole  force  of  the  Chaldeans.  While 
the  siege  was  going  forward,  the  king  of  Egypt  came  and  in- 
terrupted the  progress  of  the  Chaldean  arms.  In  these  mo- 
ments of  respite,  Zedekiah  sent  to  Jeremiah  to  inquire  what 
would  be  the  fate  of  the  war,  and  to  ask  his  prayers  for  success. 
Jeremiah  replied  that  the  Chaldeans  should  return  and  capture 
the  city.  When  the  prophet  attempted  to  pass  from  the  city, 
to  the  land  of  his  inheritance,  he  was  arrested,  under  the  pre- 
tence that  he  was  about  deserting  to  the  enemy,  and  cast  into 
prison.  For  a  time  he  was  cruelly  treated ;  afterwards  he  was 
placed  in  the  court  of  the  prison,  but  at  last,  at  the  instigation 
of  the  nobles,  cast  into  a  loathsome  dungeon,  from  which  he  was 
taken  at  the  request  of  Ebed-melech,  one  of  the  king's  servants.* 

As  Jeremiah  foretold,  the  Chaldeans  returned;  and  in  the 
eleventh  year  of  Zedekiah,  and  the  fourth  month,  the  city  was 
broken  up,  and  the  men  of  war  fled.  It  was  only  by  the  closest 
blockade  that  this  result  was  secured.  Zedekiah  was  pursued 
and  overtaken  at  Jericho,  and  brought  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  who 
was  then  at  Kiblah.  By  the  command  of  the  Babylonian  king, 
his  sons  were  inhumanly  slain  before  his  eyes,  and  his  eyes 
then  put  out,  and  the  miserable  king,  loaded  with  irons,  was 
borne  to  Babylon. 

In  the  following  month,  Nebuzar-adan,  captain  of  the  guard, 
came  to  Jerusalem,  burnt  the  temple,  the  royal  palace,  all  the 
houses  of  the  nobles,  and  brake  down  the  walls.  The  brazen 
pillars,  and  all  the  vessels  of  the  temple  which  remained,  were 
now  carried  to  Babylon.  The  officers  of  Zedekiah  were  taken 

*  The  prophetic  writings  of  Jeremiah,  while  they  do  not  contain  so  many  histo- 
rical statements,  are  yet  so  connected  with  the  history,  that  we  must  read  them  in 
connection  with  these  latter  reigns,  if  we  wish  to  gain  any  correct  view  of  the 
moral  state  of  the  nation. 


'  TO  THE  BABYLONISH  CAPTIVITY.  421 

to  Riblah  and  slain.  The  common  people  were  scattered  over 
the  land  for  the  purpose  of  tillage ;  and  a  number  still  were 
carried  to  Babylon.  The  kingdom  of  Judah  had  thus  existed 
about  three  hundred  and  eighty-seven  years  after  the  separation. 
It  fell  solely  from  the  transgressions  of  the  people  and  their 
rulers.  God  dealt  with  them  in  great  forbearance,  "  sending  to 
them  by  his  messengers,  rising  up  betimes,  and  sending ;  because 
he  had  compassion  on  his  people,  and  on  his  dwelling-place. 
But  they  mocked,  the  messengers  of  God,  and  despised  his 
words,  and  misused  his  prophets,  until  the  wrath  of  the  Lord 
arose  against  his  people,  till  there  was  no  remedy."  Therefore 
they  were  carried  as  servants  unto  Babylon;  "until  the  land 
should  enjoy  her  sabbaths."  The  history  of  these  nations  of 
Judah  and  Israel,  would  be  worth  studying  (if  for  no  other 
reason)  for  the  lessons  of  political  wisdom  which  might  here  be 
learned;  for  God  deals  with  nations  now  as  then.  The  prin- 
ciples of  his  administration  are  always  the  same.  The  causes 
of  national  prosperity  or  adversity  lie  in  the  moral  condition  of 
the  people.  The  decay  of  national  strength  must  go  on  at 
equal  steps  with  the  progress  of  national  corruption.  We  mis- 
take greatly,  and  deprive  ourselves  of  the  benefit  of  this  part  of 
history,  if  we  suppose  that  the  Israelites  are,  or  were,  the  only 
nation  who  suffer  for  their  sins.  They  are  not  the  exception, 
but  the  example;  whose  history  has  been  written  in  its  true 
light,  and  stands  out  as  a  warning  and  a  lesson  to  those  who 
are  engaged  in  the  work  of  governing  the  nations. 


SECTION  XX. 

SOME   ACCOUNT   OF   THE   JEWS   IN   THEIR   CAPTIVITY. 

JEREMIAH  was  found  among  the  captives  at  Riblah,  and  left 
free  to  go  into  Babylon  or  remain  in  the  land.  He  chose  to 
return  to  Judah,  and  placed  himself  with  Gedaliah,  who  had  been 
made  ruler  over  the  people  in  Judah.  Gedaliah  was  successful  in 
recalling  around  him  a  number  of  the  men  of  Judah,  who  took 
the  oath  of  allegiance  to  Nebuchadnezzar.  The  Jews  also,  from 
Moab,  and  Edom,  and  Ammon,  returned  and  placed  themselves 
under  Gedaliah.  His  course,  however,  was  soon  ended.  A  part 
of  those  who  had  escaped  the  Babylonians,  regarded  him  as  in 
some  way  the  cause  of  their  misfortune.  Among  these  was 
Ishmael,  "one  of  the  seed  royal,"  who,  with  ten  others,  con- 
spired agaist  Gedaliah,  and  slew  him  at  Mizpah.  All  the  Jews 
who  were  with  the  governor  were  slain  also.  These  conspira- 
tors, in  turn,  were  conquered  by  Johanan,  one  of  Gedaliah's 
officers,  and  driven  to  take  refuge  among  the  Ammonites. 


422  HISTORY   OF   THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

Johanan,  fearing  the  vengeance  of  the  Chaldeans,  in  spite  of 
Jeremiah's  remonstrances,  took  the  remnant  of  Judah,  and  the 
king  Zedekiah's  daughters,  and  Jeremiah  the  prophet,  and  fled 
into  Egypt. 

Five  years  afterwards,  Nebuzar-adan  again  visited  Jerusa- 
lem, and  made  a  final  deportation  of  the  inhabitants  to  Baby- 
lon. The  remnant  which  was  left  attract  no  more  attention. 
They  seem  to  have  been  without  any  government,  or  perhaps 
to  have  fallen  under  the  mixed  population  and  religion  of 
Samaria.  The  land  was  utterly  desolate,  and  enjoyed  its 
Sabbaths. 

The  Jews  in  captivity  were  gradually  gaining  in  favour  with 
their  conquerors,  though  oftentimes  insulted  and  reproached  for 
their  faith — (see  137th  Psalm.)  Yet,  as  Daniel  came  into 
power,  and  the  throne  of  Babylon  became  vacant  by  the  insan- 
ity of  Nebuchadnezzar,  the  reign  of  their  bondage  was  mate- 
rially alleviated. 

We  learn  also  from  Ezekiel,  as  well  as  from  the  circumstances 
attending  their  return,  that  they  were  acquiring  wealth  and  im- 
portance. 

In  the  meantime  they  saw  the  power  which  had  subdued 
them  gradually  going  to  decay.  Rent  with  intestine  quarrels, 
and  threatened  with  the  growing  power  of  the  Persians,  it  could 
not  long  endure.  At  last  the  Persian  army  came  to  Babylon 
itself.  The  Chaldee  forces  were  no  match  for  these  new  foes. 
After  a  single  battle  the  Babylonian  king  fled,  and  took  refuge 
in  his  capital.  After  a  siege  of  one  year,  Babylon  itself,  unex- 
pectedly, while  the  king  was  revelling  in  his  sensual  pleasures, 
(and  had  sacrilegiously  turned  the  vessels  from  the  temple  into 
drinking  cups  for  himself  and  his  princes,)  fell  into  the  hands 
of  Cyrus.  With  his  accession  began  the  Jews'  release. 


PAKT  V. 


FROM    THE   BABYLONISH    CAPTIVITY    TO    THE    CON- 
QUEST OF  JUDEA  BY  THE  ROMANS.* 


SECTION  I. 

FROM   THE    EDICT     OF    CYRUS,    PERMITTING   THEIR     RETURN     TO    THEIR   OWN    LAND, 
TO    THE    FINISHING   OF   THE   SECOND    TEMPLE. 

CYRUS,  king  of  Persia,  having  taken  Babylon,  and  become  the 
sole  sovereign  by  the  death  of  his  uncle,  who  in  Scripture  is 
called  Darius  the  Mede,  made  a  decree,  that  as  many  of  the 
children  of  Israel  as  chose  should  return  to  Judea,  and  rebuild 
their  city  and  temple.  To  aid  them  in  this  pious  and  patriotic 
work,  he  directed  that  supplies  should  be  granted  them  from 
his  own  revenues ;  and,  also,  that  they  should  be  at  liberty  to 
receive  donations  from  their  brethren  who  chose  to  remain  in 
Chaldea.  It  is  said,  that  Cyrus  was  induced  to  resolve  on  this 
measure,  by  having  the  remarkable  prophecies  which  related  to 
himself  shown  to  him  by  Daniel  the  prophet,  who  was  still 
alive  at  Babylon,  though  very  old. 

The  decree  of  Cyrus  for  the  rebuilding  of  Jerusalem  was 
issued  about  five  hundred  and  thirty-six  years  before  the  birth 
of  Christ.  On  this  occasion,  Cyrus  brought  out  all  the  ves- 
sels which  Nebuchadnezzar  had  taken  from  the  temple  at  Jeru- 
salem, and  gave  them  into  the  hands  of  the  leaders  of  the  Jews, 
who  were  about  to  return  to  their  own  land.  The  chief  leaders 
were  Zerubbabel,  who  was  of  the  royal  seed,  and  Joshua,  who 
was  by  regular  descent  the  high-priest  of  the  nation. 

*  The  principal  authorities  depended  on  for  the  facts  recorded  in  the  following 
history,  are  Josephus,  Joseph  Gouonides,  and  the  author  of  the  First  book  of  Mac- 
cabees. As  far,  however,  as  the  Jewish  history  is  connected  with  that  of  other 
nations,  the  facts  may  be  corroborated  by  the  testimony  of  Grecian  and  Roman 
historians.  The  compiler  of  this  work  acknowledges,  however,  that  the  statement 
of  facts  and  dates,  in  this  period,  have  been,  for  the  most  part,  extracted  from  the 
learned  work  of  Dean  Prideaus,  entitled  "CONNEXION,  &c.,"  of  which  it  may  be 
considered  an  abridgment. 


424  HISTORY   OF   THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

The  number  of  vessels  of  gold  and  silver,  delivered  by  Cyrus 
into  the  hands  of  Zerubbabel  and  Joshua,  was  five  thousand 
four  hundred.  They  who  returned  to  Judea,  at  this  time,  were 
not  all  from  the  tribes  of  Judah  and  Benjamin,  carried  captive 
by  Nebuchadnezzar ;  but  some  of  the  other  tribes,  carried  away 
by  Tiglath-pilezer,  Shalmanezer,  and  Esarhaddon,  also  returned 
with  their  brethren.  The  whole  number  of  this  first  company 
was  fifty-two  thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty ;  whereas  they 
who  are  numbered  in  the  book  of  Ezra  and  Nehemiah,  as  belong- 
ing to  Judah,  Benjamin,  and  Levi,  amounted  to  no  more  than 
thirty  thousand.  Of  the  twenty-four  courses  of  priests  institu- 
ted by  David,  no  more  than  four  returned,  making  up  the  num- 
ber of  four  thousand  two  hundred  and  eighty-nine  persons. 
The  rest  either  remained,  or  had  become  extinct.  But  to 
keep  up  the  ancient  number  of  courses,  each  of  these  four 
divided  itself  into  six,  and  took  the  names  of  those  which  had 
become  extinct. 

The  first  work  to  which  they  addressed  themselves,  after  their 
return,  was  the  erection  of  an  altar  of  burnt-offerings ;  so  that 
the  daily  service  of  God,  according  to  the  law  of  Moses,  might 
immediately  be  resumed. 

Next,  they  proceeded  to  lay  the  foundation  of  the  temple. 
This  they  erected  exactly  on  the  site  of  the  old  edifice,  and 
made  it  of  the  same  length  and  breadth,  and  according  to  the 
same  plan ;  but  as  they  were  poor  and  few  in  number,  the  build- 
ing fell  very  far  short  of  the  glory  and  riches  of  the  first  temple, 
built  by  Solomon.  So  that  when  it  was  finished,  many  of  the 
old  men,  who  had  seen  the  former  edifice,  wept  aloud,  on  ac- 
count of  the  meanness  of  this  second  temple,  when  compared 
with  the  glory  of  the  first. 

The  Jews  are  accustomed  to  say,  that  five  things  were  want- 
ing in  the  second  temple,  which  existed  in  the  first.  These  were, 
1.  Urim  and  Thummim.  2.  The  ark  of  the  covenant  with  its 
sacred  contents.  3.  The  holy  fire  on  the  altar,  enkindled  from 
heaven.  4.  The  Shechina,  or  visible  symbol  of  the  Divine  pre- 
sence, over  the  mercy-seat.  5.  The  spirit  of  prophecy.  To 
which  might  be  added  as  a  6th,  The  holy  anointing  oil,  made 
by  Moses  for  the  consecration  of  the  priests,  and  of  the  kings. 

It  is  a  tradition  among  the  Jews,  that  all  the  copies  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures  were  lost;  and  that  Ezra,  by  inspiration, 
restored  the  whole.  But  this  is  manifestly  incorrect ;  for 
Daniel  had  the  books  of  the  Prophets,  and  "  Ezra  was  a  ready 
scribe  in  the  law  of  his  God;"  and  as  soon  as  the  people 
returned,  we  find,  that  they  had  copies  of  the  law.  The  auto- 
graphs of  these  books,  preserved  in  the  temple,  were  doubtless 
lost,  and  many  new  copies  were  probably  now  made  under  the 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  425 

direction  of  Ezra;  and  from  these  circumstances,  probably,  the 
tradition  just  mentioned  took  its  rise. 

When  the  ten    tribes  were  carried  away  from  the  land  of 
Israel,  the  king  of  Assyria  brought   inhabitants  from  other 
countries  to   occupy  their  place.     These  were  heathen,  and 
worshipped  various  false  gods,  but  knew  nothing  of  the  worship 
of  Jehovah.     Being  greatly  infested  with  beasts,  they  attributed 
this  judgment  to  their  not  knowing  "  the  manner  of  the  God 
of  the  land."     Whereupon  the  king  of  Assyria  ordered,  that 
one  of  the  priests  who  had  been  carried  away  from  that  land,   fTU  f 
should  return  and  teach  the  people  how  to  serve  the  God  of  the       /  / 
country.     This  priest   took  up   his  residence   in  Bethel,  and. 
having  brought  with  him  a  copy  of  the  law  of  Moses,  instruct- 
ed  the  people  how  Jehovah  should  be  worshipped :  nevertheless,  • 
they  did  not  abandon,  at  first,  their  former  deities,  but  united 
the  worship  of  them  with  that  of  the  true  God.     In  process  of 
time,  these   foreigners  became  incorporated  with  the   poorer! 
people  of  Israel,  who  were  left  in  the  country;  and  the  mongrel/ 
race  received  the  name  of  Samaritans,  which  name  the  few  who 
remain  there  to  this  day  still  retain.      The  Samaritans  were\ 
more   despised  by  the   Jews   than  the   heathen    themselves. 
They  were  also  called  Cutheans,  and  no  greater  reproach  could 
be  cast  on  any  one  by  a  Jew,  than  to  call  him  a  Samaritan 
or  a  Cuthean.     After  some  time,  they  seem  to  have  abandoned 
their  gross  idolatry,  and  pretended  that  mount  Gerizim  was  the 
place  originally  appointed  by  God  for  his  worship.     They  pre- 
served among  them  the  law  received  from  the  Israelitish  priest, 
copies  of  which,  in  their  peculiar  character,  have  come  down  to 
our  times ;  but  the  other  books  of  the  Jewish  Scriptures  they 
did  not  receive. 

Upon  the  return  of  the  Jews  to  rebuild  their  temple,  the  Sa- 
maritans came  to  them,  and  expressed  a  great  desire  to  unite 
with  them  in  the  work,  and  in  the  worship  of  God ;  pretending, 
that  ever  since  the  days  of  E^arhaddon,  they  had  been  worship- 
pers of  Jehovah.  But  Zerubbabel  and  Joshua,  and  the  elders 
of  Israel,  utterly  refused  to  have  any  connection  with  them,  and 
informed  them  that  tne  decree  of  Cyrus  related  only  to  the 
Jews.  This  refusal  to  admit  the  Samaritans  to  their  commu- 
nion, was  because  they  suspected  them  of  insidious  designs,  and 
knew,  that  whatever  they  might  now  profess,  their  religion  was 
corrupt.  The  Samaritans  were  greatly  offended  at  this  repulse, 
and  set  themselves,  by  every  means,  to  obstruct  the  building  of 
the  house:  and,  although,  they  could  not  alter  the  decree  of 
Cyrus,  yet  by  bribes  and  other  underhand  dealings,  they  had 
influence  with  his  ministers,  to  cause  many  hinderances  to  be 
thrown  in  the  way  of  the  Jews.  By  this  means  the  animosity 
between  the  two  nations  was  enkindled  to  a  flame ;  so  that,  ever 


426  HISTORY  OF   THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION 

afterwards,  no  people  ever  hated  each  other  with  a  more  hitter 
hatred ;  which  is  sufficiently  evident  in  the  gospel  history. 

Daniel,  although  living  when  the  Jews  returned  to  build 
Jerusalem,  was  too  old  to  revisit  his  native  country.  He  must  at 
this  time  have  heen  eighty  or  ninety  years  of  age :  for  he  was 
carried  away  from  Jerusalem  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  was  then 
a  young  man;  since  which  time,  seventy  years  had  elapsed. 
He  was  a  man  greatly  honoured  by  God,  and  had  great  influence 
and  authority,  both  during  the  reign  of  the  Chaldean  and  Per- 
sian kings.  Josephus  informs  us,  that  he  built  a  famous  palace 
at  Susa,  which,  he  says,  was  remaining  in  his  time ;  and  finished 
it  with  wonderful  art ;  in  which  it  became  the  custom  to  bury 
the  Persian  and  Parthian  kings ;  and  in  honour  to  the  founder, 
it  was  always  committed  to  the  custody  of  members  of  the  Jew- 
ish nation.  Here,  according  to  tradition,  Daniel  died  and  was 
buried,  where  they  pretend  to  show  his  sepulchre  to  this  day. 
The  place  is  now  called  Tuster.  The  year  of  his  death  is  uncer- 
tain, but  he  did  not  long  survive  the  restoration  of  his  country- 
men :  and  the  loss  of  such  a  wise  and  influential  friend  at  the 
court  of  Persia,  must  have  been  great  indeed  to  all  the  Jews ; 
but  especially  to  those  engaged  in  the  arduous  enterprise  of 
rebuilding  the  temple  at  Jerusalem. 

But  about  seven  years  after  this  work  commenced,  the  Jews 
met  with  a  still  heavier  loss,  by  the  death  of  Cyrus  himself. 
Concerning  the  place  and  circumstances  of  the  death  of  this 
extraordinary  man,  we  have  no  record  in  the  sacred  writings, 
and  other  historians  are  so  entirely  disagreed,  that  we  cannot 
speak  with  certainty.  Xenophon  makes  him  die  in  his  bed  in 
Persia,  when  a  little  above  seventy  years  of  age ;  but  Herodo- 
tus, Diodorus  Siculus,  and  Justin,  relate,  that  he  made  an  un- 
successful attack  upon  Scythia,  where  being  defeated  and  slain 
by  the  queen  of  that  country,  his  head  was  cut  off,  and  placed 
in  a  barrel  of  blood. 

Cyrus  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Cambyses,  who  is  thought 
by  some  to  be  the  Ahasuerus  of  Scripture,  the  husband  of 
Esther.  This  man  was  exceedingly  different  in  character 
from  his  father;  and,  indeed,  during  Mis  whole  reign,  acted 
more  like  a  madman  than  a  person  in  his  senses.  Having 
taken  offence  at  Amasis,  king  of  Egypt,  he  marched  a  power- 
ful army  into  that  country,  which  he  subdued.  Amasis,  how- 
ever, was  dead  before  his  arrival,  but  he  prosecuted  the  war 
with  great  violence,  and  having  got  possession  of  Memphis,  the 
capital,  put  the  young  king,  the  son  of  Amasis,  to  death,  by 
causing  him  to  drink  bullock's  blood.  The  body  of  Amasis  he  dug 
up,  and  treated  with  the  greatest  indignity.  The  stratagem 
which  he  used  to  take  Pelusium,  was,  to  place  cows,  cats,  dogs, 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  427 

&c..,  before  his  army,  and  thus  march  up  to  the  walls ;  these 
being  objects  of  worship  with  the  Egyptians,  they  chose  rather 
to  be  conquered,  than  to  run  the  risk  of  killing  any  of  the  vene- 
rated animals.  He  made  a  second  expedition  to  Ethiopia,  which 
was  unsuccessful.  At  this  time  he  sent  forty  thousand  men  to 
destroy  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Hammon,  all  of  whom  were  over- 
whelmed in  a  storm  of  sand.  Finding  the  people  of  Memphis 
rejoicing  on  account  of  the  discovery  of  the  bull  Apis,  he  com- 
manded that  he  should  be  brought  to  him,  and  on  seeing  the 
animal  which  the  superstitious  people  adored,  he  ran  his 
sword  into  the  thigh  of  the  bull,  of  which  wound  he  died.  The 
priests,  he  ordered  to  be  whipped,  and  in  every  way  manifested 
his  contempt  and  detestation  for  the  superstitions  of  the  peo- 
ple ;  for  the  Persians  worshipped  no  idols,  but  only  the  sun  and 
fire. 

It  is  related,  that  the  king  of  Ethiopia  sent  Cambyses  his 
bow,  with  a  message,  that  when  the  Persians  could  bend  such  a 
bow,  they  might  think  of  invading  Ethiopia.  Smerdis,  the  son 
of  Cyrus,  and  brother  of  the  king,  being  the  only  man  in  the 
army  who  could  with  ease  bend  the  bow,  Cambyses  became  jeal- 
ous of  him,  and  sent  him  off  to  Persia,  where,  in  consequence  of 
a  dream,  he  had  him  put  to  death.  He  had  onejbeautiful 
sister,  the  daughter  of  Cyrus,  whose  name  was  Meroe;  her 
he  married,  contrary  to  all  law  and  usage.  From  her  is 
derived  the  name  of  an  island  in  the  Nile,  between  Egypt  and 
Ethiopia.  This  woman  he  was  accustomed  to  take  with  him  in 
all  his  expeditions.  But  on  a  certain  occasion,  in  a  fit  of 
passion,  he  struck  her  a  blow,  which,  she  being  pregnant, 
caused  her  death. 

Cambyses,  having  reigned  nearly  eight  years,  and  being  on  his 
return  from  Egypt,  a  herald  from  Shushan,  the  palace  of  the 
kings  of  Persia,  met  the  army,  and  proclaimed  Smerdis  the  son 
of  Cyrus,  king.  Now  Smerdis  had  already  been  put  to  death, 
secretly,  by  the  order  of  Cambyses,  as  stated  above;  but  the  case 
was  this,  the  prince  whom  Cambyses  had  left  to  govern  Persia  ^ 
in  his  absence,  had  a  brother  who  bore  a  remarkable  resem- 
blance to  Smerdis.  This  young  man  the  crafty  Magian  set 
upon  the  throne,  having  learned  the  secret  of  the  death  of  the 
true  Smerdis.  Cambyses  seized  the  herald,  and  after  a  careful 
examination  having  ascertained  that  his  own  brother  was  really 
dead,  and  that  this  pretended  Smerdis  was  the  brother  of  the 
governor,  set  forward  with  his  army  to  dethrone  the  impostor, 
and  punish  the  governor;  but  as  he  mounted  his  horse,  his 
sword  slipping  from  its  scabbard,  gave  him  a  wound  in  the 
thigh,  of  which  he  died  in  a  few  days.  The  Egyptians  consid- 
ered this  as  a  special  judgment  on  the  king  for  his  impiety,  in 


428  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

killing  Apis ;  for  they  remarked,  that  the  part  of  his  thigh  into 
which  the  sword  entered,  was  the  same  which  he  had  wounded 
in  the  bull. 

During  the  reign  of  Cambyses,  the  work  of  rebuilding  the 
temple,  we  have  reason  to  believe,  advanced  very  slowly.  The 
Samaritans,  we  know,  sent  a  petition  to  obtain  an  order  to 
have  the  building  arrested ;  but  how  it  was  received,  or  whether 
it  produced  any  effect,  we  are  not  informed. 

The  pretended  Smerdis  reigned  only  seven  months.  By 
profane  historians  he  is  called  by  several  other  names ;  but  in 
Scripture  he  is  named  Artaxerxes.  As  soon  as  he  was  settled 
on  the  throne,  after  the  death  of  Cambyses,  the  Samaritans 
wrote  a  letter  to  him,  setting  forth  that  the  Jews  were  rebuild- 
ing their  city  and  temple  at  Jerusalem ;  and  that,  as  they  had 
always  been  a  rebellious  people,  there  was  much  reason  to  sus- 
pect, that  as  soon  as  the  work  was  accomplished,  they  would 
withdraw  their  allegiance  from  the  king.  For  proof  of  what 
they  alleged,  they  referred  to  the  ancient  records  of  the  king- 
dom ;  requesting,  that  search  might  be  made,  whether  the  facts 
stated  by  them  were  not  true.  Upon  which,  Artaxerxes  having 
ascertained  that  the  Jews  had  carried  on  obstinate  wars  with 
his  predecessors,  and  that  their  city  had  been  taken  and  des- 
troyed by  Nebuchadnezzar,  gave  order,  that  the  building  should 
cease;  whereupon,  the  Samaritans  came  immediately  to  Jeru- 
salem, and  by  force  caused  them  to  desist  from  the  further 
prosecution  of  the  work. 

Smerdis,  or  Artaxerxes,  endeavoured  by  every  method  to  in- 
gratiate himself  with  the  people;  and,  with  this  view,  remitted 
all  the  taxes  due  to  the  government.  And  to  secure  himself  on 
the  throne,  he  took  to  wife  Atossa,  daughter  of  Cyrus,  who  had 
before  been  the  wife  of  Cambyses  her  brother. 

At  length,  however,  it  began  to  be  suspected  among  the 
nobles  of  Persia,  that  this  was  not  the  true  Smerdis.  One  of 
them  whose  name  was  Otanes,  undertook  to  make  a  discovery, 
by  means  of  one  of  the  wives  of  the  king.  He  had  ascertained, 
that  the  Magian  who  resembled  Smerdis,  had  on  some  occasion 
lost  his  ears ;  wherefore  this  woman  was  to  find  out  whether  her 
husband  had  ears  or  not.  It  being  found  that  he  had  none,  it 
became  certain  that  he  was  an  impostor.  Otanes,  then,  associ- 
ated six  others  of  the  nobles  of  Persia  with  him,  who  entering 
into  the  palace  slew  the  king,  and  his  brother  Patizethes,  who 
had  been  the  contriver  of  the  whole  plot ;  and  bringing  out  their 
heads,  showed  them  to  the  people,  and  laid  open  the  whole  im- 
posture. Such  was  the  indignation  of  the  multitude  against 
these  men,  that  they  slew  all  the  Magians  whom  they  could 
find. 

The  idolatry  of  the  world,  at  this  time,  was  divided  between 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  429 

the  worshippers  of  images,  who  were  called  Sabeans,  and  the 
worshippers  of  fire,  who  were  called  Magians.  The  Magian 
sect,  who  were  followers  of  Zoroaster,  prevailed  greatly  in 
Persia,  and  a  few  of  their  successors  are  still  found  in  the  moun- 
tains of  that  country,  under  the  name  of  Gauri  or  fire-wor- 
shippers. 

Smerdis  being  now  out  of  the  way,  a  consultation  was  held 
by  the  nobles  of  Persia  respecting  the  form  of  government 
which  should  be  adopted.  Otanes  was  in  favour  of  democracy, 
Megabyzus  of  aristocracy,  and  Darius  Hystaspes  of  monarchy. 
The  last  mentioned  opinion  prevailed,  and  Darius  himself  was 
advanced  to  the  throne.  He  was  the  son  of  Hystaspes,  a  noble 
Persian,  who  had  followed  Cyrus  in  all  his  wars.  The  other 
nobles  concerned  in  this  revolution,  stipulated  that  they  should 
enjoy  peculiar  privileges,  one  of  which  was,  that  they  should 
always  have  free  access  to  the  royal  presence,  •without  ceremony, 
except  when  the  king  was  in  his  harem. 

The  building  of  the  temple  having  been  arrested  by  an  edict 
of  Smerdis,  the  work  was  not  immediately  resumed  upon  the 
accession  of  Darius.  The  remissness  of  the  Jews  in  prosecu- 
ting this  sacred  object,  occasioned  severe  judgments  on  the  land ; 
and  to  awake  them  from  their  apathy,  Haggai  the  prophet  was 
sent  to  them  with  a  message  from  Jehovah,  which  is  recorded 
in  the  book  which  bears  his  name.  This  solemn  exhortation, 
had  the  effect  of  stirring  up  the  leaders  and  the  people  to  return 
to  the  work  of  rebuilding  the  temple.  Towards  the  close  of  the 
same  year,  another  message  was  sent  to  the  Jews,  by  the  same 
prophet,  announcing  that  the  glory  of  the  second  house  should 
be  greater  than  the  glory  of  the  first ;  and  that  THE  DESIRE  or 
ALL  NATIONS  should  come,  and  that  this  temple  should  be  filled 
with  the  glory  of  Jehovah.  Zechariah  the  prophet  was  also 
commissioned  to  preach  to  the  people  at  the  close  of  the  same 
year. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  second  year  of  Darius,  the  work  was 
recommenced;  but  the  Samaritans  betook  themselves  to  their 
old  malicious  practices ;  and  to  obstruct  the  work,  applied  to 
Tatnai,  who  had  been  appointed  governor,  on  this  side  the  river. 
They  alleged  that  the  Jews  were  acting  wholly  without  autho- 
rity in  this  business.  Tatnai,  to  satisfy  himself,  came  to  Jeru- 
salem, and  upon  being  shown  a  copy  of  the  edict  of  Cyrus,  did 
not  forbid  the  work,  but  wrote  an  account  of  the  whole  matter 
to  the  king.  Whereupon,  search  being  made,  the  decree  of 
Cyrus  was  found  among  the  rolls,  in  the  royal  palace  at  Ecba- 
tana,  in  Media.  Darius,  upon  this,  ordered  that  the  decree  of 
Cyrus  should  be  carried  into  complete  effect,  and  threatened 
severe  punishments  against  any  who  should  dare  to  obstruct  the 
work. 


' 


430  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

The  seventy  years  captivity,  predicted  by  Jeremiah,  may  be 
considered  as  commencing  either  in  the  fourth  year  of  Jehoi- 
akim,  when  the  first  Jews  were  carried  captive  to  Babylon,  and 
then  the  end  of  this  period  will  be  in  the  first  year  of  Cyrus  : 
or,  eighteen  years  afterwards,  when  Jerusalem  was  destroyed 
and  the  temple  burnt  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  then  the  close 
of  the  seventy  years  will  be  on  the  second  year  of  Darius,  when 
the  decree  of  Cyrus  was  renewed  and  republished,  and  all  ob- 
structions to  the  carrying  on  the  work  taken  out  of  the  way. 

The  kings  of  Persia  having  removed  their  residence  from 
Babylon  to  Shushan,  the  inhabitants  of  the  former  city  began 
to  think  of  a  revolt  from  the  dominion  of  the  Persians.  For 
several  years  they  were  employed  in  collecting  and  treasuring 
up  provisions,  within  the  walls  of  the  city.  In  the  fifth  year  of 
Darius,  the  revolt  took  place  ;  the  Babylonians  openly  renoun- 
cing their  allegiance.  Darius  now  collected  a  mighty  army  and 
besieged  the  city;  but  the  walls  were  so  thick  and  high,  and 
the  gates  so  strong,  that  all  attempts  to  reduce  it  by  force  must 
have  been  ineffectual:  and  there  was  so  much  vacant  ground 
within  the  city  and  so  large  a  store  of  provisions  had  been 
accumulated,  that  there  seemed  no  prospect  of  reducing  it  by 
famine.  The  desperate  determination  of  the  besieged  was  also 
manifested  in  a  very  extraordinary  way.  In  order  to  lessen 
the  number  of  consumers  of  their  stock  of  provisions,  they 
resolved  to  put  to  death  all  persons  who  could  not  be  useful  in 
the  defence  of  the  city;  especially,  all  the  females  were  slain, 
except  one  for  each  family.  And  the  probability  was  strong 
that  they  would  have  been  able  to  defend  themselves  success- 
fully against  the  Persian  army,  had  it  not  been  for  the  device 
of  a  nobleman,  by  the  name  of  Zopyrus,  who  having  cut  off  his 
own  ears  and  nose,  fled  to  the  Babylonians,  pretending  that  he 
had  been  thus  cruelly  treated  by  Darius.  They  received  him 
confidently,  for  there  seemed  to  be  no  room  to  suspect  treachery, 
in  such  a  case;  and,  by  degrees,  he  so  insinuated  himself  into 
their  favour,  that  they  gave  him  the  command  of  the  city;  upon 
which  he  immediately  opened  the  gates  to  the  Persians.  Darius 
took  signal  vengeance  on  the  leaders  of  this  rebellion,  by  cruci- 
fying no  less  than  three  thousand  of  the  nobles.  And  to  pre- 
vent  the  danger  of  a  second  revolt,  he  almost  levelled  the  walls 
of  the  city,  reducing  them  from  two  hundred,  to  fifty  cubits  ; 
and  took  away  the  hundred  brazen  gates,  by  which  the  entrance 
had  been  guarded.  The  reign  of  Darius  was  long,  but  turbu- 
lent. He  invaded  Scythia  with  an  army  of  seven  hundred 
thousand  men,  but  the  expedition  was  not  prosperous.  He  suc- 
ceeded, however,  in  subduing  Macedonia,  and  in  bringing  under 
his  authority  some  of  the  western  provinces  of  India.  Towards 
the  latter  part  of  his  reign  he  was  involved  in  wars  with  the 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OP  JUDEA.  431 

lonians,  who  had  revolted,  and  with  the  states  of  Greece ;  which 
disputes  led  on  to  the  great  war  between  the  Greeks  and  Per- 
sians, which  was  so  signal  in  the  reign  of  his  successor. 

In  the  sixth  year  of  Darius,  according  to  the  Jewish  compu- 
tation, the  temple  of  Jerusalem  was  finished,  and  was  dedicated 
with  great  joy  and  solemnity,  in  the  month  Adar. 

Twenty  years  had  elapsed  from  the  second  of  Cyrus  to  the 
seventh  of  Darius;  so  long  was  the  second  temple  in  building. 
At  this  dedication,  it  seems,  that  the  146th,  147th,  and  148th 
Psalms  were  sung;  for  in  the  Septuagint  version,  they  are 
called  the  Psalms  of  Haggai  and  Zechariah,  by  whom  they 
were  probably  composed  for  this  solemn  occasion. 

The  decree  of  Darius  for  finishing  the  temple  having  been 
granted  at  Shushan,  the  eastern  gate,  in  memory  of  that  event, 
received  the  name  Shushan ;  on  which  was  engraved  a  picture 
of  that  city,  which  remained  until  the  final  destruction  of  the 
temple  by  the  Romans. 

On  the  14th  of  Nisan,  the  next  month  after  the  dedication 
of  the  temple,  the  passover  was  celebrated  at  Jerusalem.  This 
was  a  season  of  great  rejoicing  to  the  Jews  who  had  returned 
to  Judea. 


SECTION  II. 

FROM     THE    COMPLETION   OF     THE   BUILDING   OF     THE    TEMPLE,  TO   THE     MISSION   OF 

NEHEJtIAH. 

THE  Samaritans,  when  the  temple  was  finished,  refused  to  pay 
the  tribute  for  carrying  on  the  building  which  had  been  first 
assigned  for  this  purpose  by  Cyrus,  and  afterwards  by  Darius. 
The  Jews,  therefore,  sent  Zerubbabel  the  governor,  with 
Mordecai  and  Ananias,  two  principal  men  among  them,  to 
make  a  complaint  to  Darius,  of  the  injury  which  they  sus- 
tained, in  being  deprived  of  the  king's  bounty,  contrary  to 
the  edict  which  he  had  made  in  their  favour.  The  king,  upon 
hearing  this  complaint,  issued  an  order  to  his  officers  in 
Samaria,  requiring  them  to  see  to  it  that  the  Samaritans 
obeyed  his  edict,  in  paying  their  tribute  to  Jerusalem,  as  for- 
merly, and  give  the  Jews  no  further  cause  to  complain  of 
them. 

The  Tyrians,  after  the  taking  of  their  city  by  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, having  been  reduced  to  a  state  of  servitude,  continued 
under  the  yoke  for  seventy  years,  agreeably  to  the  prophecy 
of  Isaiah  xxiii.  15-17.  But  when  this  time  was  expired, 
Darius  permitted  them  again  to  have  a  king  of  their  own, 
which  favour  seems  to  have  been  granted,  because  of  the  ser- 
vice rendered  to  him  in  his  naval  expeditions.  After  this 


432  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

restoration,  they  arose  speedily  to  a  state  of  prosperity  and 
power. 

Darius  lived  to  be  an  old  man,  and  was  a  prince  distin- 
guished for  wisdom,  clemency,  and  justice.  Before  his  death, 
being  desirous  of  fixing  the  succession  to  the  throne,  he 
appointed  Xerxes  the  son  of  Atossa  (the  daughter  of  Cyrus)  to 
be  his  successor;  for,  although  he  had  other  sons  who  were 
older  than  Xerxes,  yet  they  having  been  born  before  Darius 
ascended  the  throne,  he  judged  that  it  was  most  proper  to 
grant  the  kingdom  to  him  who  was  first  born  after  his  acces- 
sion to  royal  authority;  and,  no  doubt,  the  influence  which 
Atossa  had  over  Darius  was  the  principal  reason  of  this  deter- 
mination. But  it  deserves  to  be  remarked,  as  an  uncommon 
fact,  and  much  to  the  honour  of  the  parties  concerned,  that 
while  this  matter  was  under  consideration,  it  created  no  aliena- 
tion of  the  affections  of  the  competitors  for  the  crown,  from 
each  other.  And,  when  Xerxes  was  raised  to  the  throne, 
Artabazanes,  the  eldest  son,  gave  no  indications  of  envy  or  dis- 
satisfaction, but  treated  his  brother  with  all  affection,  served 
him  with  fidelity  in  his  wars,  and  at  last  died  in  his  service, 
being  slain  in  battle. 

Darius  did  not  long  survive  the  settlement  of  the  succession 
to  the  throne  upon  his  son  Xerxes.  He  died  in  the  thirty- 
sixth  year  of  his  reign,  and  four  hundred  and  eighty-six  years 
before  the  birth  of  Christ. 

The  tradition  of  the  Jews  is,  that  in  the  last  year  of  Darius, 
died  the  prophets  Haggai,  Zechariah,  and  Malachi,  from  which 
time  the  spirit  of  prophecy  ceased  from  among  the  children  of 
Israel. 

Xerxes,  having  ascended  the  throne,  confirmed  to  the  Jews 
all  the  privileges  granted  by  his  father;  especially,  the  right 
to  the  tribute  from  Samaria,  for  furnishing  the  temple  with 
sacrifices  for  the  service  of  God,  according  to  the  law  of  Moses. 
The  Egyptians  having  revolted  before  the  death  of  Darius, 
Xerxes  went  against  them  with  an  army ;  and,  in  a  short  time, 
the  rebels  were  reduced  again,  and  their  yoke  made  heavier 
than  before. 

Xerxes,  being  much  elated  by  his  success  against  the  Egyp- 
tians, listened  the  more  readily  to  the  counsel  of  his  son-in-law 
Mardonius  and  others,  who  persuaded  him  to  undertake  an  ex- 
pedition against  Greece.  Three  years  were  spent  in  making 
preparations  for  this  war,  and  troops  were  collected  from  every 
part  of  the  Persian  empire.  In  the  fifth  year  of  his  reign, 
which  was  the  four  hundred  and  eighty-first  before  the  Chris- 
tian era,  he  led  his  enormous  army  towards  Asia  Minor,  and 
took  up  his  winter  quarters  at  Sardis. 

To  distract  the  attention  of  the  Greeks,  Xerxes  entered  into 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  433 

a  league  with  the  Carthagenians,  who  it  was  agreed  should  fall 
upon  the  Greeks  who  dwelt  in  Sicily  and  Italy. 

The  army  with  which  Xerxes  marched  into  Greece  was  much 
the  most  numerous  recorded  in  history.  The  infantry  alone 
are  said  to  have  been  one  million  seven  hundred  thousand  men, 
and  the  cavalry  eighty  thousand;  which,  with  the  necessary 
drivers  of  the  chariots  and  camels,  must  raise  the  number  of 
his  land-army  to  one  million  eight  hundred  thousand  men.  His 
fleet  consisted  of  twelve  hundred  and  seven  ships,  besides  gal- 
lies,  transports,  &c.,  which  were  three  thousand  more,  manned 
by  five  hundred  and  seventeen  thousand  six  hundred  men. 
It  was  moreover,  reckoned,  that  the  nations  who  submitted  to 
him  on  the  way,  and  after  he  crossed  the  Hellespont,  increased 
his  army  by  the  addition  of  three  hundred  thousand  men, 
besides  those  on  board  of  the  two  hundred  and  twenty  ships 
added  to  his  fleet,  who  were  calculated  to  be  at  least  twenty- 
four  thousand  more.  Herodotus  says,  the  whole  number  of 
fighting  men  were  two  millions  six  hundred  and  forty-one  thou- 
sand six  hundred  and  ten;  who,  with  the  servants,  sutlers, 
mariners,  women  and  children,  make  the  whole  number  of  per- 
sons not  less  than  five  millions.  Other  historians  make  the 
number  smaller;  but  no  one  makes  it  less  than  two  millions. 
Xerxes  occupied  a  whole  week,  day  and  night,  in  crossing 
the  Hellespont,  by  two  bridges  of  boats;  the  army  passing  upon 
one,  and  the  carriages  and  beasts  of  burden  on  the  other. 
At  the  straits  of  Thermopylae,  he  was  met  by  Leonidas,  king 
of  Sparta,  who,  with  a  baud  of  six  thousand  men,  had  the  des- 
perate resolution  to  oppose  the  progress  of  this  mighty  host ; 
and  for  three  days,  this  devoted  band  of  patriots  actually  hin- 
dered the  Persian  army  from  proceeding,  and  killed  twenty 
thousand  of  their  men.  But  at  length  a  passage  was  effected 
over  the  dead  bodies  of  the  devoted  Spartans,  who  determined 
to  perish,  rather  than  see  their  country  laid  waste  by  a  hostile 
army.  The  Persian  monarch  had  the  pusillanimity  to  treat 
the  dead  body  of  the  brave  Leonidas  with  dishonour,  by  cutting 
off  the  head,  and  suspending  the  trunk  upon  a  gallows. 

Xerxes  would  not  have  succeeded  so  soon  in  forcing  his  way 
through  the  straits  of  Therm  opylse,  had  not  a  secret  path  been 
pointed  out  by  a  treacherous  Greek,  by  means  of  which  the 
Persians  were  enabled  to  attack  the  Greeks  in  the  rear.  Upon 
this,  all  fled  except  Leonidas  and  three  hundred  of  his  followers, 
who  had  resolved  to  devote  themselves  for  their  country. 
Besides  the  twenty  thousand  Persians  slain  on  this  occasion, 
Xerxes  lost  two  of  his  own  brothers. 

The  fleets  of  the  belligerents  soon  met  in  conflict,  and  naval 
battles  occurred,  in  which  much  blood  was  spilt,  and  much  exe- 
cution done;  but  nothing  decisive  took  place  until  the  battle  of 
28 


434  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

Salamis,  in  which  the  Grecian  fleet,  under  the  command  of 
Themistocles,  gained  a  great  decisive  victory.  To  witness  this 
action,  Xerxes  had  ascended  an  eminence  on  the  neighbouring 
promontory,  where,  seated  on  a  splendid  throne,  he  had  the 
mortification  to  see  the  utter  ruin  of  his  great  fleet;  and  fearing 
lest  his  retreat  should  be  cut  off,  he  hastened  to  recross  the 
Hellespont;  but  upon  his  arrival  found  that  the  bridges  which 
he  had  erected  with  so  much  labour  and  expense,  had  been 
broken  by  a  storm ;  so  that  he  was  forced  to  cross  in  a  common 
fishing  boat,  and  betake  himself  immediately  to  Sardis. 

On  the  same  day,  according  to  Herodotus,  on  which  the 
victory  of  Salamis  took  place,  the  Carthagenians,  the  confede- 
rates of  Xerxes,  met  with  a  dreadful  overthrow  at  Panormus  in 
Sicily;  where  their  fleet  was  burnt,  their  general,  Hamilcar, 
slain,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  fell  in  the  field  of 
battle.  Others,  however,  maintain,  with  more  probability,  that 
this  defeat  occurred  on  the  day  in  which  Leonidas  arrested  the 
progress  of  the  Persian  army  at  Thermopylae. 

Mardonius,  the  general  of  Xerxes,  being  left  m  Greece  with 
three  hundred  thousand  men,  (the  rest  of  the  army  having 
followed  the  king  to  Sardis,)  endeavoured  to  make  peace  with 
the  Grecians,  but  they,  elated  with  victory,  and  confident  in 
their  own  strength,  declined  all  negotiation,  and  collected  an 
army  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  men,  on  the  isthmus 
of  Corinth.  Mardonius,  however,  although  his  army  was  now 
not  less  than  three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand,  withdrew  from 
their  neighbourhood.  The  Grecian  army  under  the  command  of 
Pausanias  the  Lacedemonian,  and  Aristides  the  Athenian, 
pursued  him ;  and,  at  the  city  of  Platea,  a  decisive  engagement 
took  place,  in  which  Mardonius  was  slain,  and  the  Persian 
army  cut  to  pieces.  Artabazus,  one  of  the  Persian  generals, 
foreseeing  the  event  of  the  battle,  made  his  escape  with  forty 
thousand  men :  all  the  rest  were  destroyed,  except  about  four 
thousand.  On  the  same  day  a  naval  action  took  place,  at 
Mycale,  in  which  the  Persian  fleet  was  burnt. 

Thus  was  this  vast  armament,  the  greatest  which  the  world 
ever  saw,  almost  annihilated  by  a  mere  handful  of  men.  Xer- 
xes returned  home  chagrined  and  mortified ;  and  taking  Baby- 
lon on  his  way  to  Shushan,  plundered  the  temple  of  Belus,  and 
carried  away  the  dedicated  treasures ;  and,  especially  a  golden 
table,  which  Darius  had  not  ventured  to  remove. 

Scaliger  is  of  opinion  that  Xerxes  was  the  Ahasuerus  of 
Scripture,  in  which  he  is  followed  by  many,  especially  by  Jahn 
in  his  history  of  the  Hebrew  Commonwealth.  One  principal 
reason  alleged  in  favour  of  this  opinion,  is  derived  from  the  name 
of  one  of  Xerxes'  queens,  which  was  Hamestris,  between  which 
and  Esther  there  is  a  strong  resemblance;  but  Prideaux  objects, 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OP  JUDEA.  435 

that  Xerxes  had  a  son  by  Hamestris,  who  was  of  marriageble 
age,  according  to  Herodotus,  in  the  seventh  year  of  his  reign : 
whereas,  Esther  was  not  married  to  Ahasuerus  until  the  seventh 
year  of  his  reign ;  and  the  putting  away  of  Vashti  occurred  in 
the  fourth  year  of  his  reign,  when  Esther  was  first  selected, 
among  other  virgins,  for  the  king's  purposes.  It  seems,  there- 
fore, impossible,  that  Hamestris  the  wife  of  Xerxes,  and  Esther 
the  wife  of  Ahasuerus,  were  the  same  person.  Moreover, 
Hamestris  was  a  woman  of  licentious  character,  of  which  many 
instances  are  given  by  the  Greek  historian;  but  no  such  thing 
can  be  said  of  Esther.  But  Jahn  considers  Xerxes  to  be  not 
only  Ahasuerus  of  the  book  of  Esther,  but  also  the  Artaxerxes 
of  the  book  of  Ezra,  as  he  is  mentioned  next  after  Darius 
Hystaspes;  and  observes,  that  the  names  Ahasuerus  and  Artax- 
erxes, were  given  to  many  kings;  and  that  Daniel,  (ch.  ix.  1.) 
calls  Astyages  of  the  Median  line,  Ahasuerus.  The  opinion  of 
Usher  is,  that  Darius  Hystaspes  was  the  Ahasuerus  of  Scripture, 
and  that  Atossa  the  daughter  of  Cyrus,  was  Vashti,  and  Arty- 
sona  the  Esther  of  the  Scriptures;  but  according  to  Herodotus, 
this  queen  was  also  the  daughter  of  Cyrus,  but  Esther  we 
know  was  a  Jewess.  Moreover,  he  informs  us  that  Atossa, 
before  she  was  divorced,  had  four  sons  and  one  daughter,  all 
born  after  Darius  was  king,  which  is  altogether  inconsistent 
with  what  we  read  in  the  book  of  Esther — that  Vashti  was  put 
away  in  the  fourth  year  of  the  reign  of  Ahasuerus. 

Josephus  mentions  that  there  were  many  Jews  in  the  great 
army  of  Xerxes  which  marched  into  Greece,  and  the  same  may 
be  inferred  from  the  description  of  the  various  nations  and  lan- 
guages, composing  this  immense  army,  by  Herodotus ;  and,  as 
a  great  multitude  of  Jews  were  still  resident  in  Babylonia  and 
Media,  it  would  be  strange  if  this  had  not  been  the  fact. 

The  restored  Hebrews  do  not  appear,  during  all  this  time,  to 
have  been  in  a  prosperous  condition.  They  seem  to  have  had 
no  stable  and  regular  government,  and  the  administration  of 
justice  was  exceedingly  defective. 

Xerxes,  after  many  unsuccessful  efforts  to  subdue  the  Greeks, 
relinquished  all  further  attention  to  this  war,  and  gave  himself 
entirely  to  a  life  of  voluptuous  ease ;  in  consequence  of  which 
he  fell  into  contempt  with  the  people.  Artabanus,  the  captain 
of  his  guards,  formed  a  conspiracy  against  him,  and  having 
slain  him  in  his  bed,  went  to  Artaxerxes  his  third  son,  and 
charged  the  murder  on  his  elder  brother,  Darius;  which  the 
young  man  believing,  went  immediately  to  the  chamber  of  Da- 
rius, and  by  the  assistance  of  Artabanus  slew  him  also.  The 
second  son,  Hystaspes,  was  absent;  Artabanus,  therefore,  had 
no  difficulty  in  placing  Artaxerxes  on  the  throne;  but  his  real 
object,  in  this  plot,  was  to  secure  the  kingdom  for  himself  and 


436  HISTOKY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

his  sons,  of  whom  he  had  seven,  all  occupying  stations  of  im- 
portance. The  young  king,  however,  discovered  his  design, 
and  prevented  its  execution  by  cutting  him  off  with  his  adhe- 
rents. Artaxerxes  is  said  to  have  been  the  handsomest  man  of 
the  age  in  which  he  lived;  but  was  surnamed  Longimanus,'  or 
long-handed;  because,  when  he  stood  upright,  his  hands  reached 
as  low  as  his  knees.  He  is  said  to  have  been  a  prince  of  mild- 
ness and  clemency.  Notwithstanding  all  that  has  been  said  in 
favour  of  other  hypotheses,  it  is  much  more  probable  that  Ar- 
taxerxes Longimanus  was  the  husband  of  Esther ;  and  this  is 
expressly  asserted  by  Josephus.  The  Septuagint  version,  also, 
uniformly  renders  Ahasuerus  by  Artaxerxes;  and  the  apocry- 
phal additions  to  the  book  of  Esther  call  him  by  the  same 
name.  This  opinion  has  many  advocates  among  both  the  an- 
cients and  the  moderns,  is  more  free  from  difficulties  than  any 
of  those  already  mentioned,  and  accords  entirely  with  the  ex- 
traordinary kindness  towards  the  Jews,  manifested  in  his  send- 
ing, first  Ezra,  and  then  Nehemiah,  to  their  assistance.  Jahn, 
however,  seems  to  think  that  Ezra  was  sent  to  Jerusalem  in  the 
reign  of  Xerxes,  who  he  supposes  is  called  Artaxerxes,  as  well 
as  Ahasuerus ;  but  this  is  improbable. 

Artaxerxes  Longimanus,  having  put  Artabanus  out  of  the 
•way,  was  still  exposed  to  danger  from  two  quarters.  First,  the 
seven  sons  of  Artabanus  still  lived,  and  had  great  power;  and 
secondly,  his  brother  Hystaspes,  whose  birth-right  the  throne 
•was,  had  an  army  in  Bactria,  and  would  doubtless  claim  his 
right.  He  soon,  however,  mastered  the  first  difficulty,  by  taking 
signal  vengeance  upon  all  who  had  any  connection  with  the 
murderers  of  his  father.  To  subdue  his  brother,  he  sent  an 
army  into  Bactria ;  which,  though  at  first  repulsed,  succeeded 
the  next  year  in  subduing  him. 

It  seems  to  have  been -in  consequence  of  having  conquered 
all  his  enemies,  that  he  made  the  festival  mentioned  in  Esther, 
which  was  prolonged  for  one  hundred  and  eighty  days.  This 
feast  was  celebrated  in  Shushan;  on  which  occasion,  his  queen 
Vashti  refusing  to  exhibit  herself,  was  divorced;  and,  soon 
afterwards,  Esther  was  selected  to  become  queen  in  her  place. 
Her  uncle  Mordecai  was  of  the  number  of  those  carried  captive 
from  Jerusalem,  in  the  reign  of  Jeconiah;  and  having  no 
children  of  his  own,  had  undertaken  the  education  of  Hadassah 
or  Esther,  the  daughter  of  his  deceased  brother.  This  young 
woman  being  exceedingly  beautiful,  was  among  the  virgins 
selected  by  Hegai,  the  king's  chamberlain;  and  after  under- 
going a  year's  purification,  was  introduced  to  the  king;  and 
being  by  him  preferred  to  all  the  rest,  was  advanced  to  the 
dignity  of  queen.  By  her  interposition,  the  Jews,  scattered 
throughout  the  Persian  empire,  were  preserved  from  total  dc- 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  437 

struction,  which  had  been  prepared  for  them  by  Haman,  the 
favourite  of  the  king. 

In  the  seventh  year  of  the  reign  of  Artaxerxes,  and  the 
458th  B.  C.,  Ezra  received  an  ample  commission  to  return  to 
Jerusalem,  and  to  take  with  him  as  many  of  his  nation  as  were 
willing  to  accompany  him ;  with  full  authority  to  regulate  and 
reform  the  Jewish  commonwealth,  according  to  their  own  laws. 
This  great  favour  was  probably  granted  in  consequence  of  the 
request  of  Esther,  who  before  this  had  been  introduced  into  the 
king's  harem.  Ezra  was  a  descendant  of  Seraiah  the  high- 
priest,  who  was  slain  by  Nebuchadnezzar  at  the  time  Jerusalem 
was  taken.  He  is  indeed  called  in  sacred  Scripture  the  son  of 
Seraiah;  but  it  was  scarcely  probable  that  he  was  a  son  of  the 
first  generation,  and  we  know  that  the  Hebrews  call  all  descend- 
ants sons.  He  was  a  holy  man,  and  profoundly  skilled  in  the 
knowledge  of  the  Scriptures.  In  the  king's  commission,  Ezra 
is  called  "a  ready  scribe  in  the  law  of  Moses."  Ezra  vii.  6.  He 
left  Babylon,  for  Jerusalem,  on  the  first  day  of  the  month  Nisan, 
and  stopping  at  the  river  Ahava,  until  all  his  company  should 
come,  he  there  proclaimed  a  day  of  solemn  prayer  and  fasting, 
to  implore  the  blessing  of  God  on  their  journey.  On  the  first 
of  the  fifth  month  he  arrived  at  Jerusalem,  and  presented  the 
various  gifts  with  which  he  was  intrusted  for  the  service  of  the 
temple. 

The  Egyptians,  ever  impatient  of  a  foreign  yoke,  revolted 
again  in  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  Artaxerxes,  and  called 
in  the  Athenians  to  their  assistance;  who,  having  at  that  time 
a  fleet  of  two  hundred  sail  at  Cyprus,  gladly  laid  hold  of  the 
opportunity  of  crushing  the  Persian  power  in  Egypt.  Artax- 
erxes intended  to  go  himself  at  the  head  of  the  expedition 
against  Egypt;  but  being  dissuaded  from  exposing  his  own 
person,  he  sent  one  of  his  sons;  or,  as  some  say,  one  of  his 
brothers,  Achaamenides,  who  marched  with  an  army  of  three 
hundred  thousand  men,  and  encamped  on  the  banks  of  the  Nile. 
But  in  the  meantime  the  Athenians  had  beaten  the  Persian 
fleet  at  sea,  sailed  up  the  Nile,  and  joined  Inarus,  whom  the 
Egyptians  had  set  up  for  their  king ;  and  falling  on  the  Persian 
army,  defeated  them  in  a  great  battle,  killing  one  hundred 
thousand  men,  and  among  the  rest  Achsemenides  the  general; 
whereupon  the  remainder  of  the  Persian  army  fled  to  Memphis, 
but  were  immediately  pursued  by  the  Egyptians  and  Athenians, 
who  took  two  parts  of  the  city.  The  Persians,  however,  kept 
possession  of  the  other  part,  which  was  the  largest  and  strongest, 
when  they  suffered  a  siege  of  nearly  three  years ;  during  which 
time  they  valiantly  defended  themselves  against  their  assailants, 
until  at  length  they  were  succoured  by  the  arrival  of  a  reinforce- 
ment from  Persia. 


438  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

Themistocles,  the  famous  Athenian  general,  who  had  gained 
so  glorious  a  naval  victory  at  Salamis,  being  banished  from  his 
own  country  by  the  ostracism,  sought  refuge  in  the  Persian 
court,  where  he  was  received  with  great  kindness,  and  treated 
with  much  attention.  Artaxerxes  being  now  resolved  to  send 
an  army  into  Attica,  that  he  might  divert  the  Athenians  from 
Egypt,  selected  Themistocles  to  be  the  general  of  this  expedi- 
tion against  his  own  country.  The  Athenian  general,  not 
willing  to  disoblige  the  king  from  whom  he  had  received  so  many 
favours,  and  at  the  same  time,  abhorring  the  idea  of  making 
war  on  his  native  country,  determined  to  put  an  end  to  his  own 
life;  therefore,  inviting  all  his  friends  together,  and  having 
sacrificed  a  bull,  he  drank  its  blood,  and  died. 

An  army  of  three  hundred  thousand  men  was  sent  against 
Greece,  under  the  command  of  Megabyzus.  This  general,  when 
Inarus  the  king  of  Egypt  submitted,  had  promised  a  general 
amnesty,  which  was  confirmed  by  Artaxerxes ;  but  the  latter,  at 
the  instigation  of  his  mother,  was  at  length  induced  to  put 
Inarus,  and  fifty  other  leading  Egyptians,  to  the  death  of  the 
cross.  Megabyzus  was  so  much  displeased  at  this  want  of  good 
faith  in  the  king,  that  he  revolted  with  the  troops  under  his 
command,  and  twice  defeated  the  royal  forces  sent  against  him ; 
but  was  afterwards  received  again  into  favour. 

The  Peloponnesian  war,  so  famous  in  Grecian  history,  between 
the  Lacedemonians  and  Athenians,  commenced  in  the  thirty- 
fourth  year  of  Artaxerxes.  This  war,  so  destructive  to  the 
power  of  Greece,  lasted  for  twenty-seven  years;  but  although 
application  was  made  to  Artaxerxes  for  aid  by  the  Lacedemo- 
nians, he  prudently  declined  all  interference  in  the  contest. 
The  miseries  brought  upon  Greece  by  this  war,  were  greatly 
increased  by  the  desolating  plague,  which  prevailed,  especially, 
at  Athens. 

Ezra  exerted  himself  greatly  at  Jerusalem  to  have  the  wor- 
ship of  God  completely  restored;  but  the  work  for  which  he 
has  been  most  celebrated,  both  by  Jews  and  Christians,  was  the 
collection  and  revision  of  the  sacred  books.  In  this  work,  it  is 
said,  he  was  assisted  by  the  Great  Synagogue  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  men,  among  whom  the  Jews  reckon  Daniel  and  his 
three  friends,  the  prophets  Zechariah  and  Haggai,  and  Simon 
the  Just;  but  between  the  first  and  last  of  these  there  was  an 
interval  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  years.  It  seems,  therefore, 
more  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  Great  Synagogue  were 
not  at  all  contemporaries,  but  a  succession  of  learned  men,  who 
devoted  their  attention  to  the  preparation  of  correct  copies  of 
the  Scriptures. 

There  is  a  story  (already  referred  to)  in  the  second  apocry- 
phal book  of  Esdras,  and  believed  by  most  of  the  Christian 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  439 

fathers,  that  all  the  sacred  books  were  lost,  daring  the  cap- 
tivity;  but   this  is   directly   contradicted   by   Scripture.     No 
doubt,  the  autographs  preserved  in  the  temple,  were  destroyed 
with  the  ark;  but  that  all  copies  were  destroyed,  is  a  ground- 
less opinion.     It  is  probable,  however,  that  correct  copies  were, 
at  the  restoration,  few  in  number;  and  therefore,  Ezra,  who 
was  a  "ready  scribe,"  and  an  inspired  man,  took  pains  to  pre- 
pare authentic  copies  of  all  the  sacred  books,  and  collected 
them  into  one  volume,  that  the  people  might  have  the  oppor- 
tunity of  becoming  acquainted  with  the  whole  of  that  reve- 
lation, which  God,  from  time  to  time,  had  caused  to  be  penned 
under  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit.     But  as  many  of  the 
people  who  returned  from  captivity  had  lost  the  knowledge  of 
the  Hebrew  tongue,  by  so  long  a  residence  in  a  foreign  coun- 
try, Ezra  appointed  certain  persons  who  were  skilled  in  both 
the  Hebrew  and  Chaldean  languages,  to  give  a  version  or  para- 
phrase of  the  lessons  which  were  publicly  read  from  the  Scrip- 
tures.    These  paraphrases,  at  first,  were  not  written,  but  the 
sacred  text  was  explained  to  the  people  by  the  interpreter, 
sentence  by  sentence,  as  the  reader  proceeded;  but  in  process^ 
of  time,  several  persons  undertook  to  commit  them  to  writing ;  j 
a  number  of  which  have  come  down  to  our  times  under  the} 
name  of  Targums,  or  Chaldee  Paraphrases ;  which  are  nothing! 
else  than  a  free  translation  of  the  Hebrew  into  the   Chaldee,) 
with  explanatory  remarks.     The  oldest  and  best  of  the  Tar-' 
gums,  are  those  of  Onkelos  on  the  Law,  and  Jonathan  on  the 
Prophets;    the   language  of  which   is    purely    Chaldaic,    and 
approaches  near  to  the  style  of  Chaldee  found  in  the  book  of 
Daniel  and  Esther.     The  language  of  the  later  Targums  is 
impure,  being  much  mixed  with  foreign  words  and  idioms. 

No  authentic  history  of  the  origin  of  these  Paraphrases  has 
reached  us.  They  seem  to  have  been  altogether  unknown  to 
Origen  and  Jerome,  the  only  persons  among  the  fathers  who 
understood  Hebrew.  From  this,  some  learned  men  have 
argued,  that  they  were  written  after  the  fourth  century:  but 
considering  the  style  of  the  oldest  of  them,  this  opinion  is 
destitute  of  all  probability.  It  seems  most  reasonable  to 
believe,  that  the  Targums,  at  least  those  of  Onkelos  and  Jona- 
than, were  written  in  Babylonia,  where  a  large  number  of  Jews 
resided  from  the  time  of  the  captivity,  until  long  after  the 
Christian  era.  This  supposition  best  accords  with  the  style  of 
these  paraphrases,  and  accounts  for  the  ignorance  of  the 
fathers,  above  mentioned,  in  relation  to  them.  As  to  the  age 
in  which  they  were  written,  nothing  can  be  said  with  certainty. 
They  are  commonly  referred  to  the  first  century,  or  a  period 
somewhat  earlier;  but  this  is  matter  of  mere  conjecture. 
They  may  have  been  written  long  before  the  Christian  era; 


440  HISTORY  OF   THE    ISRAELITISH   NATION 

but  however  this  may  be,  they  probably  contain  the  old  here- 
ditary comment  of  the  Jews  who   lived   before   the  time  of  L 
Christ,  and  are  therefore  of  great  importance  in  controversies  • 
with  the  modern  Jews. 

About  this  time  also,  it  is  probable,  commenced  the  syna- 
gogues of  the  Jews,  of  which  we  read  so  much  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament, and  which  to  this  day,  form  so  considerable  a  part  of 
the  religious  institutions  of  the  Jews.  As  the  custom  of  read- 
ing a  portion  of  the  Law  every  Sabbath  now  take  place,  it 
would  soon  be  found  convenient  to  have  houses  set  apart,  every 
where,  for  this  purpose.  In  the  public  reading  of  the  Law  it 
was  the  custom  to  go  over  the  whole  of  the  books  of  Moses,  in 
the  course  of  the  year,  which  led  to  a  division  of  the  Pente- 
teuch  into  sections  or  lessons ;  which  division  is  still  found  in 
all  Hebrew  Bibles.  The  reading  of  the  prophets  in  the  syna- 
gogue was  not  customary  until  the  time  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes, 
when  the  Jews  being  forbidden  any  longer  to  read  the  Law, 
introduced  the  reading  of  certain  select  portions  from  the 
prophets,  which  was  continued  after  the  reading  of  the  Law 
was  resumed. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  administration  of  Ezra,  great  dis- 
tress and  confusion  arose  from  the  transgression  of  the  people, 
in  taking  strange  wives  who  were  not  of  Jewish  extraction. 
Many  of  the  priests  and  leaders  of  the  people  were  involved  in 
this  great  guilt.  Ezra  was  deeply  afflicted  on  this  account,  and 
wept  bitterly  for  the  sins  of  the  people,  casting  himself  prostrate 
on  the  ground.  He  also  assembled  around  him  all  who  trembled 
at  the  word  of  the  Lord;  and  with  them  he  prayed,  and 
lamented,  and  fasted,  "because  of  the  transgression  of  them 
that  had  been  carried  away."  At  length  proclamation  was 
made  by  authority,  that  all  who  would  not,  within  three  days, 
according  to  the  counsel  of  the  princes  and  the  elders,  come  and 
put  away  their  strange  wives,  should  be  punished  with  the 
forfeiture  of  their  substance,  and  should  moreover,  be  themselves 
separated  from  the  congregation  of  the  Lord.  This  severity  had 
the  desired  effect,  for  the  people  being  generally  assembled  at 
Jerusalem,  and  being  solemnly  and  tenderly  warned  by  Ezra, 
made  public  confession  of  their  sin,  and  agreed  to  put  away 
their  strange  wives.  And  for  a  warning  to  future  ages,  the 
principal  persons  who  were  guilty  in  this  affair,  were  recorded 
by  name.  (See  Ezra  x.) 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  441 


SECTION  III. 

FROM  THE   ARRIVAL    OF    NEHEMIAH   TO  THE    INVASION   OF  ASIA   BY   ALEXANDER  THE 

GREAT. 

IN  the  twentieth  year  of  Artaxerxes  Longimanus,  Nehemiah, 
the  cup-bearer  of  the  king,  obtained  permission  to  visit  Jerusa- 
lem, and  bringing  a  commission  from  the  king,  to  act  with 
plenary  authority  as  governor,  he  of  course  superseded  Ezra, 
and  took  the  supreme  direction  of  all  affairs  into  his  own  hands. 
Nehemiah  was  a  man  of  uncommon  piety ;  and  immediately  on 
his  arrival,  devoted  himself  to  the  business  of  repairing,  or 
rather  rebuilding  the  walls  of  Jerusalem,  and  setting  up  the 
gates,  for  which  work  he  had  obtained  an  express  commission 
from  the  king.  That  which  stirred  up  the  heart  of  this  good 
man  was,  the  reports  brought  to  him  of  the  desolate  condition 
of  the  holy  city,  and  the  deep  affliction  of  the  people  there. 

It  is  altogether  probable  that  his  petition  to  the  king,  was 
rendered  successful,  in  a  great  measure,  by  queen  Esther ;  for 
it  is  particularly  mentioned,  that  the  queen  was  sitting  by  the 
king.  (Neh.  ii.  6.) 

A  royal  decree  was  issued  for  the  rebuilding  of  the  walls  of 
Jerusalem;  and  the  king,  to  give  honour  as, well  as  safety  to  the 
mission  of  his  favorite  courtier,  sent  with  him  a  guard  of  horse. 
Still,  however,  the  Ammonites,  the  Moabites,  and  the  Samari- 
tans, continued  to  cast  obstructions  in  the  way  of  the  execution 
of  this  work.  Not  only  were  they  influenced  by  their  old  hatred 
of  the  Jews,  but  during  the  captivity  they  had  seized  on  their 
vacant  lands,  which  they  were  now  required  to  relinquish.  But 
Nehemiah,  in  spite  of  all  opposition,  pushed  on  the  work,  distri- 
buting to  particular  persons  and  companies,  the  several  parts 
of  the  wall ;  so  that  in  fifty-two  days  after  the  commencement 
of  the  work,  the  wall  was  finished. 

Sanballat  the  Horonite,  Tobias  the  Ammonite,  and  Geshem 
the  Arabian,  were  the  men  who  continually  endeavoured  to 
obstruct  the  work  in  which  Nehemiah  was  engaged.  They  laid 
many  snares  for  his  life,  which  by  his  courage  and  wisdom  he 
was  enabled  to  escape.  During  part  of  the  time,  however,  the 
people  were  obliged  to  work  on  the  wall  with  their  weapons  in 
their  hands ;  and  as  they  were  far  separated  from  each  other, 
on  different  parts  of  the  wall,  the  Tirshatha  or  governor,  gave 
orders  that  in  case  of  attack,  the  trumpet  should  sound,  and  all 
hands  should  immediately  resort  to  him.  After  the  walls  were 
finished  and  the  gates  set  up,  a  public  dedication  was  celebrated 
with  great  solemnity,  by  the  priests,  Levites,  and  all  the  people. 

The  people  having  much  public  work  to  perform,  and  many 


442  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION. 

of  them  being  poor,  were  under  the  necessity  of  borrowing 
money,  of  which  necessity  avaricious  usurers  took  advantage, 
by  lending  out  their  money  at  exorbitant  interest ;  by  which 
means  multitudes  were  ruined  in  their  circumstances,  and  were 
forced  to  mortgage  their  lands,  and  sell  their  children  for  bond- 
men, to  obtain  bread  for  their  subsistence.  Nehemiah  was 
much  displeased  upon  hearing  of  this  iniquity,  so  contrary  to 
the  Jewish  law.  He  therefore  set  himself  with  energy  to  cor- 
rect the  abuse.  After  expostulating  with  the  transgressors,  he 
had  a  decree  enacted  in  a  full  assembly  of  the  people,  that  all 
money  exacted  for  usury  should  be  returned,  and  that  all  mort- 
gaged lands  should  be  restored,  and  thus  the  yoke  of  oppres- 
sion was  broken  off  from  the  necks  of  the  poor. 

Nehemiah  having  spent  twelve  years  at  Jerusalem,  prepared 
to  return  to  the  Persian  court,  for  he  had  received  permission 
to  be  absent  only  for  a  limited  time.  Having  arranged  affairs 
as  well  as  he  could,  'and  appointed  Hanani  and  Hananiah  to 
be  governors  of  Jerusalem,  he  returned  to  Persia.  This  fact  is 
not  stated  in  the  sacred  text,  but  it  may  be  inferred  from  the 
appointment  of  the  aforementioned  persons  as  governors,  which 
could  not  have  been  necessary,  had  he  continued  there. 

His  object  in  returning  to  Persia  was  not  to  remain  there, 
but  to  obtain  a  new  commission  from  the  king,  to  carry  on  the 
reformation  of  the  Jewish  church  and  state.  It  seems  proba- 
ble, that  he  was  not  absent  much  more  than  one  year,  after 
which  he  came  back  to  Jerusalem,  and  continued  his  pious  and 
useful  labours,  by  establishing  a  strict  and  regular  police  in  the 
city.  But  observing  that  the  number  of  inhabitants  was  still 
too  small  to  occupy  the  place,  he  invited  the  rulers  and  great 
men  of  the  nation  to  build  houses  in  Jerusalem,  and  dwell 
there :  and  also  caused  every  tenth  man  of  the  tribes  to  be 
taken  by  lot,  whom  he  compelled  to  make  this  the  place  of  their 
residence.  Every  thing  being  now  well  regulated,  and  the  city 
well  supplied  with  inhabitants,  it  arose  rapidly  to  a  state  of 
prosperity;  so  that  Herodotus,  the  historian,  who  visited  it  not 
long  after  this  time,  compares  it  to  Sardis,  the  metropolis  of 
Asia  Minor. 

Nehemiah  now  addressed  himself  to  the  work  of  having  the 
genealogies  of  the  people,  and  especially  of  the  priests,  correct- 
ly made  out;  which  was  necessary,  not  only  for  the  regulation 
of  the  landed  property  of  the  nation,  but  also  for  the  ser- 
vice of  the  temple;  so  that  no  person  not  of  the  sacerdotal 
race  might  be  permitted  to  officiate  there.  He,  therefore, 
searched  for  the  genealogies  of  those  who  first  returned  from 
captivity,  under  Joshua  and  Zerubbabel,  and  from  these  he 
formed  new  tables,  by  striking  out  such  families  as  had  become 
extinct,  and  inserting  the  names  of  those  who  had  returned 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  443 

since  that  time.  This  will  account  for  the  discrepance  between 
the  genealogies  recorded  in  the  book  of  Ezra,  and  in  that  of 
Nehemiah. 

Although  after  the  arrival  of  Nehemiah  at  Jerusalem,  the 
government  devolved  upon  him,  yet  Ezra  continued  his  biblical 
labours;  and  by  the  time  that  Nehemiah  made  his  second  visit, 
he  had  copies  of  the  Scriptures  corrected  and  prepared,  and 
began  the  public  reading  of  them  at  the  feast  of  trumpets. 
This  occurred  on  the  first  day  of  Tisri,  which  had  always  been 
reckoned  the  first  month  of  the  year,  until  the  time  when 
the  Israelites  left  Egypt,  after  which  they  were  directed  to 
commence  their  year  with  the  month  Nisan.  Still,  however, 
for  all  merely  civil  matters,  Tisri  was  reckoned  the  beginning 
of  the  year.  At  this  festival,  the  people  being  assembled 
from  all  parts  at  Jerusalem,  Ezra  was  requested  to  bring 
out  the  law  and  read  it.  A  pulpit,  or  scaffold  of  wood,  was 
erected,  that  he  might  be  elevated  above  the  people,  and  that 
there  might  be  room,  this  pulpit  was  set  up  in  the  widest  street 
in  the  city.  And  so  intent  were  the  people  on  hearing,  that 
they  assembled  for  the  same  purpose  the  next  day,  and  although 
there  fell  a  hard  rain  during  the  time,  they  remained  in  their 
place. 

When  Ezra  had  read  as  far  as  to  the  twenty-third  chapter  of 
Leviticus,  it  was  found  that  the  law  of  God  required  the  peo- 
ple to  make  booths  of  the  branches  of  trees,  and  for  seven  days 
to  celebrate  a  feast.  Upon  the  hearing  of  which  they  deter- 
mined, that  when  the  appointed  day  arrived,  (the  fifteenth  of 
Tisri,)  they  would  literally  comply  with  the  requisitions  of  the 
law ;  which  accordingly  they  did,  and  celebrated  this  feast  with 
a  solemnity  exceeding  any  thing  that  had  been  witnessed  since 
the  days  of  Joshua.  At  this  festival,  also,  Ezra  took  advantage 
of  the  collection  of  all  the  people,  and  went  on  with  the  reading 
and  expounding  of  the  law,  which  had  been  commenced  at  the 
feast  of  trumpets:  and,  during  the  whole  seven  days,  he  read 
to  the  people  out  of  the  law.  The  people,  on  hearing  the  pre- 
cepts and  commandments  of  the  Lord,  were  greatly  troubled  on 
account  of  their  transgressions,  which  they  now  found  were  very 
numerous. 

Ezra  and  Nehemiah,  to  improve  the  present  convictions  and 
penitent  feelings  of  the  people,  proclaimed  a  fast  immediately 
after  the  feast  was  over.  At  this  time  they  engaged  the  people 
to  enter  into  solemn  covenant  with  God,  obliging  themselves, 
1st.  Not  to  intermarry  with  the  heathen.  2.  To  observe  the 
Sabbath,  and  the  Sabbatical  years.  3.  To  pay  their  annual 
tribute  for  the  support  of  the  temple. 

The  conviction  that  the  people  now  felt,  that  their  transgres- 
sions were  very  much  owing  to  their  ignorance  of  the  law,  was 


444  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

the  occasion  of  that  frequent  reading  of  it,  which  eventually  led 
to  the  building  of  synagogues,  wherever  a  sufficient  number  of 
Jews  were  settled  to  bear  the  expense,  and  conduct  the  worship. 

Artaxerxes  died  424  B.C.,  after  a  reign  of  forty-one  years  and 
a  few  months,  and  was  succeeded  by  Xerxes,  the  only  son  that 
he  had  by  his  queen.  By  his  concubines  he  had  seventeen  sons, 
among  whom  were  Sogdianus,  Ochus,  and  Arsites.  Xerxes, 
having  made  himself  drunk  at  a  public  feast,  and  having  retired 
to  his  chamber,  Sogdianus,  taking  advantage  of  it,  went  in  and 
slew  him,  when  he  had  sat  but  forty-five  days  on  the  throne. 
The  mother  of  Xerxes  died  on  the  same  day. 

Sogdianus  having  rendered  himself  odious  to  the  people,  by 
the  murder  of  his  brother,  and  also  by  that  of  one  of  his  father's 
most  faithful  eunuchs,  found  himself  very  unsafe  on  the  throne, 
which  he  had  obtained  so  unrighteously ;  whereupon,  he  grew 
very  jealous  of  his  brothers,  and  especially  of  Ochus,  whom  he 
sent  for,  to  come  to  him.  But  Ochus,  apprehending  some  mis- 
chief, drew  together  a  large  army  and  marched  against  him. 
professing  that  it  was  his  purpose  to  avenge  the  death  of  his 
brother.  Upon  which  many  of  the  nobility  revolted  from  Sog- 
dianus, and  went  over  to  Ochus,  and  having  put  the  royal  dia- 
dem on  his  head,  declared  him  king.  Sogdianus  finding  himself 
abandoned,  entered  into  negotiation  with  Ochus,  who  having 
got  him  into  his  hands,  put  him  to  death  by  throwing  him  into 
a  furnace  of  ashes. 

As  soon  as  Ochus  had  possession  of  the  throne,  he  changed 
his  name  to  Darius.  Among  the  Greek  historians  he  is  known 
by  the  name  of  Darius  Nothus.  He  for  a  while  yielded  himself 
up  to  the  direction  of  his  eunuchs  and  his  wife.  He  ascended 
the  throne  423  B.  C.  His  brother  Arsites  revolted  against  him, 
but  was  unsuccessful,  and  being  taken,  was,  like  Sogdianus, 
thrown  into  a  furnace  of  ashes — a  cruel  death  in  use  among  the 
Persians,  in  which  the  person  died  of  suffocation,  very  gradu- 
ally. Another  insurgent,  named  Pysuthnes,  was  executed  in 
the  same  manner.  About  the  year  410  B.  C.,  the  Egyptians 
threw  off  the  Persian  yoke,  and  made  one  Amyrtaeus  king. 
With  the  aid  of  the  Arabians,  they  expelled  the  Persians  from 
Egypt,  pursued  them  as  far  as  Phenicia,  and  maintained  their 
independence  sixty-four  years.  Ochus  or  Darius  sent  another 
army  into  Egypt,  which,  marching  through  Judea,  inflicted 
many  evils  on  the  Jews. 

Eliashib,  who  was  high-priest  when  Nehemiah  came  to  Jeru- 
salem, died,  413  B.  C.,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Joiada. 
He  had  continued  in  the  office  of  high-priest  for  no  less  tfran 
forty  years. 

About  this  time,  Diagoras  the  Melian,  who  had  settled  him- 
self at  Athens,  was  condemned  for  teaching  atheism ;  and  though 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  445 

he  made  his  escape,  the  sentence  was  pronounced  on  him,  while 
absent,  and  a  talent  offered  to  whomsoever  should  kill  him, 
wherever  he  might  be  found.  About  twenty  years  before  this 
time,  the  Athenians  had  proceeded  against  another  philosopher, 
called  Protagoras,  for  only  expressing  a  doubt  concerning  the 
existence  of  God. 

According  to  Dr.  Prideaux,  the  first  of  the  seventy  prophetic 
weeks  of  Daniel  ended  with  the  fifteenth  year  of  Darius  Nothus ; 
for  then  the  restoration  of  the  Jewish  state,  and  the  worship  of 
the  temple  was  completed.  The  last  act  of  Nehemiah,  which  is 
recorded,  (Neh.  xiii.  23 — 31,)  was  just  forty-nine  years  after 
the  work  had  been  begun  by  Ezra,  in  the  seventh  year  of 
Artaxerxes  Longimanus.  This  last  act  was  the  separation  of 
those  from  their  heathen  wives,  who  had  transgressed  the  law 
in  regard  to  marriage,  and  the  prohibition  of  all  such  alliances 
for  ever  after.  But  it  seems  to  have  been  impossible  to  prevent 
the  continual  repetition  of  this  evil,  and  that  by  men  in  the 
highest  stations;  for  Manasseh,  as  he  is  called  by  Josephus, 
the  son  of  Joiada,  married  the  daughter  of  Sanballat  the 
Horonite,  and  when  Nehemiah  was  using  his  utmost  power  to 
enforce  the  law,  and  cause  the  people  to  put  away  their  strange 
wives,  Manasseh  rather  than  comply,  left  the  nation;  and 
relinquishing  all  his  prospects  of  distinction,  took  up  his  abode 
with  his  father-in-law,  the  governor  of  Samaria. 

This  event  gave  rise  to  an  important  transaction,  which  per- 
petuated the  hatred  between  the  Jews  and  Samaritans.  San- 
ballat obtained  leave  from  Darius  Nothus,  to  build  on  mount 
Gerizim,  at  Samaria,  a  temple,  in  imitation  of  the  temple  at 
Jerusalem,  of  which  he  made  his  son-in-law  Manasseh  the  high- 
priest.  Josephus  places  this  event  much  lower  down  in  another 
reign,  but  he  has  probably  fallen  into  a  chronological  mistake. 
Samaria  having  now  a  rival  house  of  worship,  became  the 
asylum  of  all  renegado  Jews.  This  ready  reception  of  rebel- 
lious and  excommunicated  persons,  produced  a  bitterness  of 
hatred  in  the  Jews  against  the  Samaritans,  which  induced  them 
to  denounce  against  them  an  awful  curse,  and  reject  them  from 
every  sort  of  friendly  intercourse;  and  even  prevented  their 
exercising  towards  them  the  common  rites  of  humanity,  of 
which  there  is  sufficient  evidence  in  the  Gospels,  as  has  been 
said  before.  The  Jews  went  so  far  in  their  anathemas  against 
the  Samaritans,  that  they  excluded  them  from  all  part  in  the 
resurrection,  and  would  on  no  account  receive  them  as  pros- 
elytes. 

After  their  temple  was  built,  the  Samaritans  pretended  that 
this  was  the  mountain  which  God  had  chosen  for  his  place  of 
worship.  They  asserted  that  here  Abraham  and  Jacob  offered 
sacrifices  and  built  altars ;  and  that  Joshua,  when  he  brought 


446  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

the  people  into  Canaan,  caused  the  blessings  to  be  pronounced 
from  this  mountain,  and  on  it  built  an  altar  of  the  twelve  stones 
taken  out  of  Jordan ;  and  that  very  altar,  they  averred,  was  the 
one  on  which  they  sacrificed.  But  in  regard  to  this  they  were 
guilty  of  a  sacrilegious  impiety  in  changing  the  sacred  text  in 
their  copies ;  for,  in  the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  it  is  said  that  Ebal 
was  the  mount  on  which  the  altar  was  built,  for  which  the 
Samaritans  substituted  Gerizim.  This  corruption  the  Jews 
loudly  charge  upon  them ;  but  they  with  equal  violence  retort  it 
upon  the  Jews,  insisting  that  they  are  the  corrupters  of  the 
Sacred  Text;  and  bringing  for  argument,  that  Gerizim  being 
the  mount  appointed  for  the  pronunciation  of  the  blessings, 
was  a  fit  place  for  the  altar,  but  not  Ebal,  from  which  the  curses 
were  pronounced.  But  all  other  copies  of  the  Pentateuch,  and 
all  versions  are  against  them.  They  have  also  added,  in  Exod. 
xx.,  after  the  tenth  commandment,  a  command  to  erect  an  altar 
in  Gerizim. 

These  two  mountains  are  in  the  tribe  of  Ephraim.  In  the 
valley  between  them  is  Shechem,  now  called  Naplous.  This 
place  the  Jews  by  way  of  reproach  called  Sichar,  which  means, 
drunken.  Near  this  was  the  field  which  Jacob  gave  to  his  son 
Joseph,  and  Jacob's  well,  where  our  Saviour  asked  water  of  the 
Samaritan  woman. 

The  opinion  is  entertained  by  some,  that  Nehemiah  did  not 
return  to  Jerusalem  until  towards  the  close  of  the  reign  of 
Darius  Nothus,  when  he  was  growing  old.  Josephus  relates 
that  he  lived  to  a  very  advanced  age;  and  this  opinion,  which 
brings  down  the  second  administration  of  Nehemiah  to  a  much 
later  period  than  the  date  commonly  assigned,  will  accord  with 
the  facts  recorded  in  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  Nehemiah :  for 
it  can  scarcely  be  conceived  that  so  great  abuses  could  have 
crept  in  during  one  year :  such  as  the  profanation  of  the  tem- 
ple ;  the  violation  of  the  Sabbath  ;  the  neglect  of  sending  in  the 
tithes  and  prescribed  offerings,  and  various  abuses  in  the  official 
duties  of  the  priests.  All  that  the  Scriptures  say  in  regard  to 
the  absence  of  Nehemiah,  is,  "But  in  all  this  time  was  not  I  at 
Jerusalem;  for  in  the  two-and-thirtieth  year  of  Artaxerxes, 
king  of  Babylon,  came  I  unto  the  king,  and  after  certain  days 
obtained  I  leave  of  the  king;  and  I  came  to  Jerusalem,"  &c. 
The  expression  "after  certain  days,"  literally  is,  at  the  end  of 
days;  a  phrase  which,  according  to  the  idiom  of  Scripture,  may 
signify  a  longer  or  shorter  time.  Jahn,  who  adopts  the  above 
opinion,  supposes  that  the  second  administration  of  Nehemiah 
was  contemporaneous  with  the  events  referred  to  in  the  book  of 
Malachi,  where  the  desolations  of  Edom  or  Idumea  are  spoken 
of,  which  he  thinks  were  occasioned  by  the  perpetual  wars  carried 
on  during  during  this  period  between  the  Persians  and  Egyp- 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  447 

tians,  whose  armies  often  marched  through  this  land,  and  laid 
it  waste.  It  is  expressly  asserted  that  Joiada  was  high-priest 
during  the  last  administration  of  Nehemiah,  (Neb.  xiii.)  and  the 
Alexandrian  chronicon  places  the  death  of  Eliashib,  the  father 
of  Joiada,  in  the  eleventh  year  of  Darius  Nothus,  which  answers 
to  the  412  B.  C.  The  second  arrival  of  Nehemiah  must,  there- 
fore, be  placed  much  later,  and  is  by  Dr.  Prideaux  referred  to 
the  fifteenth  year  of  Darius  Nothus,  but  even  this  date  is 
probably  too  early. 

We  have  now  arrived  at  a  period  where  we  can  derive  no 
further  aid  from  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament,  for  the 
thirteenth  chapter  of  Nehemiah,  contains  the  latest  history 
found  in  the  sacred  record;  and  the  prophecy  of  Malachi  closes 
the  canon  of  the  Old  Testament,  which,  as  was  observed,  refers 
to  the  same  state  of  things  as  is  referred  to  in  the  closing  chap- 
ter of  Nehemiah.  There  is,  it  is  true,  in  the  twelfth  chapter 
of  Nehemiah,  an  extension  of  the  genealogy  of  the  high-priests, 
for  a  long  time  after  this,  even  to  Jaddua,  who  was  in  office 
when  Alexander  the  Great  visited  Jerusalem;  but,  undoubt- 
edly, the  high-priests  who  came  after  Joiada,  were  added  by 
some  one,  after  the  canon  was  closed;  most  probably  by 
Simon  the  Just. 

How  long  Nehemiah  lived,  is  nowhere  said,  but  he  must 
have  been  about  seventy  years  of  age  at  the  time  when  the 
facts  occurred,  which  are  last  recorded  in  his  book.  After 
him,  the  king  of  Persia  appointed  no  one  to  be  governor  of 
Judca,  but  seems  to  have  annexed  this  country  to  the  province 
of  Syria. 

Darius  Nothus  continued  to  have  wars  with  the  Egyptians, 
until  they  were  subdued;  and  also  with  Medes,  who  had 
revolted,  and  whom  he  brought  under  a  heavier  yoke  than 
before.  His  policy  towards  tjie  Lacedemonians  and  Athenians, 
in  the  Peloponnesian  war  was,  to  leave  them  to  waste  and 
destroy  each  other ;  occasionally  directing  his  generals  to  assist 
the  weaker  party,  so  that  the  war  might  be  the  more  pro- 
longed. The  general  who  was  intrusted  with  the  management 
of  this  delicate  and  difficult  business,  was  Tissaphernes,  a  man 
of  great  talents. 

In  the  seventeenth  year  of  his  reign,  (407  B.  C.,)  the  king 
sent  his  younger  son  Cyrus,  to  be  commander-in-chief  of  all 
the  provinces  of  Asia  Minor.  Cyrus  must  have  been,  at  this 
time,  a  very  young  man,  scarcely  above  sixteen  years  of  age. 
On  receiving  his  commission,  he  was  directed  by  his  father, 
contrary  to  the  policy  pursued  by  Tissaphernes,  to  help  the 
Lacedemonians.  The  impolicy  of  this  course  was  soon  mani- 
fest, for  the  Lacedemonians,  by  the  aid  of  the  Persians,  soon 
became  completely  victorious  over  the  Athenians;  and  being 


448  HISTORY   OF   THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION 

thencefoward  released  from  this  troublesome  war,  they  turned 
their  forces  against  the  Persians  themselves,  and  actually  sent 
several  armies  to  invade  the  country;  one  of  which  was  com- 
manded by  the  famous  Agesilaus. 

Cyrus  gave  great  offence  to  his  father,  while  he  resided  at 
Sardis,  by  putting  to  death  two  of  his  own  cousins,  sons  of  a 
sister  of  Darius,  for  no  other  reason,  than  because  they,  upon 
meeting  him,  did  not  wrap  up  their  hands  in  their  sleeves,  as 
was  customary  on  meeting  with  the  king.  An  order  was 
therefore  sent  for  the  recall  of  Cyrus,  by  his  father,  but 
assigning  as  the  reason,  that  he  was  sick.  Cyrus,  before  he 
set  out  on  his  return,  had  sent  to  Lysander  the  Lacedemonian 
general,  subsidies,  which  enabled  him  to  put  his  fleet  into  such 
a  condition  as  to  gain  over  the  Athenians  that  decisive  victory 
at  the  Goats'  River,  on  the  Hellespont,  which  put  an  end  to 
the  Peloponnesian  war. 

Soon  after  the  return  of  Cyrus,  Darius  Nothus  died,  after  a 
reign  of  nineteen  years.  By  the  interposition  of  his  mother, 
Cyrus  was  reconciled  to  his  father ;  and,  not  contented  with 
this,  she  entreated  to  have  her  favourite  made  king,  on  the 
same  principle  as  Xerxes  was,  because  he  was  the  first  born 
after  the  accession  of  his  father.  Darius,  however,  would  not 
yield  this  point,  but  gave  the  crown  to  Arsaces,  the  eldest  son 
of  Parysatis  the  queen,  who,  on  ascending  the  throne,  took  the 
name  of  Artaxerxes,  and  to  whom  the  Greeks  gave  the  name 
of  Mnemon,  on  account  of  his  extraordinary  memory. 

It  is  said,  that  when  the  father  was  near  his  end,  this  son, 
appointed  his  successor,  asked  him  to  inform  him  by,  what  art 
he  had  been  able  to  manage  the  government  so  prosperously. 
To  which  he  is  reported  to  have  made  the  following  memorable 
reply:  "By  doing,  in  all  things,  that  which  was  just  toward 
Crod  and  man." 

Cyrus,  being  disappointed  in  his  ambitious  views,  of  ascend- 
ing the  throne  quietly,  began,  as  soon  as  his  father  was  out 
of  the  way,  to  plot  against  the  life  of  his  brother ;  which,  being 
discovered,  he  was  taken  into  custody,  and  condemned  to  die; 
but  his  mother  again  interposing  in  his  behalf,  prevailed  on  the 
king  to  send  him  back  to  the  government  of  Asia  Minor,  which 
had  been  left  to  him  by  his  father's  will.  But  no  sooner  did 
this  ambitious  young  man  find  himself  at  liberty,  and  invested 
with  authority  again,  than  he  began,  on  various  pretences,  to 
raise  an  army;  and  the  cities  under  the  government  of  Tissa~ 
phernes  revolting  from  him,  joined  themselves  to  Cyrus,  which 
occasioned  a  war  between  them.  This  served  as  a  pretext  for 
what  Cyrus  now  did,  in  collecting  forces.  As  Artaxerxes  sup- 
posed, that  the  only  object  was  to  oppose  Tissaphernes ;  and  to 
blind  the  king  yet  more,  he  wrote  letters  to  him,  complaining 


TO   THE  .CONQUEST   OF   JUDEA.  449 

bitterly  of  the  conduct  of  Tissaphernes,  and  entreating  him  to 
grant  him  aid  against  him.  He  now  applied  to  the  Lacede- 
monians, who  were  under  great  obligations  to  him,  for  the  sub- 
sidies afforded  them  for  the  aid  of  their  fleet,  which  they 
readily  granted.  All  this  time,  Artaxerxes  seems  to  have  had 
no  suspicion  of  the  true  designs  of  Cyrus.  When  he  had 
raised  and  mustered  his  forces,  he  threw  off  the  mask,  and 
marched  his  army  directly  against  his  brother.  It  consisted 
of  thirteen  thousand  Greeks,  who  were  the  flower  of  his  army, 
and  about  a  hundred  thousand  besides,  drawn  together  from  all 
parts,  under  the  command  of  Clearchus.  With  this  force, 
Cyrus  marched  forward  without  meeting  much  opposition,  until 
he  came  to  the  plains  of  Cunaxa,  in  the  province  of  Baby- 
lon, where  Artaxerxes  met  him  with  an  army  of  nine  hundred 
thousand  men,  and  a  decisive  battle  was  fought,  in  which 
Cyrus  was  slain  at  the  very  moment  when  his  auxiliary  Greeks 
were  on  the  point  of  gaining  a  great  victory.  These  Grecian 
troops,  of  whom  about  ten  thousand  remained,  were  now  left  in 
a  most  embarrassing  situation,  in  the  midst  of  the  Persian 
empire,  in  the  presence  of  a  vast  hostile  army,  and  with  a  long 
distance  between  them  and  home ;  the  inhabitants  of  the  inter- 
vening countries  being  all  inimical  to  the  Greeks.  But  by 
valour  and  consummate  generalship,  they  succeeded  in  reach- 
ing one  of  the  Grecian  cities  on  the  Euxine  sea,  after  a  march 
of  two  thousand  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles.  This  is 
the  most  famous  retreat  of  which  we  have  any  account  in  his- 
tory, and  of  which  Xenophon,  who  was  their  leader,  has  given 
us  so  lively  and  interesting  a  description,  in  his  work  entitled 
Anabasis. 

The  death  of  Cyrus,  and  the  retreat  of  the  ten  thousand, 
occurred  in  the  fourth  year  of  the  reign  of  Artaxerxes  Mne- 
mon,  (401  B.  C.,)  being  the  very  year  in  which  Socrates  was 
put  to  death  at  Athens. 

The  reign  of  Artaxerxes  Mnemon  was  long,  extending  to 
forty-six  years ;  that  is,  from  the  year  404  to  358  B.  C.  He 
carried  on  wars  with  the  Lacedemonians,  Egyptians,  Cadusians, 
&c.,  but  no  great  success  attended  his  arms.  Shortly  before 
his  decease  he  appointed  his  son  Darius  his  successor,  but  on 
discovering  that  he  was  engaged  in  a  plot  against  his  life,  he 
had  him  executed.  The  second  son  by  the  queen,  destroyed 
himself  by  poison.  The  succession  to  the  crown  then  fell  to 
Ochus,  in  the  year  358  B.  C.  He  assumed  also  the  name  Ar- 
taxerxes, which  seems  to  have  been  among  the  Persian  kings 
what  Pharaoh  was  among  the  Egyptians;  but  in  history,  this 
monarch  is  known  by  his  own  proper  name  of  Ochus. 

During  the  greater  part  of  the  long  reign  of  Artaxerxes 
29 


450  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

Mnemon  the  Jews  enjoyed  peace;  except  when  the  Persian 
armies  marched  along  the  coast  of  the  Mediterranean  into 
Egypt.  On  one  occasion  there  were  assembled  on  their  bor- 
ders no  less  than  two  hundred  thousand  barbarian  soldiers,  and 
twenty  thousand  Greeks,  together  with  a  vast  fleet,  which  ren- 
dezvoused at  Acre. 

The  high-priest  Joiada  died  in  the  thirty-second  year  of  Ar- 
taxerxes  Mnemon,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Jonathan,  or 
Johanan,  or  Ptolemais,  or  John,  who  held  the  office  for  thirty- 
two  years,  and  was  the  occasion  of  much  trouble  to  his  country. 
The  brother  of  the  high-priest  Johanan,  whose  name  was 
Joshua,  having  ingratiated  himself  into  the  favour  of  Bagoses 
governor  of  Syria,  through  his  agency  and  influence  obtained  a 
royal  order  that  he  should  be  made  high-priest  instead  of  his 
brother.  Johanan  not  yielding  to  this,  a  contest  took  place 
between  the  two  brothers,  within  the  temple,  when  Joshua  was 
rashly  murdered  by  Johanan.  Bagoses,  on  hearing  of  this 
outrage,  came  to  Jerusalem  to  examine  into  the  affair,  and 
demanded  to  be  admitted  into  the  temple  where  the  murder 
was  committed;  and  when  this  was1  refused,  on  account  of  the 
sanctity  of  the  place,  he  answered  with  indignation,  "What! 
am  not  I  as  pure  as  the  dead  carcass  which  lies  in  your  temple," 
and  immediately  forced  his  way  into  the  interior,  where  Joshua 
had  been  slain.  As  a  punishment  for  the  murder  of  Joshua,  he 
inflicted  a  fine  of  fifty  drachms  on  every  lamb  which  should  be 
offered  up  in  the  temple.  Some  say  the  mulct  was  five  hundred 
drachms,  but  this  has  arisen  from  a  manifest  mistake  in  the 
text  of  Josephus.  This  tax  continued  no  longer  than  during 
the  government  of  Bagoses,  a  space  of  about  seven  years. 

Ochus,  upon  ascending  the  throne,  was  guilty  of  shocking 
cruelties  towards  his  own  relations.  As  soon  as  the  death  of 
Artaxerxes  and  the  accession  of  Ochus  were  known  in  Asia 
Minor,  all  the  provinces  in  that  quarter  revolted. 

In  the  third  year  of  his  reign,  (356  B.  C. — 100th  Olympiad, 
and  385  after  the  building  of  Rome,)  Alexander,  surnamed  the 
Great,  was  born  at  Pella,  in  Macedonia,  on  the  same  day  that 
Erostratus  attempted  to  immortalize  himself  by  setting  fire  to 
the  temple  of  Diana  at  Ephesus. 

About  the  fifth  year  of  Ochus,  died  Mausolus  king  of  Caria, 
an  event  rendered  famous  in  history  by  the  extraordinary  grief 
of  his  wife  Artemisia,  who  was  also  his  sister.  For  having 
gathered  together  his  ashes,  and  powdered  his  bones,  she  took 
a  portion  of  them  every  day  in  her  drink  till  she  had,  in 
this  manner,  drank  them  all;  thus  making  her  own  body  the 
sepulchre  of  her  deceased  husband,  and  in  two  years  pined 
away  with  grief.  But  before  her  death  she  erected  for  him 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  451 

that  famous  monument  at  Halicarnassus,  which  was  reckoned 
among  the  seven  wonders  of  the  world,  and  from  which  all 
monuments  of  unusual  splendour  are  called  Mausoleums. 

In  the  eighth  year  of  the  reign  of  Ochus,  the  Sidonians  and 
Phenicians  revolted  and  entered  into  a  confederacy  with  Nec- 
tanebis,  king  of  Egypt.  He  sent  to  their  aid  a  large  hody  of 
Grecian  mercenaries,  by  whose  assistance  the  Persians  were 
driven  entirely  out  of  Phenicia.  The  Jews  also  seem  to  have 
taken  part  in  this  revolt  of  the  Phenicians.  The  Cyprians,  too, 
encouraged  by  the  success  of  the  Phenicians,  threw  off  the 
Persian  yoke  and  joined  the  confederacy. 

Ochus  perceiving  that  his  wars  with  the  Egyptians  had  been 
badly  managed  by  his  generals,  determined  to  go  in  person  at 
the  head  of  his  army;  and  having  collected  three  hundred 
thousand  foot,  and  twenty  thousand  horse,  marched  into  Pheni- 
cia. Mentor,  who  commanded  the  Grecian  mercenaries,  being 
terrified  at  the  approach  of  so  great  an  army,  sent  privately  to 
Ochus,  offering  to  deliver  up  the  city  of  Sidon  to  him,  and 
engaged  Tennes,  the  king  of  Sidon,  in  the  same  treachery. 
Ochus  was  rejoiced  at  this  proposal,  and  promised  them  their 
own  terms.  The  Sidonians,  to  cut  off  all  hope  of  escape  from 
the  inhabitants,  that  they  might  make  a  more  desperate  resist- 
ance, had  purposely  burned  all  their  ships.  When  they  found 
that  they  were  betrayed,  and  that  the  enemy  was  within  their 
their  walls,  retired  to  their  houses,  and  setting  fire  to  them, 
perished  in  the  flames,  to  the  number  of  forty  thousand,  and 
among  the  rest,  Tennes,  their  king,  whose  treason  did  not  save 
him.  This  was  the  commencement  of  the  destruction  of  that 
ancient  and  famous  city,  predicted  by  the  prophets  in  such 
glowing  language.  The  Phenicians,  terrified  with  the  over- 
throw of  the  Sidonians,  submitted  to  the  conqueror  without  a 
struggle. 

Ochus  having  subdued  the  Sidonians  and  Phenicians,  marched 
into  Judea,  besieged  and  took  Jericho,  and  carried  many  of  the 
Jews  into  captivity,  taking  some  with  him  into  Egypt,  and 
sending  many  others  into  Hyrcania.  The  latter  were  planted 
near  the  borders  of  the  Caspian  Sea,  where  some  modern  travel- 
lers think  they  have  discovered  their  posterity,  at  this  day. 
(See  Morier's  Travels.)  Not  wishing  to  be  diverted  from  Egypt, 
on  which  his  attention  was  fixed,  Ochus  made  peace  with  the 
Cyprians,  by  relieving  them  from  some  of  the  burdens  of  which 
they  complained. 

Ochus,  arriving  with  his  army  in  Egypt,  besieged  Pelusium, 
while  a  part  of  his  fleet  sailing  up  the  river,  encamped  in  an 
advantageous  spot,  and  being  attacked  by  the  Grecian  mercena- 
ries in  the  service  of  the  Egyptians,  defended  themselves,  and 
slew  a  large  number  of  the  enemy.  Upon  which  Pelusium  capi- 


452  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISKAEI.JTISH   NATION 

tulated,  and  Nectanebis  fled  to  Memphis,  his  capital;  but  on 
the  approach  of  Ochus,  he  retired  from  Egypt  into  Ethiopia, 
thus  abandoning  his  country,  to  which  he  never  afterwards  re- 
turned. He  was  the  last  native  king  who  reigned  in  Egypt,  for 
ever  since  that  devoted  country  has  been  in  the  hands  of  foreign- 
ers. By  this  a  remarkable  prophecy  of  Ezekiel  is  fulfilled.* 
(Ezek.  xxix.  13 — 16.)  Mentor  the  Khodian,  having  been  of 
great  service  in  this  war,  Ochus  rewarded  him  with  a  hundred 
talents,  and  made  him  governor  of  the  provinces  in  Asia  Minor, 
where  he  acted  with  great  fidelity  to  the  king,  and  brought  over 
to  him  his  two  brothers,  Memnon  and  Artabazus,  who  were  also 
men  of  extraordinary  talents,  who  had  been  engaged  in  the  war 
against  Ochus.  These  brothers  were  of  the  greatest  service  to 
the  king's  interest,  by  bringing  back  to  their  allegiance  many 
revolted  provinces. 

In  the  eleventh  year  of  Ochus,  (348  B.  C.,)  which  answers  to 
the  108th  Olympiad,  died  the  celebrated  Athenian  philosopher, 
Plato.  Among  his  scholars,  Aristotle  was  by  far  the  most 
eminent,  the  founder  of  the  Peripatetic  sect.  This  man  was 
born  at  a  small  town  on  the  river  Strymon,  called  Stagira ;  on 
which  account  he  is  often  called  the  Stagirite.  But  the  succes- 
sor of  Plato  in  the  school  was  Speusippus.  Aristotle,  after  the 
death  of  his  master,  went  into  Asia,  and  lived  with  the  king  of 
Atarna,  a  city  of  Mysia,  whose  niece  he  married ;  but  after  the 
death  of  this  person,  he  went  to  Mytilene,  and  from  thence  to 
Macedonia,  and  became  preceptor  to  Alexander  the  Great,  with 
whom  he  remained  eight  years.  After  this  he  returned  to 
Athens,  and  taught  the  Peripatetic  philosophy  for  twelve  years 
in  the  Lyceum.  But  being  accused  of  teaching  something 
contrary  to  the  established  religion  of  the  State,  and  being  un- 
willing to  expose  himself  to  the  fate  of  Socrates,  he  retired  to 
Chalcis,  a  town  in  Eubae,  where  he  died,  two  years  afterwards, 
in  the  sixty-third  year  of  his  age.  Josephus  informs  us  that 
Aristotle,  while  he  resided  with  Hermias,  in  Mysia,  became 
acquainted  with  a  learned  Jew,  from  the  upper  parts  of  Asia, 
who  had  come  there  on  business.  This  fact,  he  says,  he  learned 
from  a  book  written  by  Clearchus,  one  of  Aristotle's  principal 
scholars. 

After  Ochus  had  brought  Egypt  and  all  his  other  revolted 
provinces  into  subjection,  he  gave  himself  up  entirely  to  ease  and 
luxury,  and  took  no  more  concern  about  the  government  of  the 
empire,  which  he  committed  to  Bagoas,  his  favourite  eunuch, 
and  Mentor  the  Rhodian.  In  the  eighteenth  year  of  this  reign, 
(341  B.  C.,)  died  Johanan  or  John,  the  high-priest  of  the  Jews, 
after  holding  the  office  for  thirty-two  years.  He  was  succeeded 
by  his  son  Jaddua,  who  held  it  twenty  years.  Ochus  came  to 

*  See  Newton  on  the  Prophecies. 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  453 

his  end  by  means  of  poison,  'administered  by  his  favourite 
eunuch  Bagoas,  (338  years  B.  C.,)  after  a  reign  of  twenty-one 
years. 

Bagoas,  after  the  death  of  Ochus,  having  the  whole  power  in 
his  hands,  raised  Arses,  the  youngest  of  the  king's  sons,  to  the 
throne,  and  then  murdered  all  the  rest ;  thinking  to  free  him- 
self from  all  control  by  placing  one  upon  the  throne  who  was  a 
king  merely  in  name.  About  this  time,  Philip  king  of  Mace- 
don,  having  made  himself  master  of  all  Greece,  determined  to 
carry  on  war  against  the  Persians,  by  an  invasion  of  their 
country.  With  this  view  he  called  a  general  assembly  of  the 
States  of  Greece,  at  Corinth,  where  he  caused  himself  to  be 
chosen  captain-general  of  the  Grecian  forces,  and  required 
every  city  to  furnish  a  certain  number  of  men.  But  while  he 
was  making  these  preparations,  intending  shortly  to  put  himself 
at  the  head  of  his  troops,  he  was  slain,  at  the  nuptials  of  his 
daughter  Cleopatra  with  Alexander  king  of  Epirus.  The  as- 
sassin was  Pausanias,  a  young  Macedonian,  who  having  received 
great  injury  from  one  of  the  king's  favourites,  and  obtaining  no 
satisfaction  from  Philip,  he  watched  his  opportunity,  and  slew 
the  king  as  he  was  passing  in  great  pomp  to  the  theatre.  He 
was  succeeded  by  his  son  Alexander,  then  only  twenty  years  of 
age. 

Bagoas,  finding  that  Arses,  whom  he  had  placed  on  the  Per- 
sian throne,  began  to  suspect  his  villainy,  resolved  to  be  before- 
hand with  him,  and  accordingly  destroyed  him.  After  pro- 
ducing a  vacancy  in  this  iniquitous  manner,  he  elevated  to  the 
throne  Codomanus,  who  assumed  the  name  of  Darius,  after  he 
was  made  king.  He  was  descended  from  Darius  Nothus.  As 
Ochus,  on  his  accession  to  the  throne,  had  killed  nearly  all  the 
descendants  of  Darius  Nothus,  it  is  not  certainly  known  how 
Codomanus  escaped.  The  first  appearance  which  he  makes  in 
history  is,  in  the  character  of  courier,  in  the  early  part  of  the 
reign  of  Ochus.  When  this  king  was  engaged  in  a  war  with 
the  Cadusians,  a  champion  of  that  nation  challenged  the  whole 
Persian  army  to  send  out  a  man  to  fight  him,  in  single  combat. 
When  all  declined  this  challenge,  Codomanus  accepted  it,  and 
killed  his  antagonist;  as  a  reward  for  which,  he  was  made 
governor  of  Armenia. 

Bagoas,  however,  finding  that  Darius  was  not  a  man  to  suit 
his  purpose,  determined  to  put  him  out  of  the  way,  as  he  had 
done  his  predecessors ;  but  the  king  being  informed  of  his  pur- 
pose to  poison  him  with  a  certain  potion,  when  it  was  brought, 
forced  Bagoas  to  drink  it  himself;  and  thus  the  traitor  fell  by 
his  own  artifice.  In  regard  to  personal  appearance,  courage, 
and  bodily  strength,  Darius  had  no  superior  in  all  his  empire. 
He  was  also,  it  is  said,  of  a  mild  and  generous  disposition ;  but 


454  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

it  was  his  misfortune  to  have  to  contend  with  that  irresistible 
conqueror,  Alexander  the  Great. 


SECTION  IV. 

REIGN  OF  ALEXANDER  THE  GREAT— INVASION  OF  ASIA  BY  ALEXANDER — CONQUEST 
OF  THE  PERSIAN  EMPIRE — SIEGE  AND  CAPTURE  OF  TYRE — ALEXANDER'S  VISIT  TO 
JERUSALEM — IS  MET  BY  JADDUA  AND  THE  OTHER  PRIESTS — HIS  STRANGE  BE- 
HAVIOUR— HIS  KIND  TREATMENT  OF  THE  JEWS — CONDUCT  TOWARDS  THE  SAMA- 
RITANS— DEATH  OF  DARIUS — INVASION  OF  INDIA — VOYAGE  OF  NEARCHUS — CA- 
PRICIOUS AND  VIOLENT  CHARACTER  OF  ALEXANDER — HIS  DEATH. 

ALEXANDER,  having  been  appointed  successor  to  his  father  as 
generalissimo  of  all  the  forces  of  Greece  destined  to  go  against 
Persia,  after  subduing  all  his  enemies  at  home,  set  off  for 
Persia,  with  no  more  than  thirty  thousand  infantry  and  five 
thousand  horse.  Encountering  the  Persian  army  at  the  river 
Granicus,  he  totally  defeated  it,  though  five  times  more  numer- 
ous than  his  own.  His  victory  put  him  in  possession,  not  only 
of  all  the  treasures  of  Darius,  in  Sardis,  but  all  the  provinces 
of  Asia  Minor  came  over  to  him,  or  were  subdued  by  force. 
Before  he  went  into  winter  quarters,  he  gave  permission  to  all 
his  newly  married  soldiers  to  return  home,  and  spend  the  winter 
with  their  wives;  which  custom  being  found  among  no  other 
but  the  Jews,  it  is  probable  that  it  was  borrowed  from  them. 

Darius  finding  his  empire  so  seriously  menaced,  exerted  him- 
self to  prepare  for  the  approaching  contest,  and  mustered  six 
hundred  thousand  men,  near  Babylon.  He  also  had  recourse 
to  policy,  for  knowing  that  the  Grecian  States  were  not  friendly 
to  Alexander,  he  sent  Memnon,  the  wisest  of  his  generals,  with 
a  fleet  to  the  Grecian  seas,  where  the  Athenians  and  Lacede- 
monians would  have  been  ready  to  join  him ;  but  after  taking 
possession  of  a  few  islands,  he  died,  and  the  scheme  was  not 
prosecuted. 

Darius,  contrary  to  the  advice  of  some  of  the  most  experi- 
enced and  skilful  of  his  generals,  who  advised  him  to  wait  for 
Alexander  in  the  champaign  country,  marched  to  get  posses- 
sion of  the  straits  which  led  from  Cilicia  into  Syria.  In  conse- 
quence of  the  unfavourableness  of  the  ground,  Darius  was 
unable  to  bring  but  a  small  part  of  his  immense  host  into  the 
field  at  once;  and  the  Macedonians  soon  broke  the  first  lines  of 
the  Persian  army,  and  drove  them  back  on  the  second,  and  then 
on  the  third ;  and  thus  the  whole  was  soon  thrown  into  perfect 
confusion.  Such  was  the  press  of  the  crowd,  in  the  narrow 
defiles  of  the  mountains  by  which  they  were  enclosed,  that  more 
perished  that  day,  by  being  trodden  to  death  by  their  own  men, 
than  were  slain  by  the  enemy.  It  was  with  the  greatest  diffi- 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OP  JUDEA.  455 

culty  that  Darius  made  his  escape ;  but  his  camp  and  baggage, 
with  his  mother,  wife,  and  children,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
enemy.  This  battle  was  fought  at  Issus,  in  Cilicia,  towards  the 
close  of  the  year.  The  result  of  this  victory  was  the  conquest 
of  all  Syria,  and  its  capital,  Damascus,  whither  Darius  had  sent 
his  most  precious  treasures,  with  his  concubines,  and  most  of 
the  ladies  of  his  court.  The  governor  of  this  town,  as  soon  as 
he  heard  of  the  flight  of  Darius,  delivered  it  up  to  Alexander, 
who  sent  Parmenio  to  take  possession. 

Alexander  now  pursued  his  march  through  Phenicia,  where 
all  submitted  to  his  arms,  except  the  Tyrians ;  who  refused  him 
admittance  into  their  city,  depending  on  its  insular  and  inacces- 
sible situation.  Alexander,  naturally  impetuous,  and  now 
flushed  with  victory ;  resolved,  that  cost  what  it  might,  he  would 
take  the  place.  The  first  thing  he  attempted,  was  to  raise  a 
bank  between  the  main  land  and  the  island  on  which  Tyre 
was  now  built;  and  by  this  means,  after  some  delay  he  took 
the  city.  In  making  this  causeway,  he  employed  the  rubbish 
of  the  old  town,  which  had  stood  on  the  continent,  before  it  was 
destroyed  by  Nebuchadnezzar.  Since  the  time  of  Alexander, 
the  island  has  disappeared,  or  rather  forms  a  part  of  the  main 
land.  Among  the  captives  taken  at  Damascus,  there  was  one, 
who,  by  her  extraordinary  beauty,  captivated  the  conqueror  of 
the  world.  This  was  Barsena,  the  widow  of  Memnon,  a  famous 
Persian  general,  of  whom  mention  has  already  been  made. 
Her,  Alexander  married,  and  by  her  had  a  son  whom  he  named 
Hercules. 

Tyre,  being  altogether  devoted  to  commerce,  was  dependant 
on  other  countries  for  her  supplies  of  grain ;  which  were  com- 
monly obtained  from  Galilee,  Samaria,  and  Judea.  Alexander, 
therefore,  during  the  seige,  was  obliged  to  look  to  the  same 
quarter  for  supplies  for  his  army,  and  ordered  the  inhabitants 
to  furnish  him  with  all  necessaries.  The  Jews  pleaded,  that 
they  were  bound  by  an  oath  to  Darius,  and  refused  to  obey 
Alexander's  commands.  This  answer  greatly  provoked  him, 
who,  as  soon  as  he  had  finished  the  siege  of  Tyre,  marched  his 
army  directly  towards  Jerusalem,  with  the  intention  of  punish- 
ing the  Jews  as  severely  as  he  had  done  the  Tyrians,  for  not 
obeying  his  orders.  In  this  exigence,  Jaddua  the  high-priest, 
and  others  who  had  now  the  chief  authority  in  Jerusalem, 
being  in  great  perplexity,  and  all  Jerusalem  with  them,  had  no 
other  resource,  but  to  throw  themselves  on  the  merciful  protec- 
tion of  God.  Accordingly,  they  earnestly  sought  his  favour, 
by  prayers,  sacrifices,  and  oblations.  In  answer  to  which,  it  is 
reported  by  Josephus,  that  God  appeared  to  Jaddua  by  night, 
in  a  dream,  directing  him  to  go  forth  to  meet  Alexander, 
dressed  in  his  pontifical  robes,  accompanied  by  all  the  priests 


456  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

in  their  sacerdotal  habits,  and  all  the  people  of  Jerusalem, 
clothed  in  white  garments.  This  divine  admonition  they 
obeyed,  and  marched  in  procession  to  an  elevated  spot,  not  far 
from  Jerusalem,  called  Sapha,  where  they  arranged  themselves 
in  solemn  order,  and  waited  for  the  coming  of  Alexander ;  who, 
when  he  saw  them,  was  struck  with  a  solemn  awe,  and  bending 
down,  saluted  Jaddua,  with  profound  and  religious  veneration. 
All  his  attendants  were  astonished  at  this  conduct,  and  the 
enemies  of  the  Jews  in  his  train  were  greatly  disappointed,  for 
they  expected  nothing  else  but  to  see  the  Jews  devoted  to 
destruction. 

Parmenio  could  not  refrain  from  asking  him  the  reason,  why 
he,  whom  all  adored,  should  pay  such  reverence  to  the  Jewish 
high-priest.  He  answered,  that  he  did  not  worship  the  priest, 
but  that  God  whom  he  served.  For  he  said,  that  when  he  was 
at  Dio  in  Macedonia,  and  was  hesitating  about  undertaking 
this  expedition,  this  very  person  had  appeared  to  him  in  a 
dream,  in  the  very  same  robes  in  which  he  now  appeared,  and 
had  encouraged  him  to  pass  boldly  into  Asia ;  promising  him, 
that  God  would  guide  him  during  the  whole  expedition,  and 
would  make  him  master  of  the  Persian  empire.  Alexander 
then  kindly  embraced  Jaddua,  and  entered  Jerusalem  with  him 
in  a  friendly  manner.  Here  Jaddua  showed  him  the  prophecies 
of  Daniel,  which  predicted  the  overthrow  of  the  Persian  empire 
by  a  Grecian  prince;  (see  Dan.  chap,  viii.)  This,  it  is  said, 
inspired  him  with  the  utmost  confidence  of  success ;  not  doubt- 
ing but  that  he  was  the  person  intended  in  the  prophecy.  All 
which  disposed  him  to  treat  the  Jews  with  great  kindness,  so 
that  when  they  petitioned  for  the  freedom  of  their  country, 
laws,  and  religion,  and  exemption  from  tribute  every  seventh 
year,  he  readily  granted  them  all  their  requests.  No  sooner 
had  he  left  Jerusalem,  than  the  Samaritans  met  him  with  great 
pomp  and  parade,  and  begged  that  he  would  also  visit  their  city 
and  temple.  Now  the  Samaritans  had  a  strong  ground  for 
their  plea,  because  when  the  Jews  refused  to  send  supplies  to 
the  army  of  Alexander,  the  Samaritans  readily  complied  with 
his  orders;  and  moreover,  sent  eight  thousand  men  to  assist 
him  in  the  siege.  Alexander  answered  them  kindly,  and  told 
them  that  he  was  then  hastening  to  Egypt,  but  on  his  return, 
would  consider  their  petition,  and  grant  to  them  what  they 
desired,  as  far  as  was  consistent.  They  then  requested  freedom 
from  tribute,  every  seventh  year.  Upon  which  he  asked  them 
whether  they  were  Jews,  to  which  they  answered  they  were 
Hebrews,  who  observed  the  same  laws  as  the  Jews ;  and  neither 
sowed  nor  reaped,  in  the  seventh  year;  and  that  as  this  immu- 
nity had  been  granted  to  the  Jews,  they  hoped  it  would  not  be 
withheld  from  them.  Alexander  not  being  at  leisure  to  make 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  457 

the  necessary  inquiries,  deferred  a  decision,  on  this  point  also, 
till  his  return. 

On  coming  to  Gaza,  he  found  it  strongly  garrisoned,  under 
one  of  Darius's  eunuchs,  named  Betis,  a  valiant  and  faithful 
man,  who  defended  the  city  for  his  master  as  long  as  he  could: 
as  it  was  at  the  very  entrance  into  the  country  claimed  by 
Egypt,  he  could  not  pass  until  he  had  taken  it.  But  notwith- 
standing all  the  force  and  art  by  which  it  was  assailed,  it  de- 
tained Alexander  two  whole  months.  This  delay,  together 
with  two  dangerous  wounds  received  during  the  siege,  led  him 
to  treat  the  commander  and  inhabitants  with  inexcusable  cruelty. 
He  put  to  death  ten  thousand  of  them,  and  sent  all  the  rest 
into  slavery.  Alexander  now  marched  immediately  to  Egypt. 
When  he  arrived  at  Pelusium,  the  Egyptians  flocked  to  meet 
him  as  a  deliverer;  for  such  was  their  hatred  to  the  Persians 
that  they  were  ready  to  welcome  any  other  master.  He  was, 
therefore,  received  with  open  arms,  and  Egypt  was  possessed 
without  a  struggle.  Even  the  Persian  governor  at  Memphis, 
seeing  that  it  was  in  vain  to  resist  such  a  torrent,  submitted  to 
Alexander. 

From  Memphis,  he  projected  a  journey  through  the  desert 
to  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Hammon,  situated  in  the  sands  of 
Lybia,  at  the  distance  of  two  hundred  miles  from  Egypt.  The 
famous  temple  erected  here  was  probably  in  honour  of  Ham, 
the  first  settler  of  Egypt  after  the  deluge.  Alexander's  errand 
to  this  place  was  very  foolish  and  vainglorious.  It  was  no 
other  than  to  get  himself  acknowledged  as  the  son  of  the  god 
called  Jupiter  Hammon.  In  order  to  effect  his  purpose,  he 
had  sent  before  him  messengers  to  bribe  the  priests,  so  that 
when  he  came,  the  oracle  might  declare  what  he  vaingloriously 
and  impiously  wished.  On  his  way,  his  sagacious  eye  observed 
a  spot  near  the  coast,  over  against  the  island  of  Pharos,  very 
suitable  for  a  city.  He  immediately  resolved  that  one  should 
be  built,  which  he  intended  to  make  the  capital  of  his  empire, 
and  called  it  Alexandria,  after  his  own  name.  According  to 
the  course  of  trade,  in  those  days,  no  situation  could  be  more 
eligible;  for  it  has  before  it  the  Mediterranean,  and  behind  it 
the  Nile,  with  a  short  and  easy  communication  with  the  Red 
Sea.  But  the  state  of  the  world  as  to  commerce  is  now  entire- 
ly changed,  and  at  present  Alexandria  is  famous  for  nothing 
but  its  ruins,  the  remains  of  its  former  grandeur.  Having  laid 
out  the  city,  he  left  the  work  in  the  hands  of  the  famous  archi- 
tect, Democrates,  the  builder  of  the  celebrated  temple  of  Diana, 
at  Ephesus,  while  he  went  on  his  projected  journey  to  the  tem- 
ple of  Jupiter  Hammon,  where  he  received  from  the  oracle  the 
answer  which  he  wished,  that  he  was  the  son  of  the  god  wor- 
shipped in  that  temple.  Upon  which  he  returned  in  great  tri- 


458  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

umph.  In  making  this  journey,  his  army  ran  great  hazards  in 
passing  through  the  sands,  for  two  hundred  miles ;  where  Cam- 
byses,  as  we  have  hefore  mentioned,  lost  an  army  of  forty  or 
fifty  thousand  men.  In  one  instance,  he  was  preserved  from 
death  by  a  seasonable,  but  almost  miraculous  shower  of  rain. 

On  his  return,  he  collected  inhabitants  from  all  quarters  to 
people  his  new  city,  and  among  the  rest,  invited  many  Jews  to 
settle  there,  offering  them  the  free  exercise  of  their  own  laws 
and  religion;  and  even  granting  them  the  same  privileges  as 
were  conferred  on  the  Macedonians  themselves.  Varro  relates 
that  about  the  time  of  building  Alexandria,  the  use  of  the  papy- 
rus, as  a  material  for  writing  on,  was  discovered. 

While  Alexander  was  gone  to  Egypt,  he  left  as  governor  of 
Syria  and  Palestine,  a  special  favourite,  whose  name  was 
Andromachus,  who  had  his  residence  at  Samaria.  The  Sama- 
ritans, it  would  seem,  chagrined  at  not  receiving  equal  privi- 
leges with  the  Jews,  or  on  some  other  ground,  set  fire  to  the 
house  of  the  governor,  who  was  consumed  in  the  flames.  At 
this,  Alexander  was  exceedingly  exasperated,  and  on  his  return, 
put  to  death  all  who  had  taken  any  part  in  this  affair ;  drove 
the  rest  out  of  the  city,  replaced  them  with  Macedonians,  and 
gave  their  land  to  the  Jews.  Those  who  escaped,  went  and 
settled  at  Sichem,  under  mount  Gerizim,  which  has  been  ever 
since  the  principal  residence  of  the  Samaritans. 

Darius,  having  several  times  in  vain  solicited  peace  from 
Alexander,  at  last  determined  to  make  a  mighty  effort,  and 
collecting  a  vast  army,  marched  towards  Nineveh,  where  he 
was  pursued  by  Alexander,  and  overtaken  at  an  inconsiderable 
village  called  Guagimola,  where  a  great  battle  was  fought,  and 
Darius'  army  entirely  defeated,  though  it  was  twenty  times  as 
numerous  as  that  of  Alexander;  and  where  he  had  all  the 
advantage  of  an  extensive  plain  to  bring  his  whole  force  into 
active  operation.  This  battle  is  usually  named,  not  from  the 
obscure  village  where  it  was  fought,  but  from  the  city  of 
Arbela,  which  was  at  no  great  distance.  Any  one  may  see  in 
these  events,  how  remarkably  the  prophecies  of  Daniel  were 
fulfilled,  which  relate  to  "the  ram  and  the  he-goat,"  and  which 
were  interpreted  to  mean  the  kings  of  Persia  and  of  Grecia. 
(See  Dan.  vii.  6;  viii.  5-7,  20,  21.)  Darius  now  fled  to  Media. 
Alexander  pursued  him  as  far  as  Arbela,  where  he  took  all  his 
treasure  and  royal  equipage,  which  was  of  very  great  value. 
Alexander  then  turned  his  course  to  Babylon,  which  city  was 
given  up  to  him  at  once  by  the  governor. 

Alexander  now  gave  himself  up  to  feasting  and  every  species 
of  dissipation.  When  inflamed  with  wine,  he  often  acted  like 
a  perfect  madman,  as  an  example  of  which  we  may  mention, 
that,  one  night  to  gratify  the  caprice  of  a  famous  Athenian 


TO   THE   CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  459 

courtezan,  he,  and  all  his  companions,  seizing  torches,  set  fire 
to  Persepolis,  and  burned  it  to  the  ground.  Hearing  that 
Darius  was  collecting  another  army  in  Media,  Alexander  pur- 
sued after  him ;  and  on  his  arrival,  finding  that  he  had  fled  to 
Parthia,  he  continued  his  pursuit.  This  unfortunate  monarch, 
being  thus  driven  from  country  to  country,  and  subjected  to 
great  privations  and  sufferings,  grew  desperate,  and  refused  to 
proceed  further.  Upon  which  his  attendants  inflicted  several 
mortal  wounds  on  him,  and  left  him ;  in  which  situation  he  was 
found  by  one  of  Alexander's  generals ;  but  breathed  his  last 
before  Alexander  himself  arrived.  When  he  saw  the  dead 
body  of  so  great  a  prince,  thus  forsaken  and  mangled,  the  con- 
queror wept,  and  throwing  his  cloak  over  it,  commanded  that 
it  should  be  conveyed  to  Susa,  and  be  honoured  by  a  royal 
burial.  Thus  ended  the  Persian  empire,  after  it  had  endured, 
from  the  first  year  of  Cyrus,  two  hundred  and  nine  years. 

The  enterprise  of  conquering  India  was  another  example  of 
the  excessive  vainglory  of  this  prince.  Having  read  in  the 
fabulous  histories  of  Greece,  of  the  heroic  exploits  of  Hercules 
and  Bacchus,  in  the  invasion  of  this  remote  country,  he  was 
ambitious  of  equalling  them,  as  he  now  gave  himself  out  to  be 
the  son  of  Jupiter,  and  began  to  require  divine  honours  to  be 
paid  to  him.  One  of  his  worst  actions  was  the  putting  Callis- 
thenes  the  philosopher  to  death,  because  he  remonstrated 
against  this  foolish  expedition.  About  the  same  time,  also,  he 
put  Clitus  to  death  with  his  own  hand. 

When  Alexander  crossed  the  river  Indus,  he  gave  orders  to 
build  ships,  with  the  view  of  sending  them  down  the  river,  and 
along  the  coast,  until  they  should  reach  Persia.  This  fleet  was 
committed  to  Nearchus,  who  coasted  along  the  southern  shores 
of  Asia,  until  he  reached  the  gulph  of  Ormus,  in  Persia,  much 
about  the  same  time  that  Alexander  arrived  in  those  parts,  in 
his  dreary  march  by  land,  through  the  barren  sands  of  the 
southern  parts  of  Persia.  In  this  march,  which  was  also  in 
imitation  of  Hercules  and  Bacchus,  he  lost  more  than  half  his 
men.  After  his  return,  he  married  the  eldest  daughter  of 
Darius,  and  gave  the  youngest  to  Hephestion  his  chief  favour- 
ite ;  and  most  of  his  leading  generals  were  married  at  the  same 
time,  to  noble  Persian  ladies. 

The  mind  of  Alexander  was  capable  of  the  most  enlarged 
and  comprehensive  views,  and  he  was  full  of  grand  projects, 
which  few  others  would  have  conceived.  One  of  these  was  the 
circumnavigation  of  Africa;  another,  the  restoration  of  Baby- 
lon, which  had  suffered  greatly,  from  the  time  that  Cyrus 
removed  the  mounds  which  restrained  the  waters  of  the 
Euphrates  in  their  channel.  A  third  was  a  survey  of  the  Cas- 
pian sea.  But  when  unoccupied  with  his  wars,  he  gave  himself 


460  HISTORY    OF  THE   ISBAELITISH  NATION 

up  to  luxury,  especially  to  hard  drinking,  in  which  he  would 
often  spend  whole  days  and  nights ;  until,  at  length  he  brought 
on  a  fever  by  his  excesses,  which  in  a  few  days  put  an  end  to 
his  life,  at  Babylon.  The  death  of  Alexander  occurred  in  the 
first  year  of  the  146th  Olympiad,  (323  B.  C.)  As  is  very  com- 
mon, in  regard  to  the  end  of  great  princes,  his  death  was 
attributed  to  poison,  and  this  report  was  not  only  current,  but 
fully  believed  among  the  Macedonians :  and  to  give  plausibility 
to  the  story,  a  great  many  particular  circumstances,  as  to  the 
manner  in  which  the  poison  was  concealed  and  administered, 
•were  circulated. 

After  the  death  of  Alexander,  great  confusion  ensued  about 
the  succession.  But  eventually  the  supreme  authority  was 
divided  among  his  four  principal  generals,  Cassander,  Lysima- 
chus,  Ptolemy,  and  Seleucus.  Cassander  had  for  his  allotment, 
Macedonia  and  Greece.  Lysimachus,  Thrace  and  those  parts 
of  Asia  which  lay  along  the  Hellespont  and  Bosphorus ;  Ptole- 
my, Egypt,  Lybia,  Arabia,  and  Syria;  and  Seleucus  all  the 
rest. 

Thus  the  prophecy  of  Daniel  (chapter  viii.  8)  respecting 
the  breaking  of  the  horn  of  "the  he-goat,"  was  most  exactly 
and  wonderfully  verified.  The  words  of  the  prophet  are, 
"  Therefore  the  he-goat  waxed  very  great,  and  when  he  was 
strong,  the  great  horn  was  broken,  and  for  it  came  up  four 
notable  ones,"  taken  in  connection  with  the  interpretation, 
given  to  Daniel  by  the  angel :  "  The  ram  which  thou  sawest 
having  two  horns,  are  the  kings  of  Media  and  Persia.  And 
the  rough  goat  is  the  king  of  Grecia:  and  the  great  horn 
between  his  eyes,  is  the  first  king.  Now,  that  being  broken, 
•whereas  four  stood  up  for  it,  four  kingdoms  shall  stand  up  out 
of  the  nation,  but  not  in  his  power."  The  same  events  are 
predicted  in  chap.  vii.  5,  6,  under  a  different  prophetical  em- 
blem. "After  this  I  beheld,  and  lo,  another,  like  a  leopard, 
which  had  upon  the  back  of  it  four  wings  of  a  fowl:  the  beast 
had  also  four  heads,  and  dominion  was  given  to  it." 


SECTION  V. 

FROM   THE   TIME    OF   THE   IMMEDIATE   SUCCESSORS    OF    ALEXANDER    THE    GREAT,   TO 
THE    DEATH   OF    ONIAS   THE    HIGH-PRIEST. 

INCESSANT  wars  were  carried  on  between  these  generals,  to 
give  an  account  of  which,  is  not  consistent  with  our  plan,  except 
BO  far  as  they  are  connected  with  the  fortunes  of  the  Jewish 
people. 

Perdiccas,  who  was  left  in  Babylon,  and  to  whom  was  com- 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OP  JUDEA.  461 

mitted  the  guardianship  of  the  young  kings,  the  half  brother, 
and  the  infant  son  of  Alexander,  was  a  man  of  great  ambition, 
and  very  soon  began  to  meditate  important  conquests.  He 
first  invaded  Egypt,  and  then  waged  war  against  Ptolemy ;  but 
Ptolemy,  having  governed  in  Egypt  with  great  wisdom  and 
moderation,  was  beloved  by  the  people,  and  even  the  Grecian 
soldiers  in  the  army  of  Perdiccas  were  so  unwilling  to  fight 
against  him,  that  they  revolted  from  their  leader  and  put  him 
to  death,  after  which  event  all  the  Macedonians  who  invaded 
Egypt  came  over  to  the  side  of  Ptolemy.  This  prince,  now 
observing  how  convenient  it  would  be  for  him  to  regain  the 
possession  of  Phenicia  and  India,  resolved  to  make  himself 
master  of  these  provinces,  which  having  been  assigned  to  Lao- 
medon  the  Mitylenian,  one  of  Alexander's  captains,  in  the  ori- 
ginal division,  and  confirmed  to  him  in  the  second  partition 
made  by  Antipater,  had  remained  in  his  undisturbed  possession, 
from  the  death  of  Alexander  until  this  time.  Ptolemy  at  first 
attempted  to  purchase  them,  and  offered  large  sums  for  this 
purpose ;  but  failing  in  these  measures,  he  had  recourse  to  war, 
and  sent  Nicanor  with  a  fleet  into  Syria,  while  he  invaded 
Phenicia.  But  while  all  the  country  beside  yielded  to  her 
power,  the  Jews  alone  refused  to  submit,  and,  for  some  time, 
stood  out  against  him ;  upon  which  Ptolemy  marched  against 
Judea,  and  besieged  Jerusalem.  The  reason  of  their  opposi- 
tion was,  a  conscientious  regard  to  the  oath  which  they  had 
taken  to  Laomedon.  Jerusalem  being  by  nature  strong,  and 
being  also  well  fortified,  might  have  resisted  long,  had  not 
Ptolemy  taken  advantage  of  their  too  strict  observance  of  their 
Sabbath,  and  chosen  that  day  for  a  general  assault.  The  place 
fell  into  his  hands,  because  none  of  the  Jews  would,  on  the 
Sabbath,  defend  their  walls  against  him.  Josephus,  indeed, 
gives  a  different  account  of  this  transaction,  but  he  was  proba- 
bly induced  to  conceal  the  truth,  for  fear  of  the  ridicule  of  the 
Greeks.  And  we  know  that  until  the  time  of  Matthias,  the 
Jews  did  consider  it  wrong  to  fight  on  the  Sabbath. 

When  Ptolemy  got  possession  of  Jerusalem  and  Judea,  he 
carried  away  one  hundred  thousand  of  the  Jews  to  Egypt ;  but 
observing  how  faithful  they  were  to  those  whom  they  served,  he 
chose  out  thirty  thousand  of  them,  to  govern  those  towns  which 
it  was  most  important  to  preserve.  And  having  recently  added 
Lybia  and  Gyrene  to  his  dominions,  he  sent  many  of  them 
to  occupy  that  country.  This  was  the  origin  of  the  Jewish 
colony,  who  long  resided  there,  and  who  were  numerous  in  the 
time  of  our  Saviour,  and  long  afterwards.  Although  the  real 
power  of  the  empire  had  been  usurped  by  Alexander's  generals, 
yet  there  was  an  agreement  among  them  that  Aridseus  his  half 
brother,  should  have  the  title  of  king,  and  Alexander,  the  son 


462  HISTORY   OF   THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

of  the  conqueror  by  his  wife  Roxana,  who  was  born  after  his 
father's  death,  was  also  joined  with  the  former  in  the  title  of 
king,  and  many  wars  carried  on  by  those  in  actual  power,  were 
professedly  in  the  name  of  these  kings;  the  first  of  whom  was 
an  idiot,  and  the  other  an  infant.  About  this  time  Aridaeus 
the  king,  having  been  carried  into  Macedonia,  was  there  seized 
by  Olympias,  the  mother  of  Alexander  the  Great,  and  put  to 
death.  After  this,  the  infant  Alexander  only  had  the  title  of 
king;  but  almost  all  the  time  that  he  bore  it,  he  was  a  prisoner, 
and  it  was  not  long  before  he  also  was  put  to  death. 

In  the  year  312  B.  C.,  Seleucus,  one  of  Alexander's  gene- 
rals, having  seized  on  Babylon,  speedily  and  unexpectedly 
arose  to  great  power;  for,  by  his  clemency,  justice,  and  wisdom, 
he  so  conciliated  the  affections  of  those  under  his  authority, 
that  from  being  the  most  obscure,  he  became  the  greatest  of 
Alexander's  immediate  successors.  His  name  is  introduced 
here,  on  account  of  a  famous  chronological  era,  called  Seleucidse, 
or  the  era  of  contracts,  which  was  made  use  of  all  over  the 
East,  by  Jews,  Christians,  and  Mohammedans.  The  Jews  gave 
it  the  name  of  the  era  of  contracts,  because  while  under  the 
Syro-Macedonian  kings,  they  were  found  to  use  it  in  all  their 
contracts ;  and  it  grew  so  much  into  use,  that  for  a  thousand 
years  after  Christ,  they  knew  no  other  method  of  computing 
their  time.  In  the  eleventh  century  they  were  driven  from 
the  East,  and  settled  in  Spain  and  in  other  countries  in  the 
West  of  Europe.  The  commencement  of  this  era  corresponds 
with  953  of  the  Julian  period.  The  Arabs  call  it  Tarikh  Dhil- 
karnain,  the  era  of  the  two-horned,  by  which  they  mean  Alex- 
ander; whose  coins  were  often  impressed  with  a  figure  of  two 
horns.  In  the  books  of  the  Maccabees,  this  era  is  called  the 
era  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Greeks.  It  corresponds  with  the 
year  312  B.  C. 

During  the  incessant  struggles  which  agitated  the  empire, 
Judea  had  passed  out  of  the  hands  of  Ptolemy  into  those  of 
Antigonus,  whose  power  in  the  East  had  become  enormous. 
Ptolemy,  however,  again  made  himself  master  of  the  country, 
and  sent  his  general  to  seize  upon  Upper  Syria;  but  the  sons 
of  Antigonus  defeated  him.  Upon  which  Antigonus  joined  his 
sons,  and  they  marched  against  Ptolemy,  who  not  being  able  to 
stand  his  ground,  withdrew  to  Egypt,  and  all  these  countries 
fell  again  under  the  power  of  Antigonus.  But  many  of  the 
inhabitants  of  these  regions  were  so  much  better  pleased  with 
his  government  than  that  of  Antigonus,  that  they  followed  him 
into  Egypt;  and  among  the  rest  a  great  many  Jews;  which 
still  increased  the  number  of  this  people  there.  In  Alexandria, 
which  Ptolemy  wished  to  make  the  capital  of  all  Egypt,  they 
had  a  particular  quarter  of  the  city  assigned  to  them  when  it 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  463 

•was  first  built,  the  inhabitants  of  which  now  increased  to  many 
thousand  families. 

Among  those  who  went  with  Ptolemy  to  Egypt,  on  this 
occasion,  was  a  man  eminent  for  his  wisdom  and  virtues,  by  the 
name  of  Hezekias,  of  the  sacerdotal  race.  Hecatseus  the  his- 
torian, who  accompanied  Ptolemy  on  this  expedition,  makes 
particular  mention  of  him,  as  a  man  not  only  of  great  prudence, 
but  of  great  eloquence.  He,  moreover,  says,  that  from  him  he 
learned  the  religion,  policy,  and  manners  of  the  Jews,  which, 
he  observed,  Hezekias  had  with  him,  written  in  a  book.  This, 
doubtless,  was  no  other  than  the  Law  of  Moses.  And  from  his 
acquaintance  with  this  person,  no  doubt,  it  was,  that  he  enter- 
tained so  favourable  an  opinion  of  the  Jews  and  their  religion. 

This  Hecatseus  composed  a  history  of  the  Jews,  from  Abra- 
ham down  to  his  own  time ;  the  materials  for  which,  he  proba- 
bly derived  from  Hezekias.  This  led  a  heathen  writer,  in 
the  time  of  Trajan,  as  Origen  informs  us,  to  doubt  whether 
Hecatseus  ever  wrote  the  history;  for  he  supposed,  either  that 
it  was  written  by  some  Jew,  under  the  name  of  Hecataeus,  or 
that  if  he  was  the  true  author,  he  must  have  been  converted  to 
the  Jewish  religion.  Hecataeus  was  a  native  of  Abdera,  a  Gre- 
cian city  of  Thrace,  memorable  as  the  birth-place  of  several 
other  great  men.  He  was  brought  up  with  Alexander,  followed 
him  in  all  his  wars,  and  lived  with  him  in  Egypt,  where  he 
became  acquainted  with  the  history,  religion,  and  customs  of 
the  Jews.  The  book  is  no  longer  extant,  but  Josephus  gives 
several  extracts  from  it,  in  his  first  book  against  Apion.  This 
man  must  not  be  confounded  with  another  historian,  by  the 
same  name,  who  lived  in  the  time  of  Darius  Hystaspes.  Jose- 
phus informs  us  of  another  Jew,  who,  about  this  time,  followed 
Ptolemy,  and  enlisted  in  his  cavalry.  His  name  was  Mosollam. 
And  from  Hecatseus  he  gives  us  the  following  anecdote  of  him. 
"As  I  was  travelling  towards  the  Red  Sea,  there  was  a  certain 
man  in  company,  called  Mosollom,  who  excelled  all  the  Greeks 
and  barbarians  of  his  time  in  archery.  While  several  of  us 
were  travelling  on  together,  a  certain  soothsayer  undertook  to 
foretell  the  fortunes  of  our  journey.  He  bade  us  all  stand  still ; 
on  which  the  Jew  asked  why  we  stood.  'Look  ye,'  answered 
he,  throwing  him  a  bird.  '  If  that  bird  stands,  ye  are  to  stand. 
If  he  rises  and  flies,  ye  must  go  forward ;  but  if  he  flies  the  con- 
trary way,  ye  must  all  go  back.  Upon  which  the  Jew  without 
speaking  a  word  lets  fly  an  arrow  and  kills  the  bird :  at  which 
the  diviner  and  some  others  expressed  great  indignation.  'Are 
ye  not  all  mad,  said  the  Jew,  to  make  so  much  ado  about  a 
foolish  bird?  How  could  that  poor  creature  show  us  our  for- 
tune, who  knows  so  little  of  his  own?'  " 

The  Arabs  of  the  desert  were,  in  those  times,  of  the  same 


464  HISTORY  OP   THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION 

character  as  now.  They  had  their  stations  in  the  recesses  of 
the  wilderness,  but  their  occupation  was  that  of  robbers.  The 
Nabathean  tribe  had  Petra  for  their  chief  residence.  The 
Hebrews  called  it  Selah,  the  Arabs  Hagar,  all  which  names 
signify,  a  rock.  Antigonus  sent  an  army  against  them  under 
Athenseus,  who  came  upon  Petra,  when  the  men  were  all  out 
on  a  predatory  expedition,  and  carried  away  the  women  and 
children ;  but  the  Arabs  soon  returning,  pursued  after  him,  and 
came  upon  him  in  the  dead  of  night,  and  slew  all  of  them, 
except  about  fifty  horsemen,  and  recovered  all  that  had  been 
taken  from  them. 

Antigonus,  next,  sent  Demetrius  to  take  signal  vengeance  on 
these  robbers ;  but  they  had  early  intelligence  of  it,  and  leaving 
a  strong  garrison  in  Petra,  the  rest  of  them  took  their  wives, 
children,  and  friends,  and  buried  themselves  in  the  recesses  of 
the  wilderness.  Demetrius  finding  it  in  vain  to  contend  with 
such  a  people,  offered  them  favourable  terms  of  peace,  and 
returned.  In  his  return,  it  is  mentioned,  that  after  travelling 
thirty-six  miles  from  Petra,  he  came  to  the  lake  Asphaltites, 
called  also,  the  Sea  of  Sodom,  because  Sodom  once  stood  there ; 
and,  the  Dead  Sea,  because  of  the  heavy,  stagnant  nature  of  its 
waters ;  and  in  the  Scriptures,  the  Salt  Sea,  on  account  of  its 
great  saltness.  Demetrius,  observing  the  vast  quantities  of 
bitumen  formed  here,  suggested  to  Antigonus  the  advantage 
which  might  result  to  his  revenue,  if  he  would  send  proper  per- 
sons to  gather  it  up.  With  this  hint,  Antigonus  was  pleased, 
and  accordingly  sent  workmen  to  collect  the  bitumen ;  but  when 
they  had  succeeded  in  getting  it  together,  the  Arabs,  to  the 
number  of  six  thousand,  fell  upon  them,  and  either  slew  or 
drove  them  away. 

Antigonus,  hearing  of  the  rising  power  of  Seleucus  at  Baby- 
lon, sent  his  son  Demetrius  to  subdue  that  place ;  but  although 
successful  at  first,  he  was  ultimately  baffled  in  his  design,  and 
Seleucus  retained  his  power  undiminished. 

In  this  year,  (318  B.  C.)  a  treaty  of  peace  took  place, 
between  the  contending  powers;  according  to  which,  it  was 
agreed,  that  Lysimachus  should  have  Thrace ;  Ptolemy,  Egypt, 
Lybia,  and  Arabia;  Antigonus,  all  Asia.  But  this  compact 
was  of  short  duration.  The  increasing  power  of  Antigonus 
filled  the  others  with  continual  alarm,  and  they  set  about  mea- 
sures to  curtail  it,  which  brought  on  new  wars. 

The  philosopher,  Epicurus,  began  this  year  (312  B.  C.)  to 
disseminate  his  pestiferous  doctrine.  He  first  taught  at  Myti- 
lene,  in  the  island  of  Lesbos,  and  afterwards,  at  Lampsacus, 
and  the  Hellespont;  and  finally,  at  Athens,  of  which  city  he 
was  a  native.  Here  he  kept  his  school,  in  a  garden,  from  the 
thirty-seventh  to  the  sixty-third  year  of  his  age,  when  he  died. 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  465 

The  sum  and  substance  of  his  doctrine  was,  that  all  things 
exist  and  take  place  by  chance.  He  did  not  deny  the  being  of 
God,  but  held  that  he  lived  at  his  ease,  having  nothing  to  do 
either  with  the  creation  or  government  of  the  world.  He 
taught  that  this  world  was  man's  all;  and,  therefore  he  was 
wisest  who  sought  and  attained  the  greatest  share  of  earthly 
pleasure ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  he  taught,  that  this  end  was 
most  certainly  attained  by  a  life  of  temperance  and  virtue. 

While  the  power  of  Antigonus  was  rising  so  high  in  the  west 
of  Asia,  that  of  Seleucus  was  extending  itself  still  more  rapidly 
beyond  the  Euphrates;  so  that  it  now  reached  the  Indus  on 
the  East,  and  he  began  to  invade  the  territories  of  Antigonus, 
to  the  West.  This  brought  on  war  again  between  these  great 
powers.  And  while  Antigonus  was  called  to  the  defence  of  his 
dominions  against  Seleucus,  Ptolemy  thought  it  a  good  oppor- 
tunity for  recovering  Syria  and  Palestine.  This  he  soon 
accomplished,  with  the  exception  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  which 
being  well  garrisoned,  were  able  to  hold  out  against  him.  This 
return  of  Judea  under  the  dominion  of  Ptolemy,  occurred  in 
the  year  301  B.  C.  In  this  same  year,  the  armies  of  Antigo- 
nus and  Seleucus  came  to  a  battle,  in  Phrygia  in  which  Anti- 
gonus, then  above  fourscore,  was  slain,  and  his  army  entirely 
defeated.  This  was  the  period  at  which  that  fourfold  do- 
minion of  Alexander's  empire,  mentioned  before,  took  place. 
The  other  competitors  were  now  out  of  the  way,  the  nominal 
kings,  as  well  as  almost  all  Alexander's  kindred,  being  dead. 
Ptolemy  now  took  undisputed  possession  of  Egypt,  Lybia, 
Arabia,  Syria,  and  Palestine.  Lysimachus  took  Thrace,  Bithy- 
nia,  and  some  other  provinces  along  the  Hellespont;  Cassan- 
der,  Macedon  and  Greece ;  and  Seleucus  all  the  rest  of  Asia. 

This  division  of  the  empire,  into  four  great  kingdoms,  did 
not  take  place  until  about  twenty-two  years  after  the  death  of 
Alexander.  These  were  the  four  horns  of  "the  he-goat"  which 
came  up  in  the  place  of  "the  great  horn;"  the  four  heads  of 
the  leopard ;  and  the  four  kingdoms,  into  which  the  kingdom  of 
the  mighty  should  be  broken  and  divided  toivards  the  four 
winds  of  heaven,  who  should  not  be  of  his  posterity. 


SECTION  VI. 

THE  ACCESSION  OF  SIMON  THE  JUST — MEGASTHENES,  HISTORIAN  OF  INDIA BUILDINO 

OF  SELEUCIA DESTRUCTION  AND  DESOLATION  OF  BABYLON — DEATH  OF  SIMON. 

IN  the  year  300  B.  C.  died  Onias  the  high-priest  of  the  Jews. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Simon,  surnamed  the  Just,  on 
account  of  the  holiness  of  his  life,  and  the  strict  justice  which 
marked  all  his  actions.  He  was  the  first  of  that  name  who  was 
30 


466  HISTORY   OP    THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION 

invested  with  this  office,  and  continued  in  it  nine  years.  He  is 
the  last,  according  to  the  Jewish  tradition,  of  the  Great  Syna- 
gogue, who,  they  say,  assisted  Ezra  in  preparing  the  sacred 
books,  and  settling  the  canon.  After  the  battle  in  which 
Antigonus  was  slain  and  his  army  defeated,  Seleucus  took  pos- 
session of  the  greater  part  of  Asia  Minor,  and  gave  himself  up 
very  much  to  the  building  of  cities.  Sixteen  he  called  by  the 
name  of  Antioch,  in  honour  of  his  father  and  son,  both  of  whom 
were  named  Antiochus.  The  principal  of  these  was  on  the 
river  Orontes,  about  seventy  miles  from  its  mouth,  which  became 
the  most  famous  city  in  all  the  western  part  of  Asia.  There 
Christianity  early  took  root,  and  flourished  under  the  ministry 
of  Paul,  Barnabas  and  others.  Here  the  disciples  were  first 
called  Christians.  In  the  early  ages  of  Christianity  it  was  a 
metropolitan  city,  and  its  bishop  held  rank  with  the  first  four  in 
the  world.  This  city  continued  to  be  famous  in  the  East  for 
sixteen  hundred  years. 

In  A.  D.  1265,  Antioch  was  taken  from  the  Christians  by 
the  Sultan  of  Egypt,  soon  after  which  it  fell  into  decline,  and 
since  that  time  Aleppo  has  become  the  chief  city  in  those 
regions;  which,  however,  has  itself  been  overthrown  by  an 
earthquake.  Another  town  by  the  name  of  Antioch,  in  Pisidia, 
is  mentioned  in  the  Acts  of  Apostles.  About  this  time  flour- 
ished Megasthenes,  who  wrote  a  history  of  India,  some  frag- 
ments of  which  are  preserved  by  Josephus,  and  Eusebius.  He 
is  often  quoted  by  Strabo,  Athenseus,  Arrian,  Pliny,  Cicero 
and  Solinus.  In  this  work,  mention  was  made  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar and  the  greatness  of  his  power.  But  the  book  is  not 
now  extant. 

In  the  year  293  B.  C.,  Seleucus  built  Seleucia,  on  the  Tigris, 
about  forty  miles  from  Babylon.  It  was  situated  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river,  opposite  to  the  place  where  Bagdad  now  stands, 
and  soon  grew  to  be  a  very  great  city.  Pliny  tells  us  it  had 
six  hundred  thousand  inhabitants.  One  reason  of  its  rapid 
growth  was,  that  Babylon  becoming  every  year  less  habitable, 
on  account  of  the  inundation  of  the  river,  which  turned  its 
level  grounds  into  a  fen,  the  inhabitants  were  glad  to  seek  a 
more  commodious  habitation.  The  Babylonians,  therefore, 
flocked  in  great  numbers  to  the  new  city.  And,  moreover, 
Seleucus  having  called  it  after  his  own  name,  gave  it  many 
privileges  above  the  other  cities  of  the  East. 

The  prophecies  of  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah  respecting  the  utter 
desolation  of  this  great  city,  have  been  most  remarkably  fulfill- 
ed, even  to  this  day.  Three  hundred  years  before  Christ,  it 
began  to  be  forsaken.  Pliny  says,  that  in  his  time  it  was 
exhausted  of  its  inhabitants,  and  brought  to  desolation.  Strabo 
says  the  same.  Pausanias  tells  us  that  Babylon,  once  the 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  467 

greatest  city  in  the  world,  had,  in  his  time,  (second  century,) 
nothing  left  but  the  walls.  These  remained  long,  for  they 
served  as  a  park  for  the  Parthian  kings,  for  the  keeping  of 
wild  beasts  for  their  hunting.  And  in  this  state  it  was  in 
Jerome's  time,  in  the  fourth  century,  for  he  tells  us,  that 
"except  the  walls,  which  were  repaired  for  enclosing  wild 
beasts,  all  within  was  desolation."  And  in  another  place, 
"  that  Babylon  was  nothing  else  but  a  chase  of  wild  beasts, 
kept  within  its  ancient  walls,  for  the  hunting  of  the  king."  For 
in  Jerome's  time,  a  race  of  Persian  kings  had  possession  of 
this  country,  who  continued  until  they  were  dispossessed  by 
the  Saracens. 

From  the  time  of  Jerome,  no  writer  speaks  of  Babylon  for 
several  centuries.  How  the  walls  were  demolished  we  know  not. 
Benjamin  the  Jew,  tells  us,  in  his  Itinerary,  that  he  was  on  the 
place  where  the  old  city  formerly  stood,  and  found  it  then 
wholly  desolate.  "Only,"  says  he,  "some  ruins  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar's palace  were  then  still  remaining;  but  the  men  were 
afraid  to  go  near  them,  by  reason  of  the  many  serpents  and 
scorpions  that  were  then  in  the  place." 

Texeira,  a  Portuguese  traveller,  tells  us,  "  that  there  was 
nothing  then  remaining  of  this  old  and  famous  city,  but  only  some 
faint  vestiges ;  and  that  there  was  no  place  in  all  the  country 
less  frequented  than  that  tract  of  ground,  whereon  it  formerly 
stood." 

Rawolf,  a  German  traveller,  who  passed  that  way  A.  D. 
1574,  says,  "the  village  of  Elugo  lieth  on  the  place,  where  old 
Babylon  the  metropolis  of  Chaldea  did  stand.  The  harbour 
lieth  a  quarter  of  a  league  off,  where  those  are  to  go  who  intend 
to  travel  to  the  famous  city  of  Bagdad,  which  is  situated  further 
to  the  east  on  the  river  Tigris,  at  the  distance  of  a  journey  of  a 
day  and  a  half.  This  country  is  so  dry  and  barren,  that  it 
cannot  be  tilled,  and  so  bare  that  I  should  have  doubted  very 
much,  whether  this  powerful  city  (which  was  once  the  most 
famous  in  the  world)  did  stand  there,  if  I  should  not  have  known 
it  by  its  situation  and  antiquities,  that  are  still  standing  here- 
about in  great  desolation.  First,  by  the  old  bridge  over  the 
Euphrates,  of  which  some  piers  and  arches  are  still  remain- 
ing, built  of  burnt  brick,  and  so  strong  that  it  is  admirable. 
Just  before  Elugo  is  the  hill  on  which  the  castle  did  stand,  in  a 
plain,  where  some  ruins  are  still  visible.  Behind  it,  and  near  it, 
did  stand  the  town  of  Babylon.  This  we  see  still,  and  it  is  half 
a  league  in  diameter ;  but  so  completely  ruined  and  low,  and 
so  full  of  venemous  reptiles,  that  have  bored  holes  through  it, 
that  we  cannot  come  near  it  within  half  a  mile  but  only  in  two 
months  in  the  winter,  when  they  come  not  out  of  their  holes. 
Among  these  reptiles,  there  is  a  species,  in  the  Persian  language 


468  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

called  Eglo,  that  are  very  poisonous.     They  are  bigger  than 
any  lizards." 

Of  the  ruins  of  Babylon  on  the  -western  side  of  the  river, 
none  of  these  travellers  make  the  least  mention,  for  they  speak 
of  Nebuchadnezzar's  palace,  which  we  know  was  on  the  eastern 
side.  One  reason  for  introducing  here,  a  description  of  the 
situation  of  Babylon  is,  that  the  reader  may  compare  it  with 
the  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  (ch.  xiii.  19 — 22.)  "Babylon,  the 
glory  of  kingdoms,  the  beauty  of  the  Chaldees'  excellency,  shall 
be  as  when  God  overthrew  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  It  shall 
never  be  inhabited,  neither  shall  it  be  dwelt  in  from  generation 
to  generation :  neither  shall  the  Arabian  pitch  his  tent  there, 
neither  shall  the  shepherds  make  their  folds  there;  but  wild 
beasts  of  the  desert  shall  live  there ;  and  their  houses  shall  be 
full  of  doleful  creatures ;  and  owls  shall  dwell  there,  and  satyrs 
shall  dance  there.  And  the  wild  beasts  of  the  islands  shall  cry 
in  their  desolate  houses,  and  dragons  in  their  pleasant  palaces ; 
and  her  time  is  near  to  come,  and  her  days  shall  not  be  pro- 
longed." 

Whenever  we  read  of  Babylon,  as  inhabited,  after  the  time 
of  her  desolation  mentioned  above,  we  must  understand  Seleu- 
cia ;  for  that  city  is  often  called  by  the  name  of  Babylon.  At 
first  it  was  called  Babylonia  Seleucia,  then  Babylonia,  and 
finally  Babylon.  Simon  the  Just,  high-priest  of  the  Jews, 
died  in  the  year  292  B.  C.,  leaving  only  an  infant  son  named 
Onias.  Eleazar,  the  brother  of  Simon,  therefore  succeeded  to 
that  high  office. 

Simon,  of  whom  mention  has  already  been  made,  was  cer- 
tainly a  very  extraordinary  person,  as  may  be  gathered  from 
the  fiftieth  chapter  of  Ecclesiasticus,  where  his  pious  and  bene- 
ficent acts  are  set  forth.  But  his  chief  work  was  the  comple- 
tion of  the  canon  of  the  Old  Testament.  It  is  evident  that  the 
canon  could  not  have  been  completed  by  Ezra,  for  the  books  of 
Nehemiah  and  Malachi  were  pretty  certainly  written  after  his 
time  :  and  Chronicles,  Ezra,  and  Esther,  were  probably  written 
by  himself.  All  these,  it  is  probable,  were  added  to  the  canon 
by  Simon  the  Just,  who,  on  account  of  his  attention  to  this 
business,  is  mentioned  as  the  last  of  the  men  of  the  Great  Syna- 
gogue, concerning  which  the  Jewish  writers  have  so  much  to  say. 
The  main  reason,  however,  for  ascribing  this  work  to  Simon, 
is,  that  the  genealogies  contained  in  Nehemiah  and  Chronicles, 
seem  to  reach  down  near  to  his  time,  but  none  of  them  go 
farther.  Thus  in  Neh.  xii.  we  have  mention  of  Jaddua,  who 
was  high-priest  when  Alexander  visited  Jerusalem;  and  in 
1  Chron.  iii.  we  have  so  many  generations  of  the  descendants  of 
Zerubbabel  mentioned,  that  they  must  in  all  probability  reach 
to  the  time  of  Simon. 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OP  JUDEA.  469 


SECTION  VII. 

RETROSPECT   OF  THE   SUCCESSION  OF  KINGS   AND  HIGH-PRIESTS    WHO  HAD  AUTHORITY 

OVER    JUDEA,  UNTIL  THE  DEATH  OF  SIMON  THE  JUST SIMON  SUCCEEDED   BY  ELEA- 

ZAR    IN    THE    PRIESTHOOD — BY    ANTIGONUS    AS    PRESIDENT    OF   THE   SANHEDRIM 

MISHNICAL    DOCTORS — SANHEDRIM — HOW    CONDUCTED — CHANGES    IN    THE    JEWISH 
WORSHIP. 

HAVING  brought  the  history  down  to  the  close  of  the  canon 
of  the  Old  Testament,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  take  a  brief 
retrospect  of  the  several  kings  and  high-priests,  who  were  in 
authority  during  this  period. 

As  our  history  commences  with  Cyrus,  he  will  of  course 
stand  first  on  the  list. 
B.  C.  536— Cyrus. 

529 — Cambyses. 
522— Smerdis. 
521 — Darius  Hystaspes. 
465— Xerxes  I. 
464 — Artaxerxes  Longimanus. 
424— Xerxes  II. 
424 — Sogdianus. 
423 — Darius  Nothus. 
404 — Artaxerxes  Mnemon. 
358 — Darius  Ochus. 
337— Arses. 

335 — Darius  Codomanus. 

This  last  was  the  Darius  who  was  conquered  by  Alexander 
the  Great. 

The  nominal  kings,  after  the  death  of  Alexander,  were  Ari- 
dseus,  his  half-brother,  and  Alexander  Egus  his  son  by  Roxana ; 
the  first  of  whom  was  put  to  death  about  313  B.  C.     The  latter 
lived  to  be  only  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  was  put  to  death  by 
Cassander,  about  310  B.  C.     After  the  death  of  Alexander, 
numerous  competitors  arose  from  among  his  officers,  who  laid 
claim  to  whatever  countries  they  were  able  to  seize.     Hence 
arose  a  confusion  of  historical  facts,  which  it  is  almost  impos- 
sible to  reduce  to  any  order.     But  after  a  series  of  revolutions, 
and  incessant  wars,  about  the  year  313  B.  C.,  the  whole  empire 
was  divided  between  four  principal  successors  of  the  conqueror. 
This  division  of  the  empire,  however,  did  not  continue  long. 
Cassander  had  Macedon  and  Greece. 
Lysimachus,  Thrace,  Bithynia,  &c. 
Ptolemy,  Egypt,  Lybia,  Arabia. 
Seleucus,  the  other  Asiatic  provinces. 

The  Jewish  nation,  though   they  changed  masters  several 
times,  remained  for  the  most  part  in  connexion  with  Egypt,  and 


470  HISTORY   OF  THE    ISRAELITISH   NATION 

under  the  government  of  Ptolemy,  by  whom,  as  well  as  by  Alex- 
ander before  him,  multitudes  of  them  were  transported  to  Egypt, 
especially  to  Alexandria,  and  also  to  Lybia,  in  the  region  of 
Cyrene. 

The  high-priests,  who,  in  succession,  filled  that  high  and 
sacred  office,  from  the  return  of  the  Jews  from  captivity,  on  the 
accession  of  Cyrus,  until  the  time  of  Simon  the  Just,  were  as 
follows;  though  some  have  doubted  whether  there  might  not 
have  been  others  between  those  here  named,  of  whom  we  have 
no  account. 

B.  C.  536 — Joshua,  who  continued  in  office  49  years. 
483— Joakim,  "  "        30     " 

453— Eliashib,  "  "        60     " 

413— Joiada,  "  "        40     " 

373_Johanan  or  John,  "        32     " 

351— Jaddua,  "  "        20     " 

321— Onias,  "  "        21     " 

300— Simon  the  Just,  «          9     " 

Simon  the  Just  was  succeeded  by  his  brother  Eleazar,  his  own 
son  being  too  young  to  be  invested  with  the  office.  Eleazar, 
the  brother  of  Simon,  executed  this  high  office  for  fifteen  years. 
Simon  the  Just  was  also  president  of  the  Sanhedrim,  or 
grand  council  of  the  Jews,  in  which  office  he  was  not  succeeded 
by  Eleazar,  but  by  Antigonus  of  Socho,  who  was  advanced  to 
it  on  account  of  his  great  learning;  for  he  was  an  eminent 
scribe  in  the  law  of  God,  and  a  great  teacher  of  righteousness 
among  the  people. 

The  death  of  Simon,  and  accession  of  Eleazar,  are  placed  in 
the  year  241,  B.  C.,  and  in  the  fourteenth  of  Ptolemy  Soter. 
At  this  time  commences  the  succession  of  those  called  Doctors 
of  the  Mishna.  The  first  was  Antigonus  above  mentioned,  and 
the  last  Judah  Hakkadosh,  who  committed  the  Mishna  to 
writing,  in  the  middle  of  the  second  century.  They  were  some- 
times called  scribes,  sometimes  lawyers,  or  such  as  sat  in  Moses' 
seat.  All  these  titles  mean  the  same  thing,  viz:  that  they  who 
were  honoured  with  them  had  been  brought  up  in  the  knowledge 
of  the  law  of  God,  and  the  tradition  of  the  elders  concerning  it, 
as  taught  in  the  Jewish  schools  and  synagogues;  by  which  the 
judgment  of  the  Sanhedrim  was  regulated.  Out  of  this  pro- 
fession were  always  chosen  the  members  of  the  Sanhedrim,  and 
of  the  court  of  twenty-three,  which  existed  in  every  considerable 
town.  Such  were  Nicodemus,  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  and  Ga- 
maliel, mentioned  in  the  New  Testament.  They  were  also 
called  elders,  councillors,  and  rulers,  for  to  them  the  judgment 
and  execution  of  the  law  belonged. 

The  Jews  tell  us  of  great  changes  which  occurred  in  their 
worship  after  the  death  of  Simon  the  Just;  as  that  before  his 


TO   THE   CONQUEST   OP  JTJDEA. 

time  the  scape-goat  was  always  broken  to  pieces  when  cast  down 
from  the  precipice,  but  afterwards  he  escaped  and  was  eaten  by 
the  Saracens ;  and  that  before  the  death  of  this  high-priest,  the 
lot  on  the  day  of  expiation  always  came  out  on  the  right  hand, 
but  afterwards  on  the  left.  In  his  days  the  western  lamp  in 
the  golden  candlestick,  always  continued  burning,  but  after  his 
death  sometimes  it  did  not.  So,  likewise,  as  long  as  he  lived, 
the  fire  on  the  altar  burned  bright  and  clear,  and  when  they  had 
laid  on  two  sticks  of  wood,  they  needed  no  more  all  the  day. 
Before  this  event  the  blessings  of  God  so  attended  the  distribu- 
tion of  the  two  loaves  waved  at  the  feast  of  Pentecost,  that  when 
they  were  distributed,  every  priest  after  being  satisfied  had 
something  left ;  whereas,  afterwards,  the  quantity  was  so  small 
that  the  modest  priests  would  not  take  any  part,  and  the  greedy 
were  not  satisfied.  Here  we  may  see  at  what  period  the  age  of 
superstition  commenced  among  the  Jews. 


SECTION  VIII. 

THE    REIGN    OF     PTOLEMY     PHILADELPHIA — TOWER     OF     PHAROS SEPTUAGINT    VER- 
SION— LIBRARY   OF    ALEXANDRIA. 

PTOLEMY  SOTER,  having  reigned  twenty  years  in  Egypt,  from 
the  time  of  his  assuming  the  title  of  king,  and  thirty-nine  from 
the  death  of  Alexander,  placed  his  son  Philadelphus,  as  a  part- 
ner, on  the  throne.  This  event  occurred  in  the  year  285  B.  0. 

In  the  first  year  of  Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  the  famous  light- 
house on  the  island  of  Pharos  was  finished.  It  has  been  reck- 
oned among  the  seven  wonders  of  the  world.  It  was  built 
entirely  of  white  marble,  and  was  furnished  with  lights  on  the 
top  for  the  direction  of  seamen.  It  is  said  to  have  cost  eight 
hundred  talents;  which,  if  estimated  by  the  value  of  the  attic 
talent,  will  amount*  to  more  than  seven  hundred  thousand  dollars, 
and  if  according  to  the  Alexandrian,  to  double  that  sum.  The 
architect,  Sostratus,  practised  an  ingenious  fraud  to  perpetuate 
his  own  fame;  for  being  directed  to  inscribe  the  name  of  the 
king,  at  whose  expense  it  was  erected,  deeply  in  the  marble, 
accompanied  with  a  suitable  device,  he  first  inscribed  his  own. 
name,  which  he  plastered  over  with  white  mortar,  and  on  this 
he  placed  the  inscription  directed  by  the  king,  so  that  for  a 
while  nothing  else  was  seen ;  but  when  the  mortar  wore  away, 
there  appeared  the  indelible  name  of  the  artist.  But  as  an 
evidence  of  the  transitory  nature  of  all  human  glory,  the  build- 
ing itself  is  not  to  be  found. 

Here  it  may  be  mentioned,  that  what  was  formerly  the  island 
of  Pharos  is  now  connected  with  the  main  land,  of  which  it 
forms  a  peninsula. 


472  HISTOKY   OF   THE   ISKAELITISH   NATION 

Ptolemy  Soter  died  in  the  second  year  after  his  son  Philadel- 
phus  ascended  the  throne,  in  the  eighty-fourth  year  of  his  age. 
He  was  the  wisest  and  best  of  his  race,  and  left  behind  him  an 
example  of  prudence,  decency,  and  justice,  which  none  of  his 
successors  were  emulous  to  imitate.  During  his  long  reign  of 
forty  years,  Egypt,  notwithstanding  the  continual  wars  in  which 
she  was  engaged,  was  brought  into  a  very  prosperous  condition. 

This  first  Ptolemy  was  a  great  patron  of  learning,  to  promote 
which,  he  instituted  a  society  of  learned  men  at  Alexandria, 
and  laid  the  foundation  of  that  famous  library,  which  was  after- 
wards greatly  augmented  by  his  successors.  Ptolemy  Philadel- 
phus,  at  his  death,  left  in  it  no  less  than  a  hundred  thousand 
volumes;  and  his  successors  went  on  adding  to  it,  until  at 
length,  it  amounted  to  the  number  of  seven  hundred  thousand 
volumes. 

One  method  of  obtaining  books  for  this  library  was  not  very 
honourable.  They  seized  the  MSS.  of  every  learned  stranger, 
who  came  into  the  country,  and  had  a  fair  transcript  made, 
which  they  presented  to  the  owner,  while  the  original  was 
placed  in  the  library. 

When  Julius  Caesar  besieged  Alexandria,  one  part  of  this 
immense  library  was  burned,  containing  four  hundred  thousand 
volumes.  But  Cleopatra  afterwards  augmented  it  by  the  addi- 
tion of  two  hundred  thousand  volumes,  brought  from  Pergamus ; 
and  others,  until  it  was  fully  as  large  as  it  ever  had  been  before 
the  disaster  above  mentioned. 

This  library  continued  to  be  famous  until  the  year  642.  It 
is  said  to  have  been  burnt  by  order  of  the  Caliph  Omar,  whose 
memorable  reason  for  this  barbarous  act  is  often  repeated : 
"If  those  works,"  said  he,  "contain  nothing  but  what  is  in  the 
Koran,  they  are  useless;  but  if  they  contain  something  different 
from  what  is  read  there,  they  are  impious:"  and  accordingly 
the  order  was  given  to  commit  the  whole  of  them  to  the  flames. 
They  were  distributed  for  the  purpose  of  heating  the  baths, 
which  end  they  answered,  during  a  period  of  six  months.  By 
some,  however,  all  this  is  denied. 

The  person  principally  depended  on  by  Ptolemy  Soter,  in 
the  collection  and  general  superintendence  of  this  library,  was 
Demetrius  Phalereus.  Indeed,  according  to  Plutarch,  he  was 
properly  the  projector  of  the  whole  scheme,  by  whose  persua- 
sion Ptolemy  was  induced  to  engage  in  the  enterprise.  After 
the  death  of  Ptolemy,  only  two  of  the  captains  of  Alexander 
remained,  Seleucus  and  Lysimachus,  both  of  them  above  eighty 
years  of  age.  But  old  as  they  were,  and  wide  as  the  world  was 
over  which  they  ruled,  they  again  engaged  in  war  with  each 
other ;  the  result  of  which  was  the  overthrow  and  death  of  Ly- 
Bimachus,  which  left  Seleucus  master  of  all  that  had  belonged 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  473 

to  him.  This,  however,  he  did  not  live  long  to  enjoy,  for  on 
his  way  to  Macedonia,  he  was  assassinated  by  Ptolemy  Cerau- 
nus,  whom  he  had  most  kindly  received  and  entertained  in  his 
family.  A  more  base  act  of  ingratitude  is  hardly  to  be  found 
in  the  annals  of  any  age. 

Upon  the  death  of  Seleucus,  which  occurred  in  the  year  280 
B.  C.,  his  son  Antiochus  succeeded  him  in  the  empire  of  Asia, 
over  which  he  ruled  for  nineteen  years. 

According  to  Usher,  the  version  of  the  Old  Testament  into 
Greek,  commonly  called  the  Septuagint,  was  executed  in  the 
year  277  B.  C.,  and  if  we  give  any  credit  to  the  history  of 
Aristseas,  it  must  have  occurred  about  this  time ;  for  he  tells  us 
that  this  translation  was  made  while  Eleazar  was  high-priest  of 
the  Jews,  who  died  about  the  beginning  of  the  following  year. 
And  it  cannot  be  placed  at  an  earlier  period,  because  Eleazar 
addressed  an  epistle  to  Ptolemy,  in  which,  according  to  the 
aforesaid  author,  he  speaks  of  his  queen,  Arsinoe,  to  whom  he 
was  not  married  before  this  year. 

The  account  given  by  Aristaeas,  and  implicitly  followed  by 
Josephus,  is  briefly  this.  Demetrius  Phalereus,  while  collecting 
the  royal  library,  of  which  some  account  has  been  given,  had 
heard  of  the  book  of  the  Jewish  law,  and  told  the  king  that  it 
would  be  desirable  to  obtain  a  correct  copy  of  it,  and  also  a  ver- 
sion in  the  Greek  tongue. 

On  this  occasion,  certain  persons,  of  whom  Aristseas  himself 
was  one,  petitioned  the  king  for  the  release  of  the  Jewish  cap- 
tives, who  were  held  in  bondage,  alleging  that  unless  they  were 
released,  it  would  be  in  vain  to  expect  from  the  Jews  a  correct 
copy  of  their  law,  or  a  faithful  translation  of  it.  Upon  which 
the  king  made  a  decree  for  the  release  of  all  Jewish  captives, 
whose  number  amounted  to  more  than  a  hundred  thousand,  and 
ordered  that  an  equivalent  for  their  redemption  should  be  paid 
to  their  owners,  which  was  computed  at  four  hundred  talents ; 
but  to  this  must  be  added  the  sum  requisite  for  the  redemption 
of  the  children  of  the  captives,  which  raised  the  whole  amount 
to  the  enormous  sum  of  six  hundred  and  sixty  talents.  An 
epistle  was  then  addressed  to  Eleazar  the  priest,  by  the  king, 
requesting  a  correct  copy  of  the  Law  of  Moses,  and  six  elders 
out  of  each  tribe  to  translate  it  into  Greek.  The  messengers 
sent  on  this  embassy  were  Aristseas,  the  author  of  the  narra- 
tive, and  Andreas,  who  carried  as  a  present  for  the  use  of  the 
temple,  one  hundred  talents,  from  the  king. 

On  their  arrival  at  Jerusalem,  they  were  received  with  great 
respect  by  Eleazar  the  high-priest,  and  by  all  the  people  of  the 
Jews,  and  their  requests  were  finally  granted.  A  copy  of  the 
Law,  written  in  letters  of  gold,  was  sent,  and  six  men  out  of 
each  tribe,  well  skilled  in  both  languages,  to  turn  it  into  Greek. 


474  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

When  these  men  arrived  at  Alexandria,  they  were  received 
with  much  honour  by  the  king,  and  the  island  of  Pharos  was 
selected  as  a  suitable  place  for  their  residence,  while  occupied 
with  the  translation.  Demetrius  attended  them  all  the  time, 
and  when  by  mutual  conference,  the  interpreters  had  agreed  on 
the  version  of  any  portion  of  the  Law,  he  immediately  wrote 
it  down.  Thus,  in  seventy-two  days,  the  work  was  completed. 
The  king  having  heard  and  approved  the  version,  and  presented 
to  each  of  them  three  suits  of  garments  and  two  talents  of  gold, 
with  a  cup  of  gold  of  the  weight  of  a  talent,  sent  them  back  to 
their  own  country. 

The  next  author  who  makes  mention  of  this  version,  is  Aris- 
tobulus,  an  Alexandrian  Jew,  who  flourished  about  125  B.  C. 
He  is  said  to  have  written  a  commentary  on  the  five  books  of 
Moses,  and  to  have  spoken  of  the  Greek  version,  made  under 
the  superintendence  of  Demetrius  Phalereus,  by  the  command 
of  Ptolemy  Philadelphus.  This  book  is  not  now  extant ;  all 
that  remains  are  a  few  fragments,  preserved  by  Clemens  Alex- 
andrinus  and  Eusebius,  who  cite  this  author  to  prove  that  the 
Holy  Scriptures  were  partly  translated  into  Greek  before  the 
time  of  Alexander,  but  that  a  more  perfect  translation  was 
made  of  the  whole,  by  the  care  of  Demetrius  Phalereus. 

The  next  who  speaks  of  this  version,  is  Philo,  also  an  Alex- 
andrian Jew,  who  was  contemporary  with  our  Saviour.  His 
account  agrees  with  that  of  Aristseas,  as  to  Ptolemy's  sending 
to  Judea  for  elders  to  make  this  version;  and  their  returning 
to  the  island  of  Pharos,  all  which  he  undoubtedly  took  from 
Aristseas;  but  he  adds  this  remarkable  circumstance,  that  in 
their  interpretation  they  all  agreed,  to  a  word,  whence  he  con- 
cludes they  were  under  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
God.  He  also  states,  that  the  Jews  of  Alexandria  celebrated 
the  event  by  a  solemn  anniversary,  when  they  went  to  Pharos, 
and  praised  God  for  his  divine  assistance  in  making  this  ver- 
sion. 

Josephus,  who  wrote  his  antiquities  towards  the  close  of  the 
first  century  of  the  Christian  era,  closely  follows  Aristseas. 

The  first  Christian  writer  who  speaks  of  the  origin  of  this 
version,  is  Justin  Martyr,  who  flourished  in  the  middle  of  the 
second  century.  He  had  been  to  Alexandria,  and  informs  us 
that  the  account  of  the  wonderful  agreement  of  all  the  inter- 
preters, as  related  by  Philo,  was  the  common  belief  of  the  Jews 
then  residing  in  Alexandria;  and  adds,  that  each  interpreter 
had  a  separate  cell,  the  ruins  of  which  were  shown  to  him. 

All  the  Christian  fathers  who  come  after  Justin,  and  make 
mention  of  this  subject,  agree  as  to  the  foregoing  facts.  But 
by  the  time  when  Epiphanius  wrote,  the  story  of  Aristseas  had 
gathered  new  circumstances  to  render  it  more  marvellous.  He 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OP  JUDEA.  475 

says,  that  the  interpreters  were  shut  up  in  cells  by  pairs ;  and 
that  to  each  pair  one  book  was  given,  and  that  the  whole  of 
the  books  of  the  Old  Testament  were  by  them  rendered  into 
Greek:  that  when  one  pair  had  finished  a  book,  another  was 
given  to  them ;  and  so  every  pair  made  a  separate  version  of 
each  book;  that  is,  each  of  the  twenty-seven  books  was  trans- 
lated thirty-six  times.  By  modern  critics,  the  whole  story  is 
believed  to  be  fictitious,  and  to  have  been  written,  not  by 
Aristseas,  but  by  some  Jew,  to  give  celebrity  to  the  version. 
And  it  is  probable,  that  some  fabulous  circumstances  are  con- 
nected with  the  history,  which  were  increased  from  time  to 
time.  But  in  a  matter  of  historical  fact,  it  seems  dangerous  to 
set  aside  such  an  array  of  testimony,  Jewish  and  Christian,  on 
the  ground  of  probable  arguments.  Leaving  out  the  wonder- 
ful facts  of  this  story,  there  is  nothing  incredible  in  the  sub- 
stance of  the  narrative  ascribed  to  Arislseas.  If  that  history  had 
been  entirely  fabulous,  would  it  have  been  so  implicitly  adopted 
by  Josephus  and  Philo,  and  by  all  the  Christian  fathers? 
It  seems  safest  to  receive  ancient  facts  on  the  uncontra- 
dicted  testimony  of  the  ancients,  rather  than  reject  them  upon 
the  critical  conjectures  of  the  moderns.  It  should  be  admitted 
then,  that  this  version  (or  at  least  that  of  the  Law)  was  made 
by  order  of  Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  and  by  seventy-two  men 
obtained  from  Judea,  for  the  purpose. 

But  whatever  may  be  thought  of  the  origin  of  the  Septua- 
gint  version,  there  is  no  doubt  entertained  by  any,  that  it  was 
made  at  Alexandria,  and  by  learned  men  of  the  Jewish  nation, 
in  the  days  of  the  Ptolemies.  The  only  doubt  is,  whether  the 
whole  Bible  was  translated  at  once,  and  by  the  same  interpre- 
ters. None  of  the  authors  quoted  above,  say  this,  except 
Epiphanius,  whose  testimony  in  such  a  case  is  of  little  value. 
Aristseas,  Josephus,  &c.,  speak  only  of  the  Law  of  Moses;  and 
there  is  internal  evidence  sufficiently  strong  to  convince  us  that 
all  the  books  were  not  translated  by  the  same  interpreters ;  for 
there  is  a  marked  difference  in  the  style  as  well  as  in  the  words 
used  to  express  particular  things.  The  faithfulness  and  skill 
too,  with  which  the  version  of  the  several  parts  is  executed, 
proves  conclusively  that  the  whole  is  not  the  work  of  one  man, 
nor  of  one  set  of  translators.  The  probability  is,  that  the  five 
books  of  Moses  were  first  turned  into  Greek,  in  the  reign  of 
Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  about  277  B.  C.,  and  that  the  other 
books  were  added  after  no  long  interval,  by  different  interpre- 
ters, until  all  the  books  of  the  Old  Testament  were  finished. 

There  is  no  reason,  however,  to  believe  that  any  of  these 
translators  were  divinely  inspired.  It  has  every  mark  of  being 
a  human  production  ;  yet  its  value  is  great.  And  this  version 
for  a  long  time  was  held  in  the  highest  veneration  by  the  Jews, 


476  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

not  only  in  Egypt,  but  also  in  Judea,  where  it  came  into 
common  use  in  those  towns,  in  which  the  Greek  language  was 
spoken,  and  was  even  read  in  some  of  their  Synagogues.  But 
after  the  introduction  of  Christianity,  when  disputes  became 
common  and  violent  between  Jews  and  Christians,  the  former 
thinking  that  the  latter  had  the  advantage  from  this  version, 
disowned  it,  and  betook"  themselves  to  the  Hebrew  original. 
But,  as  many  Jews  did  not  understand  Hebrew,  several  persons 
in  the  second  century  undertook  new  versions  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament into  Greek.  The  principal  of  these  translators  were, 
Aquila,  Symmachus,  and  Theodotion.  The  version  of  Aquila 
is  servilely  literal,  and  therefore  pleased  the  Jews;  that  of 
Symmachus  was  paraphrastical ;  and  Theodotion's  a  medium 
between  the  two,  and  more  like  the  Septuagint.  In  our  pres- 
ent copies  of  the  latter,  the  book  of  Daniel  is  from  Theodo- 
tion's version ;  for  the  fathers,  finding  this  very  faulty  in  the 
Alexandrian  translation,  substituted  the  other  in  its  place :  the 
original  however  is  still  preserved.  But  it  does  not  come 
within  the  compass  of  our  work  to  give  any  history  of  these 
versions. 

The  most  important  fact,  in  regard  to  the  Septuagint,  with 
which  we  are  concerned,  is,  that  the  writers  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, in  their  citations  of  the  Old  Testament,  commonly  quote 
in  the  words  of  this  version.  This  fact  proves,  not  only  that  it 
was  in  common  use  when  the  books  of  the  New  Testament  were 
written,  but  also  that  it  was  considered  as  sufficiently  faithful 
and  accurate  to  be  generally  referred  to,  for  the  conveyance  of 
inspired  truth.  It  cannot,  however,  be  hence  inferred,  that  the 
whole  of  it  is  sanctioned  by  these  quotations,  for  sometimes  the 
inspired  penmen  give  a  more  correct  version  of  what  they 
quote,  and  in  many  instances  do  not  exactly  follow  the  Septua- 
gint. 

Between  this  version  and  the  Hebrew  original,  there  are 
some  important  discrepances,  not  commonly  affecting  doctrines 
and  facts,  but  names  and  dates.  In  chronology,  the  difference 
is  great,  and  learned  men  are  still  divided  in  opinion  as  to  this 
subject;  some  greatly  preferring  the  Septuagint  chronology, 
while  most  Christians  prefer  the  Hebrew.  But  this  is  not  the 
place  for  discussing  such  a  subject. 

The  pretence,  however,  that  the  Septuagint  must  be  more 
correct  than  the  present  Hebrew  copies,  because  taken  from  a 
copy  made  probably  when  the  autograph  of  Ezra  was  extant, 
has  no  weight;  because,  waiving  all  doubts  which  might  be 
started  respecting  the  accuracy  of  the  copy  from  which  the 
seventy  translated,  the  copies  of  this  version  have  been  subject 
to  as  great,  and  indeed  much  greater  injuries  from  the  careless- 
ness of  transcribers,  than  the  Hebrew  copies.  We  know  that 


TO   THE   CONQUEST   OF   JUDEA.  477 

as  early  as  the  time  of  Origen  it  had  become  very  much  cor- 
rupted. Still,  the  value  of  this  version  is  great,  as  furnishing 
proof  of  the  early  existence  of  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment; as  helping  us,  in  some  cases,  to  detect  errors  which  have 
crept  into  the  Hebrew  text ;  and,  above  all,  as  furnishing  us 
with  the  source  whence  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament  bor- 
rowed their  peculiar  dialect  and  use  01  the  Greek  language. 


SECTION  IX. 

ORIGIN   OF     THE     SADDUCEES — BEEOSUS,    THE     CHALDEAN    HISTORIAN RICHES    AND 

COMMERCE     OF     TYRE — ALEXANDRIA ARSINOE,    HER     DEATH    AND     MONUMENT 

CHARACTER   OF   PTOLEMY. 

ANTIGONUS  of  Socho,  already  mentioned  as  the  successor  of 
Simon  the  Just,  in  the  presidency  of  the  Sanhedrim,  died  about 
the  year  263  B.  C.  He  was  also  the  great  master  and  teacher 
of  the  principal  theological  school  in  Jerusalem ;  and  also  the 
first  of  the  doctors  who  gave  regular  instructions  concerning 
the  traditions  of  the  fathers,  which  were  added  to  the  written 
law,  for  the  explanation  of  the  ceremonies.  These  were  after- 
wards called  Mishnical  Doctors.  His  successors  in  the  school 
were  Joseph  the  son  of  Joazar,  and  Joseph  the  son  of  John ; 
the  first  of  whom  was  also  president  of  the  Sanhedrim,  and  the 
other  vice-president. 

In  the  days  of  Antigonus,  the  sect  of  the  Sadducees  took  its 
rise,  of  which  he  was  the  occasion,  although  not  the  founder. 
For  he  having  inculcated  the  doctrine  that  men  ought  not  to 
serve  God  from  mercenary,  but  disinterested  motives ;  not  from 
the  hope  of  future  reward,  but  from  love  to  God  himself,  two  of 
his  disciples,  Sadoc  and  Baithus,  inferred  that  there  were  no 
rewards  after  this  life;  and  separating  themselves  from  the 
school  of  their  master,  they  taught  that  there  was  no  resurrec- 
tion nor  future  state.  Many  persons  being  seduced  by  this  false 
doctrine,  a  sect  arose,  which  received  the  name  of  Sadducees, 
from  Sadoc,  one  of  its  founders.  This,  therefore,  is  the  oldest 
sect  which  we  read  of  among  the  Jews.  Its  commencement 
must  have  been  more  than  263  years  before  Christ;  for  in  that 
year  Antigonus  of  Socho  died.  About  this  time  flourished 
Berosus,  the  famous  Babylonish  historian.  He  must  have 
written  in  the  reign  of  Antiochus  Theus,  for  his  history  is  dedi- 
cated to  this  prince.  He  was,  according  to  Tatian,  a  priest  of 
Belus  at  Babylon;  and  lived  in  the  time  of  Alexander,  but 
dedicated  his  work  to  the  third  in  succession  from  him,  which 
was  Antiochus  Theus;  Seleucus  Nicator  being  the  first,  and 
Antiochus  Soter  the  second.  If  this  account  of  Tatian  be  cor- 
rect, Berosus  must  have  been  of  a  great  age  when  he  published 


478  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

his  history ;  for  if  he  was  only  twenty  years  of  age  when  Alex- 
ander died,  he  must  have  been  fourscore  in  the  first  year  of 
Antiochus.  Only  some  fragments  of  his  history  are  extant, 
preserved  by  Josephus  and  Eusebius ;  but  these  are  very  impor- 
tant, as  without  them  the  series  of  the  Babylonian  kings  could 
not  be  made  out,  and  they  cast  much  light  on  some  passages  of 
the  Old  Testament. 

The  greatness  and  wealth  of  Tyre  were  owing  to  her  exten- 
sive trade,  especially  her  commerce  with  the  East.  But  now 
Ptolemy  Philadelphus  laid  his  plans  to  give  a  new  direction  to 
the  precious  commodities  of  India,  and  bring  them  to  Alexan- 
dria, which  he  in  a  great  degree  accomplished,  by  establishing  a 
depot  on  the  western  side  of  the  Red  Sea,  considerably  south 
of  its  northern  termination,  where  there  was  a  good  depth  of 
water.  This  place  he  called  Berenice,  after  his  mother.  And 
as  the  road  between  the  Nile  and  Red  Sea  lay  through  deserts 
where  there  was  no  water,  Ptolemy,  to  remedy  this  inconveni- 
ence, formed  a  canal  from  Coptus  on  the  Nile,  all  along  the 
road,  to  supply  the  caravans  which  carried  their  goods  with 
water,  and  at  convenient  distances  he  established  inns.  To 
protect  the  trade,  he  formed  large  fleets,  both  in  the  Mediterra- 
nean and  Red  Seas.  By  these  wise  arrangements,  Alexandria 
became  the  emporium  of  most  of  the  commerce  between  the 
East  and  the  West.  In  consequence  of  which,  Tyre  began 
thenceforward  to  languish,  until  at  length  the  prophecies  re- 
specting her  utter  desolation  were  completely  fulfilled. 

About  the  year  249  B.  C.,  a  war  broke  out  between  Ptolemy 
and  Antiochus,  the  events  of  which  it  is  not  necessary  that  we 
should  here  relate. 

Onias,  the  son  of  Simon  the  Just,  being  an  infant  at  the  time 
of  his  father's  death,  could  not  be  invested  with  the  office  of 
high-priest,  which  was  therefore  bestowed  upon  Eleazar,  Simon's 
brother.  Eleazar  also  dying  before  Onias  was  of  legal  age,  the 
priesthood  was  given  to  Manasseh  the  son  of  Jaddua,  who  exe- 
cuted it  for  six-and-twenty  years,  and  died  in  the  year  276 
B.  C.  Onias  now  succeeded  to  the  office. 

A  great  revolt  having  taken  place  against  Antiochus  in  the 
eastern  part  of  his  empire,  he  became  weary  of  the  war  with 
Ptolemy,  and  a  peace  was  made  between  them,  249  B.  C.  The 
condition  of  this  treaty  was,  that  Antiochus  should  divorce 
Laodice,  his  former  wife,  and  marry  Berenice,  the  daughter  of 
Ptolemy.  Accordingly,  Antiochus  put  away  his  wife,  who  was 
also  his  half-sister,  by  whom  he  had  two  sons;  and  Ptolemy 
having  taken  his  daughter  to  Seleucia,  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Orontes,  and  delivered  her  to  Antiochus,  the  marriage  was 
solemnized  with  great  pomp.  Thus  was  the  prophecy  of  Daniel 
literally  fulfilled.  (Dan.  xi.  5,  6.)  "For  the  king's  daughter 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  479 

of  the  South  shall  come  to  the  king  of  the  North,  to  make  an 
agreement."  By  South  and  North  in  this  passage,  must  be 
understood  Egypt,  which  lay  south  of  Judea,  and  Syria  which 
was  situated  to  the  north. 

In  the  year  248  B.  C.,  Arsinoe  the  wife  of  Ptolemy  died, 
which  caused  him  great  grief;  for  although  she  was  much  older 
than  himself,  he  doted  on  her.  To  commemorate  her,  he  formed 
an  extravagant  project,  which  was,  to  erect  a  monument  having 
a  vault  lined  with  load-stone,  which  should,  by  its  attraction, 
cause  an  image  of  her  to  remain  suspended  in  the  air.  This 
design  was  conceived  by  Dinocrates,  a  famous  architect  of  that 
time ;  and  so  pleased  Ptolemy  that  he  commanded  the  work  to 
be  immediately  commenced ;  but  neither  the  king  nor  the  artist 
lived  to  have  it  completed.  This  probably  gave  rise  to  the 
fable  so  long  current  respecting  the  coffin  of  Mohammed. 

Ptolemy  did  not  long  survive  his  beloved  wife.  He  was  natu- 
rally of  a  weak  constitution,  which  was  greatly  debilitated  by 
luxurious  indulgence;  so  that  when  grief  for  the  loss  of  his  wife 
was  added,  he  sunk  under  the  burden,  and  expired  in  his  grand 
climacteric,  after  having  reigned  over  Egypt  thirty-eight  years. 

Ptolemy  was  the  greatest  patron  of  learning  and  the  fine  arts 
among  all  the  kings  of  antiquity.  Seven  celebrated  poets  of 
that  age  are  said  to  have  resided  in  his  court.  The  works  of 
four  of  these,  (Theocritus,  Callimachus,  Lycophron  and  Aratus,) 
are  still  extant.  Manetho,  the  Egyptian  historian,  dedicated 
his  work  to  him.  Zoilus,  the  snarling  critic,  who  distinguished 
himself  by  abusing  Homer,  also  frequented  the  Egyptian  court, 
but  received  no  countenance  from  Ptolemy. 

Ptolemy  had  also  a  passion  for  building.  He  rebuilt  Acco  in 
Palestine,  on  the  Mediterranean,  which  he  called  Ptolemais, 
after  his  own  name.  This  place  has  been  famous  in  the  history 
of  all  ages,  especially  in  the  wars  of  the  crusades.  It  is  now 
called  Acre,  and  in  our  own  times  has  been  famous  for  the 
unsuccessful  siege  which  it  sustained  from  Bonaparte. 

The  city  formerly  famous  under  the  name  of  Rabbah,  he 
rebuilt,,  and  called  it  Philadelphia  after  his  own  surname.  It 
has  long  been  desolate.  Such  was  his  taste  for  fine  buildings, 
that  it  became  proverbial  to  call  an  edifice  of  more  than  usual 
magnificence,  Philadelphian.  Notwithstanding  the  great  ex- 
penses necessarily  attendant  on  his  favourite  pursuits,  he  died 
exceedingly  rich,  leaving  no  less  than  seven  hundred  and  forty 
thousand  Egyptian  talents  in  the  treasury.  He  left  also  large 
and  well  furnished  fleets,  both  in  the  Red  Sea  and  the  Mediter- 
ranean. 


480  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH    NATION 


SECTION  X. 

PTOLEMY     EUERGETES — BEEENICE PROPHECIES      FULFILLED — THE     AHT7NDELIAN 

MARBLES. 

As  SOON  as  Antiochus  heard  of  the  death  of  Ptolemy,  he  put 
away  Berenice,  and  invited  his  former  wife,  Laodice,  to  return ; 
but  she  knowing  his  fickleness,  caused  him  to  be  poisoned  by 
his  servants,  and  placing  a  man  who  greatly  resembled  him  in 
his  bed,  to  personate  him  as  being  confined  by  sickness,  she  con- 
cealed his  death  until  by  orders,  forged  under  her  hand,  she 
placed  her  own  son  Seleucus  on  the  throne,  which  he  occupied 
for  twenty  years.  She  also  pursued  Berenice  and  her  son, 
with  unrelenting  vengeance,  until  she  had  them  both  put  to 
death  by  the  treachery  of  some  who  were  about  them.  And 
here  again  we  see  the  fulfilment  of  the  sequel  of  the  prophecy 
of  Daniel  before  cited.  After  predicting  the  marriage  of  the 
king  of  the  North  to  the  daughter  of  the  king  of  the  South,  as 
the  band  of  agreement,  he  goes  on  to  say:  "But  she" — that  is 
Berenice — "shall  not  retain  the  power  of  the  arm;  neither 
shall  he" — that  is  Antiochus — "stand,  nor  his  arm:  but  she" 
— that  is  Berenice — "shall  be  given  up,  and  they  that  brought 
her" — that  is,  her  Egyptian  friends — "and  he  that  begat  her, 
and  he  that  strengthened  her."  (Daniel  xi.  6.) 

While  Berenice  was  besieged  by  Laodice  in  Daphne,  where 
she  had  fled  for  refuge,  with  her  son,  her  brother  Ptolemy 
Euergetes,  who  had  succeeded  his  father  on  the  throne  of 
Egypt,  marched  with  a  powerful  army  to  her  relief;  but  before 
he  arrived  at  Daphne,  both  she  and  her  son  were  killed.  He 
avenged  himself,  however,  by  putting  Laodice  to  death,  and 
making  himself  master  of  all  Syria  and  Cilicia.  He  even 
extended  his  conquests,  beyond  the  Euphrates,  as  far  as  the 
Tigris,  and  was  in  a  fair  way  to  reduce  under  his  dominion  all 
the  Eastern  provinces  of  the  Syrian  empire,  when  he  was  sud- 
denly recalled  to  Egypt,  by  a  sedition  that  had  arisen  there. 
He  greatly  endeared  himself  to  the  Egyptian  people,  on  his 
return  from  this  expedition,  by  bringing  back  from  Persia  their 
gods,  which  Cambyses  had  carried  away ;  and  on  this  account, 
he  received  the  name,  Euergetes,  or  Benefactor.  All  these 
events  were  in  exact  fulfilment  of  the  prophecies  of  Daniel,  who 
tells  us,  that  after  the  queen  of  the  South,  with  her  son  and 
attendants,  should  be  cut  off,  and  her  father,  who  was  her  chief 
support,  should  be  dead,  "there  should  one  arise  out  of  a 
branch  of  her  roots,  in  his  estate" — that  is,  her  brother 
Ptolemy  Euergetes — and  that  "  he  should  come  with  an  army 
and  enter  into  the  fortress  of  the  king  of  the  North,  and  prevail 
against  him,  and  carry  captive  into  Egypt,  their  gods,  with 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  481 

their  princes,  and  with  their  precious  vessels  of  silver  and  gold ; 
and  then  come  into  his  kingdom,  and  return  into  his  own  land." 
Now,  how  exactly  all  this  was  fulfilled,  the  history  of  Ptolemy 
Euergetes  most  manifestly  shows.  Again,  it  is  said,  in  the 
same  prophecy,  that  "  the  king  of  the  South  should  continue 
more  years  than  the  king  of  the  North,"  and  such  was  the 
event,  for  Ptolemy  Euergetes  survived  Seleucus  Callinicus, 
whom  Laodice  had  placed  on  the  throne  of  Syria,  four  years. 

The  wife  of  Ptolemy  Euergetes,  also  named  Berenice,  being 
very  apprehensive  of  danger  to  her  husband  in  his  northern 
expedition,  made  a  vow,  that  she  would  consecrate  her  hair,  of 
which  she  was  vain,  as  being  very  beautiful,  if  he  should  return 
safe.  Accordingly  it  was  cut  off  and  sent  to  the  temple  which 
Ptolemy  Philadelphus  had  built  in  Cyprus,  but,  by  some  acci- 
dent, was  lost,  an  occurrence  by  which  Ptolemy  was  much  dis- 
turbed. It  happened  that  Conon  of  Samos,  a  distinguished 
mathematician,  was  then  at  Alexandria,  who,  to  relieve  the 
king's  mind,  and  also  to  ingratiate  himself  into  his  favour,  pre- 
tended that  this  hair  was  caught  up  into  heaven ;  and  showed 
seven  stars,  near  the  tail  of  the  Lion,  not  before  connected  with 
any  constellation,  which  he  said  was  the  consecrated  hair  of 
the  queen;  which  conceit  being  countenanced  by  subsequent 
astronomers,  a  new  constellation  was  added,  called  Coma  Ber- 
enices, the  hair  of  Berenice.  Callimachus,  the  poet,  wrote  a 
hymn  to  celebrate  the  hair  of  Berenice. 

Ptolemy  Euergetes,  who  seems  to  have  been  of  a  devout  turn 
of  mind,  on  his  return  from  his  Syrian  expedition,  took  Jerusa- 
lem in  his  way,  and  there  caused  many  sacrifices  to  be  offered 
up  to  the  God  of  Israel,  as  an  acknowledgment  for  the  great 
success  which  he  had  experienced  in  his  contest  with  the  king 
of  Syria.  And  it  is  not  improbable,  that  the  prophecies  of 
Daniel,  relative  to  these  events,  might  have  been  shown  to  him. 

Seleucus,  in  the  years  245  and  244  B.  C.,  entered  into  new 
wars  with  Ptolemy,  for  the  recovery  of  his  lost  dominions,  but 
the  issue  was  as  unfortunate  as  before ;  for  being  overcome  in 
battle,  he  was  obliged  to  flee  to  Antioch,  accompanied  only  by 
a  few  of  his  followers.  In  consequence  of  the  broken  and  dis- 
astrous state  of  his  affairs,  he  invited  his  brother  Antiochus, 
who  was  then  at  the  head  of  an  army,  to  join  with  him.  Antio- 
chus although  he  was  only  fourteen  years  of  age,  yet  being  of 
an  ambitious  turn,  readily  accepted  the  proposal,  not  so  much 
to  aid  his  brother,  as  to  gain  the  empire  for  himself.  At  this 
time,  the  cities  of  Smyrna  and  Magnesia,  as  a  testimony  of 
their  affection  for  Seleucus,  entered  into  a  combination  to  assist 
him  with  their  might,  and  erected  a  column  of  marble,  on  which 
their  mutual  agreement  was  engraved.  And  it  is  a  remarkable 
fact,  that  this  identical  marble  is  now  standing  in  the  court- 
31 


482  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

yard  of  the  theatre  at  Oxford,  with  the  inscription  still  dis- 
tinctly legible,  in  Greek  capital  letters.  It  was  brought  from 
Asia,  by  Thomas,  earl  of  Arundel,  in  the  reign  of  Charles  the 
First,  and  was  given,  with  other  marbles,  to  the  University  of 
Oxford,  by  Henry,  duke  of  Norfolk,  his  grandson,  in  the  reign 
of  Charles  the  Second.  These  are  commonly  spoken  of  under 
the  name  of  the  Arundelian  marbles. 

The  union  of  the  two  brothers  against  Ptolemy  was  attended 
with  no  great  issue ;  for  the  latter  made  a  peace  with  Seleucus, 
while  Antiochus  went  on  with  his  preparations  for  war.  These, 
his  brother  soon  suspected,  were  intended  against  himself.  He, 
therefore,  marched  an  army  over  mount  Taurus,  to  surprise 
him.  A  battle  was  fought  between  them  near  Ancyra  in  Asia 
Minor,  in  which  Seleucus  was  overthrown,  and  scarcely  escaped 
•with  his  life.  It  fared  little  better  with  Antiochus,  for  the 
Galatians,  or  Gauls  of  Asia,  whom  he  had  taken  into  his  ser- 
vice, upon  a  rumour  that  Seleucus  was  slain,  immediately  plot- 
ted the  death  of  the  other  brother,  thinking,  that  if  he  were  out 
of  the  way,  the  whole  empire  would  fall  into  their  hands. 
Antiochus  having  no  other  method  of  saving  his  life,  gave  all 
his  treasure  as  a  ransom  for  it. 

Eumenes,  king  of  Pergamus,  taking  advantage  of  the  dis- 
tracted state  of  the  Syrian  empire,  made  an  attack  on  the 
Gauls  and  on  Antiochus,  and  gained  a  victory  over  them. 
About  the  same  time,  Theodotus  and  Arsaces,  revolting  against 
Seleucus  in  the  East,  seized  Parthia  and  Hyrcania.  But  not- 
withstanding all  these  disasters,  the  war  continued.  Fraternal 
discord  is  the  most  difficult  to  be  reconciled. 

The  seat  of  war  was  now  transferred  to  Mesopotamia;  and 
about  this  time  probably  occurred  the  battle  mentioned  (2 
Maccab.  viii.  20)  by  Judas  Maccabgeus,  in  which  he  says  that 
eight  thousand  Jews,  with  four  thousand  Macedonians,  van- 
quished the  Galatians,  and  slew  one  hundred  and  seventy  thou- 
sand men.  About  this  time,  it  was  customary  for  the  Jews  to 
hire  themselves  as  soldiers,  to  all  parties,  in  the  wars  which 
were  then  carried  on  by  the  kings  of  the  East ;  and  their  servi- 
ces in  these  wars  were  held  in  the  highest  estimation. 


SECTION  XI. 

PTOLEMY   EUERGETES     AN     ENCOURAGER   OF     LEARNING — SELEUCUS    DEFEATED     AND 

TAKEN    PRISONER ORIGIN   OF    THE    KINGDOM    OF   THE    PARTHIANS — REMARKABLE 

HISTORY  OF    JOSEPH — GREAT  EARTHQUAKE  IN  THE  EAST. 

PTOLEMY  EUERGETES  being  now  relieved  from  war,  devoted  his 
attention  to  the  arts  of  peace ;  especially  to  the  promotion  of 
learning,  and  the  increase  of  the  vast  library  which  his  father 
had  founded  in  Alexandria.  Of  this  he  made  Erastosthenes,  a 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  483 

learned  Athenian,  the  keeper,  after  the  death  of  Zenodotus, 
who  was  appointed  librarian  by  Ptolemy  Philadelphus.  The 
person  now  advanced  to  this  office  was  one  of  the  most  learned 
men  of  his  age,  as  appears  from  the  manner  in  which  he  is 
frequently  referred  to  by  Pliny,  Strabo,  and  others.  He  was 
the  author  of  many  works,  none  of  which  are  now  extant. 
The  only  writing  of  his,  which  still  remains,  is  an  important 
document,  preserved  by  Syncellus,  containing  a  catalogue  of  all 
the  kings  who  reigned  at  Thebes  in  Egypt,  from  Menes  or  Mis- 
raim,  down  to  the  time  of  the  Trojan  war.  It  contains  a  series 
of  thirty-eight  kings,  and  has  been  of  great  service  in  writing 
the  Egyptian  chronology.  It  is  one  of  the  most  authentic  and 
important  documents  of  remote  antiquity  extant  in  profane 
history.  It  was  extracted  from  the  most  ancient  records  of  the 
country,  by  order  of  Ptolemy  Euergetes,  and  was  probably 
intended  to  supply  the  defects  of  Manetho's  catalogue,  which 
commences  exactly  where  that  of  Erastosthenes'  ends. 

In  the  year  230  B.  C.,  Seleucus  marched  against  Arsaces, 
who  had  seized  Parthia  and  other  districts  in  the  East;  but  the 
event  of  this  expedition  was  most  disastrous  to  him,  for  he  was 
not  only  defeated,  but  taken  prisoner.  This  was  the  origin  of 
the  kingdom  of  the  Parthians,  which  became  so  terrible  in  after 
times,  even  to  the  Romans,  who  were  a  terror  to  all  others. 
The  day  on  which  Arsaces  obtained  this  victory  was  long  cele- 
brated as  an  anniversary  in  Parthia.  From  this  time,  the  con- 
queror styled  himself  king,  and  all  his  successors  assumed  his 
name,  just  as  the  kings  of  Egypt,  for  a  long  period,  took  the 
name  of  Ptolemy. 

Onias,  the  high-priest  of  the  Jews,  who  was  a  weak  and  rash 
man,  having  neglected  to  pay  the  customary  tribute  to  Ptolemy 
Euergetes,  and  the  arrears  continually  increasing,  the  king  sent 
Athenion,  one  of  his  courtiers,  to  demand  full  payment.  The 
arrival  of  this  minister  created  a  great  sensation  at  Jerusalem ; 
for  it  did  not  appear  what  course  could  be  taken  to  appease  the 
king's  displeasure,  as  the  sum  requisite  to  satisfy  the  demand 
could  by  no  means  be  raised.  In  this  emergency,  a  young  man 
by  the  name  of  Joseph,  a  near  relation  of  Onias,  who  was  in 
great  reputation  among  the  Jews,  for  prudence,  justice,  and 
sanctity,  came  to  Jerusalem  from  his  residence  in  the  coun- 
try, and  going  immediately  to  his  uncle,  the  high-priest, 
expostulated  with  him  freely  on  the  course  which  he  had  pur- 
sued in  relation  to  the  tribute ;  and  exhorted  him  to  go  immedi- 
ately to  Egypt  and  endeavour  to  satisfy  the  king.  But  this  was 
a  business  for  which  Onias  was  by  no  means  qualified ;  besides, 
he  was  now  old  and  feeble.  Upon  his  declining  the  journey, 
Joseph  offered  his  own  services  on  the  occasion,  which  were 
joyfully  accepted  by  his  uncle  and  the  people.  Joseph  went 


484  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

immediately  to  find  Athenion,  whom  he  took  to  his  own  house, 
and  entertained  sumptuously  while  he  remained ;  and  so  gained 
the  esteem  of  the  Egyptian  minister,  that  he  returned  to  the 
king  with  kind  feelings  toward  the  Jewish  people,  and  the  most 
favourable  impressions  of  the  character  of  Joseph.  He  also 
conveyed  to  the  king  the  intelligence  that  this  excellent  young 
man  would  shortly  attend  upon  him,  to  explain  every  thing 
which  related  to  the  tribute,  so  long  due. 

Joseph,  as  soon  as  the  ambassador  was  gone,  began  to  pre- 
pare for  his  journey,  and  having  prepared  himself  with  proper 
equipage,  set  off  for  the  court  of  Ptolemy.  On  the  way  he 
happened  to  fall  in  company  with  some  noblemen  of  Phenicia 
and  Coelo-Syria,  who  were  going  to  Egypt  for  the  purpose  of 
farming  the  revenues  of  their  respective  provinces.  During 
the  journey,  he  learned  much  from  these  persons  of  the  value 
of  the  revenues,  which  knowledge  he  afterwards  turned  to  good 
account.  Finding,  when  he  arrived  at  Alexandria,  that  the 
king  was  at  Memphis,  he  hastened  thither,  and  fortunately  met 
him  returning  in  a  chariot  with  his  queen  and  Athenion.  The 
latter  no  sooner  espied  Joseph,  than  he  pointed  him  out  to  the 
king  as  his  young  Jewish  friend,  concerning  whom  he  had  before 
so  often  spoken  to  him.  Upon  which  the  king  invited  him  into 
his  chariot,  and  conversed  freely  with  him.  He  complained  of 
the  ill  conduct  of  Onias  in  withholding  the  tribute  for  so  many 
years.  Joseph  excused  his  uncle  on  the  ground  of  his  age  and 
weakness,  in  so  handsome  a  manner,  that  he  not  only  pacified 
the  king,  but  gained  for  himself  his  particular  favour.  When 
they  arrived  in  Alexandria,  the  king  ordered  that  he  should  be 
lodged  in  the  palace  and  maintained  at  his  own  table. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  day  for  farming  the  revenues  of  the 
provinces,  which  were  set  up  to  the  highest  bidder,  Joseph 
observed  that  the  highest  sum  bid  for  Judea,  Samaria,  Coelo- 
Syria,  and  Phenicia,  by  his  companions  in  travel,  was  no  more 
than  eight  thousand  talents,  and  being  assured,  from  their  con- 
versation on  the  way,  that  they  were  worth,  at  least,  double 
that  sum,  he  bade  sixteen  thousand  talents,  exclusive  of  the 
forfeitures. 

Ptolemy  was  pleased  with  the  prospect  of  such  an  augmenta- 
tion of  his  revenues,  but  was  doubtful  of  the  young  man's  ability 
to  give  adequate  security.  When  Joseph  was  asked  what  surety 
he  would  give,  he  facetiously  answered,  that  they  should  be 
persons  beyond  all  exception,  and  immediately  named  the  king 
and  queen.  The  king  was  so  delighted  with  the  pleasantness 
and  confidence  manifested  by  this  answer,  that  he  trusted  him 
on  his  own  word,  dispensing  with  all  other  pledges.  Receiving 
now  the  appointment  of  receiver-general  of  the  king's  revenues, 
in  the  provinces  above  named,  he  set  off  on  his  way  home, 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  485 

accompanied  with  a  guard  of  two  thousand  men,  for  his  support 
in  the  execution  of  his  office.  On  his  arrival  at  Askelon,  the 
people  not  only  refused  to  pay  the  tribute  to  him,  but  used  op- 
probrious language  towards  him ;  whereupon  he  commanded  his 
soldiers  to  seize  twenty  of  the  ringleaders,  on  whom  he  executed 
exemplary  punishment,  and  sent  their  forfeited  estates  to  the 
king's  treasury.  The  same  process  was  repeated  at  Scythopo- 
lis,  by  which  all  the  other  places  in  the  provinces  were  so  inti- 
midated, that  he  had  no  further  trouble  in  collecting  the  king's 
revenues. 

The  conduct  of  Joseph  in  this  high  office  was  so  marked  with 
justice  and  energy,  that  he  was  continued  in  it,  not  only  while 
Ptolemy  Euergetes  lived,  but  during  the  reign  of  his  successor, 
Ptolemy  Philopater,  and  also  of  Ptolemy  Epiphanes,  until  these 
provinces  were  wrested  from  him  by  Antiochus  the  Great.  Se- 
leucus,  who,  it  has  been  seen,  was  taken  prisoner  in  Parthia, 
remained  there  in  custody,  but  royally  entertained  by  Arsaces, 
until  the  year  326  B.  C.,  when  he  was  killed  by  a  fall  from  his 
horse.  He  left  two  sons,  Seleucus  and  Antiochus,  and  a  daugh- 
ter, who  was  given  in  marriage  to  Mithridates,  king  of  Pontus, 
with  Phrygia  for  her  dower.  Seleucus  being  the  oldest  of  his 
two  sons,  succeeded  him  in  the  throne,  and  took  the  name  of 
Ceraunus.  He  was  a  weak  prince,  and  his  reign  was  very 
short. 

Antiochus,  the  brother  of  Seleucus,  was  sent  to  Babylonia  for 
his  education,  and  was  there  at  the  time  of  his  brother's  death ; 
on  which  event  he  was  sent  for  to  Antioch,  and  ascended  the 
throne,  which  he  occupied  for  thirty-six  years.  On  account  of 
his  many  great  actions,  he  received  the  surname  of  Crreat. 

In  the  year  before  Christ  two  hundred  and  twenty-two,  there 
happened  a  very  violent  earthquake  in  the  East,  which  made 
great  devastations  in  many  places,  especially  in  Caria,  and  the 
island  of  Rhodes.  It  threw  down  not  only  the  walls  of  the  city 
of  Rhodes  and  the  houses,  but  also  the  great  colossus,  which  be- 
strided  the  harbour,  and  was  reckoned  one  of  the  seven  wonders 
of  the  world.  It  was  a  prodigious  statue  of  brass,  erected  to 
the  sun;  one  hundred  and  five  feet  in  height,  and  everything 
else  in  proportion.  Chares  was  twelve  years  employed  in  its 
erection,  and  sixty  years  afterwards  it  was  thrown  down.  The 
Rhodians  sent  ambassadors  to  all  the  neighbouring  countries  to 
beg  money  for  the  purpose  of  raising  this  colossus  again ;  but 
after  collecting  vast  sums,  they  pocketed  the  money,  pretending 
that  an  oracle  had  forbidden  the  erection  of  the  colossus. 
There  it  lay  for  eight  hundred  and  ninety-four  years,  when 
Moawiah,  the  sixth  caliph  of  Damascus,  having  taken  Rhodes, 
sold  the  brass  to  a  Jewish  merchant,  who  loaded  with  it  nine 
hundred  camels;  so  that  it  would  seem  that  its  original  weight 


486  HISTOEY  OF   THE  ISEAELITISH   NATION 

• 

could  not  have  fallen  greatly  short  of  a  million  of  pounds.  To- 
wards the  close  of  the  year  222  B.  C.  died  Ptolemy  Euergetes, 
king  of  Egypt,  after  having  reigned  over  that  country  for  five 
and  twenty  years.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Ptolemy  Phi- 
lopater,  a  very  profligate  and  vicious  prince.  He  was  suspected 
of  putting  an  end  to  his  father's  life  by  poison ;  and  soon  after 
he  was  seated  on  his  throne,  he  added  the  murder  of  his  mother, 
and  of  his  brother  Magas;  and  also  of  Cleomenes,  king  of 
Sparta,  who  had  taken  refuge  in  the  court  of  Ptolemy  Euerge- 
teSj  and  was  a  person  of  great  wisdom  and  sagacity. 


SECTION  XII. 

ACCESSION  OF  PTOLEMY  PHILOPATER  TO  THE  THRONE  OF  EGYPT — HIS  CONTEST  WITH 
ANTIOCHUS — HIS  CRUELTY — VISITS  JERUSALEM  AND  ATTEMPTS  TO  ENTER  THE 
SANCTUARY — RESOLVES  TO  EXTERMINATE  THE  JEWS — THEIR  PROVIDENTIAL  DE- 
LIVERANCE— HE  DIES  AND  LEAVES  THE  KINGDOM  TO  HIS  SON  PTOLEMY  EPIPHA- 
NES,  ONLY  FIVE  YEARS  OF  AGE.  ANTIOCHUS  ENDEAVOURS  TO  CONQUER  EGYPT 

ENGAGES   IN     WAR    WITH   THE   ROMANS MARCHES   AN   ARMY   TO   THE    EAST,    TO 

COLLECT    TRIBUTE ROBS    THE    TEMPLE    OF    BELUS  OF    ITS    TREASURES  BUT    IS    SLAIN 

BY   THE   ENRAGED   POPULACE — REMARKABLE   STORY   OF    JOSEPH  AND  HIS  SON  HYR- 
CANUS. 

As  SOON  as  Ptolemy  Philopater  ascended  the  throne,  Anti- 
ochus  formed  the  design  of  recovering  Syria,  which  he  prosecu- 
ted with  various  success  for  several  years,  until  about  the  year 
219  B.  C.,  he  took  Damascus,  and  reduced  all  Phenicia,  Gali- 
lee, and  Gilead  beyond  Jordan,  under  his  dominion. 

In  the  year  217  B.  C.,  Antiochus  marched  for  Egypt  with  a 
large  army,  and  a  great  battle  was  fought  between  Gaza  and 
Rhinocrura,  with  the  two  kings  at  the  head  of  their  respective 
forces ;  on  which  occasion,  the  presence  of  mind  and  masculine 
courage  of  Arsinoe,  queen  of  Egypt,  was  strikingly  exhibited, 
in  her  encouraging  the  soldiers,  and  remaining  by  the  side  of 
her  husband  through  the  whole  battle.  The  result  was,  that 
although  the  right  wing  of  the  Syrian  army,  commanded  by 
Antiochus  in  person,  drove  the  Egyptians  before  them,  the 
contrary  occurred  on  the  left  wing,  where  the  Syrians  gave 
way  and  fled,  and  the  Egyptians  turning  on  the  flank  and  rear 
of  the  other  part  of  the  Syrian  forces,  gained  a  complete 
victory;  for  Antiochus  had,  in  his  ardour,  pursued  so  far,  that 
he  did  not  return  in  time  to  give  any  aid  to  his  routed  troops. 
This  battle  was  fought  on  the  same  day  that  Hannibal  defeated 
Flaminius  the  Roman  general,  at  the  lake  Thrasimenus. 

On  the  retreat  of  Antiochus,  the  cities  of  Coelo-Syria  and 
Palestine  were  forward  to  make  their  submission  to  Ptolemy; 
for  they  had  been  long  accustomed  to  the  Egyptian  yoke,  and 
were  better  pleased  with  it  than  with  the  government  of  Antio- 
chus. Many  ambassadors  presented  themselves  before  Pto- 
lemy, with  the  submission  of  their  respective  cities,  and  with 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  487 

presents,  all  of  whom  he  received  kindly.'  Among  these,  the 
Jews  were  not  last.  Ptolemy  now  made  a  progress  through 
the  provinces  which  he  had  regained,  and  among  the  cities  vis- 
ited, Jerusalem  was  not  forgotten.  Here  he  took  a  view  of  the 
temple,  and  offered  many  gifts  and  sacrifices  to  the  God  of 
Israel.  But  not  contented  with  an  exterior  view  of  this  sacred 
edifice,  he  resolved  to  enter  into  the  sanctuary,  and  even  into 
the  most  holy  place.  On  this  occasion  all  Jerusalem  was  in  an 
uproar.  The  priests  and  Levites  were  convened  to  hinder  it, 
and  the  people  to  deprecate  the  impious  act.  Great  lamenta- 
tions were  every  made,  and  many  supplications  offered  to  God, 
to  preserve  his  sacred  house  from  profanation.  But  entreaties 
availed  nothing  with  Ptolemy;  the  more  he  was  opposed,  the 
more  he  seemed  resolved  to  execute  his  impious  purpose. 
Accordingly,  he  pressed  into  the  inner  court ;  but  here  he  was 
struck  with  such  a  terror  and  confusion  of  mind,  that  he  could 
proceed  no  farther,  and  was  carried  out,  in  a  manner  half  dead. 
On  this,  he  left  the  city,  filled  with  great  wrath  against  the 
Jews,  and  uttering  many  menaces  against  the  nation. 

The  high-priest  now  in  oflice,  who  had  the  courage  to  with- 
stand Ptolemy,  was  Simon,  the  son  of  Onias  the  second ;  for 
his  father  having  deceased  towards  the  close  of  the  former 
year,  the  son  had  been  consecrated  in  his  room.  This,  there- 
fore, was  among  the  first  acts  of  his  pontificate :  and  it  was 
well  that  a  man  of  firmness  and  wisdom  was  now  in  authority; 
for  affairs  had  been  negligently  managed  during  the  whole  of 
the  administration  of  Onias,  who  was  not  only  a  weak  man,  but 
extremely  covetous. 

During  the  incessant  wars  between  the  great  Northern  and 
Southern  powers,  Judea,  as  lying  exactly  between  the  belliger- 
ents, suffered  exceedingly  by  the  passage  of  hostile  and 
friendly  armies.  The  old  hatred  of  the  Samaritans  also,  was 
not  dormant  during  this  period ;  but  often  when  they  observed 
the  Jews  to  be  unable  to  make  resistance,  they  ravaged  the 
country  lying  near  them :  carrying  off  many  of  the  inhabitants, 
and  selling  them  into  slavery. 

Antiochus,  on  his  return,  finding  his  own  subjects  in  an 
unsettled  state,  thought  it  best  to  make  peace  with  Ptolemy, 
which  he  effected  by  resigning  all  title  to  Coelo-Syria,  Pales- 
tine, and  Phenicia. 

When  Ptolemy  returned  to  Alexandria,  his  anger  against 
the  Jewish  nation  was  undiminished,  and  he  determined  to 
revenge  himself  on  all  those  who  inhabited  that  city.  He 
made  a  decree,  and  had  it  engraven  on  a  pillar  at  the  gates  of 
his  palace,  forbidding  all  to  enter,  who  did  not  sacrifice  to  the 
gods  he  worshipped. 

Alexander  the  Great  had,  in  the  division  of  the  people  into 


488  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

ranks,  placed  the  Jews  in  the  first,  on  a  level  with  his  own  Ma- 
cedonians ;  but  Ptolemy  now  degraded  them  to  the  third  rank, 
among  the  common  people  of  Egypt.  But  this  was  not  the 
worst  which  these  devoted  people  had  to  suffer.  He  enacted  a 
law  that  they  should  all  be  branded  with  the  badge  of  his  god 
Bacchus,  or  be  reduced  to  slavery.  However,  he  provided  that 
those  who  were  willing  to  be  initiated  into  the  heathen  religion 
should  retain  their  privileges.  Of  the  whole  number  in  Alex- 
andria, only  three  hundred  took  advantage  of  this  immunity. 
All  the  rest  stood  firm  to  their  religion,  rather  choosing  to  suffer 
the  greatest  extremities  than  depart  in  the  least  from  it.  And 
those  who  for  worldly  considerations  had  apostatized,  were  held 
in  the  utmost  abhorrence,  and  excommunicated  from  all  inter- 
course with  their  brethren. 

The  king,  considering  their  measures  as  indicative  of  hostility 
to  him,  now  determined  that  he  would  destroy  the  whole  nation, 
wherever  found.  He  accordingly  sent  out  orders,  that  all  Jews 
who  resided  in  Egypt  should  be  brought  in  chains  to  Alexan- 
dria. This  being  executed,  he  directed  that  all  of  them  should 
be  assembled  in  the  Hippodrome,  a  large  open  space  prepared 
for  horse-races,  where  his  purpose  was  to  destroy  them  by  his 
elephants,  and  then  march  to  Judea  and  treat  the  Jews  there  in 
the  same  manner.  But  on  the  day  appointed,  when  all  were 
ready,  the  king  did  not  make  his  appearance;  for  having  been 
up  late  at  a  carousal  he  overslept  himself,  until  the  hour  for  the 
intended  spectacle  was  over.  It  was,  therefore,  deferred  until 
the  next  day;  but  another  disappointment  occurred  from  the 
same  cause. 

During  all  this  time  the  Jews  were  kept  shut  up  in  the  Hip- 
podrome; but  they  ceased  not  day  and  night,  with  uplifted 
hands  and  loud  voices,  to  pray  to  God  for  deliverance,  which 
he  in  mercy  was  pleased  to  vouchsafe.  For,  on  the  next  day, 
when  the  king  being  present,  the  elephants  were  brought  forth 
drunk  with  wine  and  frankincense,  that  they  might  with  more 
rage  destroy  the  devoted  Jews,  they  became  ungovernable,  and 
instead  of  rushing  upon  the  Jews,  turned  upon  the  spectators, 
and  killed  many  of  them.  It  is  also  said,  that  appearances 
were  seen  in  the  air,  which  terrified  the  king  and  all  the  spec- 
tators. This  remarkable  interposition  of  Providence  had  such 
an  effect  on  Ptolemy,  that  he  relinquished  his  bloody  purpose, 
and  not  only  set  the  Jews  at  liberty,  but  fearing  the  vengeance 
of  Heaven,  restored  them  to  all  their  former  privileges,  and  gave 
them  leave  to  put  to  death  all  those  Jews  who  had  apostatized 
from  their  religion. 

It  must  be  confessed,  however,  that  the  evidence  of  the  truth 
of  this  history  is  not  as  satisfactory  as  could  be  wished.  Jose- 
phus,  in  his  Antiquities,  does  not  mention  it,  though  he  does  in 


TO   THE   CONQUEST   OF  JUDEA.  489 

his  book  against  Apion;  but  this  we  have  only  in  the  Latin 
translation  of  Ruffin.  He  also  places  it  in  another  reign.  The 
narrative  here  given  is  from  the  third  book  of  Maccabees,  which 
whole  book  relates  to  the  persecutions  endured  by  the  Jews. 
It  became  common,  after  the  name  Maccabees  was  given  to 
Judas  and  his  brethren,  of  whom  we  shall  speak  hereafter,  for 
all  who  suffered  for  their  religion  among  the  Jews,  to  be  called 
Maccabees,  for  which  reason  the  third  book  of  the  Maccabees 
received  this  title,  although  it  treats  of  matters  which  occurred 
long  before  their  time.  This  book  is  found  in  all  the  ancient 
copies  of  the  Septuagint,  and  also  in  the  Syriac  version ;  but  is 
extant  in  no  copy  of  the  Latin  Vulgate.  The  first  authentic 
mention  of  it  is  in  the  Alexandrian  Chronicon.  It  is  also 
named  in  the  eighty-fifth  of  the  apostolical  canons,  but  their 
date  is  altogether  uncertain. 

Antiochus  spent  seven  years  on  an  expedition  against  Par- 
thia,  Bactria,  Hyrcania,  and  other  eastern  provinces,  which 
had  revolted  from  the  empire,  and  declared  themselves  indepen- 
dent. In  this  expedition  he  discovered  great  skill  and  general- 
ship, but  finding  that  there  was  no  prospect  of  bringing  these 
countries  permanently  under  subjection,  he  made  peace  with 
Arsaces  and  the  other  leaders,  and  returned  to  Antioch,  in  the 
year  205  B.  C. 

The  next  year,  204  B.  C.,  died  Ptolemy  Philopater  king  of 
Egypt,  after  having  sat  on  the  throne  for  seventeen  years. 
He  was  a  most  flagitious  and  cruel  man,  and  brought  himself 
to  a  premature  end  by  his  debaucheries. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Ptolemy  Epiphanes,  his  son,  a  child  of 
five  years  of  age.  The  people  finding  that  the  vile  associates 
of  Philopater's  guilty  pleasures,  were  plotting  against  the  young 
king  and  those  who  would  be  likely  to  oppose  their  measures, 
brought  them  to  the  Hippodrome,  and  slew  them. 

The  young  king  was  now  committed  to  the  care  of  Sosibius, 
an  old,  crafty  politician,  who  had  contrived  by  his  cunning,  to 
retain  his  power  in  the  court  for  more  than  sixty  years :  and 
who  had  kept  in  favour  with  the  late  king,  by  consulting  and 
anticipating  all  his  voluptuous  inclinations. 

Antiochus,  king  of  Syria,  and  Philip,  king  of  Macedonia, 
on  the  death  of  Ptolemy  Philopater,  entered  into  a  league  to 
conquer  Egypt,  and  divide  the  kingdom  between  them ;  but  the 
rulers  of  Egypt,  to  defend  themselves  against  this  formidable 
coalition,  sent  an  embassy  to  the  Romans  whose  power  had  now 
risen  to  greatness,  and  who  were  ever  disposed  to  extend  it 
more  and  more.  Just  about  this  time,  Scipio  had  defeated 
Hannibal  in  Africa,  so  that  the  Romans  being  delivered  from  a 
dangerous  enemy,  were  now  at  liberty  to  turn  their  attention 


490  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

to  the  east.  Accordingly,  they  did  not  hesitate  to  take  the 
young  king  under  their  protection. 

The  Jewish  writers — the  worst  historians  that  ever  lived — 
inform  us,  that  in  the  year  203  B.  C.,  Joshua  the  son  of  Pera- 
chia,  was  made  president  of  the  Sanhedrim,  and  Nathan  the 
Arbelite,  the  vice-president.  Of  the  latter  they  have  given  us 
no  information,  but  of  the  former  they  tell  a  story  the  most 
absurd  and  inconsistent  with  chronology.  The  sum  of  it  is, 
that  for  reproving  Alexander,  the  Asmonean  king,  who  had 
slain  the  doctors  at  Jerusalem,  he  was  obliged  to  flee  to  Egypt ; 
and  that  Jesus  Christ  being  his  scholar,  accompanied  him 
thither ;  whereas,  the  time  which  they  assigned  for  this  man's 
entering  on  his  presidency  was  many  years  before  the  reign  of 
Alexander  the  Asmonean,  and  two  hundred  years  before  the 
birth  of  Christ ! 

The  war  between  Antiochus  and  the  Egyptians  went  on,  not- 
withstanding the  Romans  had  sent  a  formal  embassy  to  the 
former,  announcing  that  they  had  undertaken  the  guardian- 
ship of  the  young  king ;  and  Antiochus  having  defeated  Scopas 
the  Egyptian  general,  in  a  great  battle  at  Paneas,  near  the 
scources  of  the  Jordan,  soon  got  possession  of  all  Palestine  and 
Coelo-Syria. 

At  this  time  the  Jews  were  much  disaffected  towards  the 
Egyptian  government;  and  when  Antiochus  came  with  his 
army  to  Jerusalem,  they  received  him  with  gladness,  and  enter- 
tained his  whole  army  and  elephants  bountifully,  as  long  as  he 
remained.  Antiochus,  in  return,  granted  them  many  privi- 
leges, and  particularly  ordained,  that  no  stranger,  of  whatever 
quality,  should  pass  over  the  sept,  into  the  sacred  inclosure  of 
the  temple. 

But  Antiochus  was  no  stranger  to  the  Jews,  before  this  visit 
to  Jerusalem.  Many  of  them  resided  in  Babylonia,  who  were 
very  serviceable  to  him  in  his  eastern  expedition,  and  of  whose 
fidelity  he  entertained  the  highest  opinion.  And  a  sedition 
having  once  arisen  in  Phrygia  and  Lydia,  he  transplanted  two 
thousand  Jewish  families  from  Mesopotamia  into  those  regions, 
with  a  view  to  keep  the  people  quiet,  by  stationing  them  in  the 
strongest  fortresses.  The  descendants  of  these  Jews  were 
found  in  great  numbers  in  Asia  Minor,  when  the  gospel 
was  first  propagated  in  those  regions,  by  the  labours  of-  the 
apostles. 

In  the  year  195  B.  C.,  Hannibal,  the  famous  Carthagenian 
general,  who  had  lived  quietly  at  Carthage,  being  suspected  of 
inimical  designs  by  the  Romans,  fled  to  the  court  of  Antiochus. 
When  he  arrived,  the  latter  had  been  debating  with  himself 
about  engaging  in  a  war  with  the  Romans ;  which  point,  how- 
ever, was  soon  decided  after  the  arrival  of  Hannibal,  who  had 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  491 

in  many  battles  vanquished  the  Romans,  and  who  induced 
Antiochus  to  believe  that  with  his  aid  they  could  be  easily 
overcome. 

In  the  same  year,  195  B.  C.,  Simon  the  high-priest  of  the 
Jews  died,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  oldest  son,  Onias  the 
third,  who  held  that  office  twenty-four  years.  .  He  had  the 
character  of  being  a  worthy  good  man,  but  happened  on  evil 
times,  and  perished  in  them,  as  shall  be  related  in  its  place. 
About  this  time  died  Erastosthenes,  the  second  keeper  of 
the  famous  library  of  Alexandria,  in  the  eighty-fourth  year 
of  his  age,  and  was  succeeded  by  Apollonius  Rhodius,  the 
author  of  the  Argonautics,  who  had  been  a  scholar  of  Calli- 
machus.  He  was  called  Rhodius,  not  because  he  was  born  at 
Rhodes,  for  he  was  a  native  of  Alexandria;  but  he  had  long 
resided  in  that  island,  from  which  he  was  recalled  to  take 
charge  of  the  library. 

Antiochus,  having  determined  on  war  with  the  Romans, 
used  a  wise  policy  in  strengthening  himself,  by  forming  allian- 
ces and  matrimonial  connexions  with  the  kings  who  might  have 
it  in  their  power  to  aid  or  injure  him.  And  if  he  had  listened 
to  the  counsel  of  Hannibal,  who  would  have  had  him  land  an 
army  immediately  in  Italy,  agreeably  to  the  plan  pursued  so 
successfully  by  himself,  there  is  no  knowing  what  the  event 
might  have  been.  But  by  some  means,  the  old  African  gene- 
ral had  fallen  into  suspicion  with  Antiochus,  and  his  counsels 
were  not  followed.  On  the  contrary,  it  was  determined  to 
commence  hostilities  in  Greece.  But  in  all  his  designs  against 
the  Romans,  he  was  unsuccessful,  and  at  last  was  forced  to 
retire  from  all  the  countries  of  Europe,  and  quit  all  Asia  west 
of  mount  Taurus,  and  pay  the  whole  expenses  of  the  war, 
which  were  estimated  at  fifteen  thousand  talents. 

Antiochus,  finding  it  very  difficult  to  raise  so  large  a  sum  of 
money,  marched  into  the  eastern  provinces  to  collect  the 
arrears  of  tribute  which  were  then  due.  When  he  had  come 
into  the  province  of  Elymais,  hearing  that  a  vast  treasure  lay 
concealed  in  the  temple  of  Belus,  he  seized  the  temple  by 
night,  and  rifled  it  of  its  treasures.  On  account  of  this  act  of 
sacrilege,  the  inhabitants  actuated  by  the  fury  of  religious  zeal, 
rose  against  him,  and  slew  him  and  all  that  were  with  him.  In 
this  statement,  Diodorus  Siculus,  Justin,  Strabo,  and  Jerome, 
agree ;  but  Aurelius  Victor  says,  he  was  slain  by  some  of  his 
own  followers. 

Antiochus  was  a  prince  of  clemency,  justice,  and  beneficence; 
and  until  the  fiftieth  year  of  his  age,  administered  his  affairs 
with  much  discretion ;  so  that  his  enterprises  were  attended 
with  almost  uniform  success,  which  obtained  for  him  the  name 
of  Great.  But  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  declining  in  wis- 


492  HISTORY   OF  THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION 

dom  as  well  as  vigour,  his  course  became  disastrous,  and  his 
bright  prospects  were  greatly  clouded  over;  for  being  van- 
quished by  the  Romans,  he  was  driven  out  of  the  best  part  of 
his  dominions,  and  was  forced  to  accept  very  hard  and  disgrace- 
ful terms  of  peace.  And  at  last  lost  his  life  while  engaged  in 
an  impious  enterprise;  so  that  the  close  of  his  career  formed  a 
perfect  contrast  to  the  glory  of  his  early  exploits. 

The  prophecies  of  Daniel,  recorded  in  the  eleventh  chapter, 
from  the  tenth  to  the  nineteenth  verse,  had  their  exact  fulfil- 
ment in  the  actions  of  Antiochus. 

In  the  year  that  Antiochus  died,  Cleopatra  his  daughter,  and 
queen  of  Egypt,  the  wife  of  Ptolemy  Epiphanes,  having  given 
birth  to  a  son,  who  afterwards  succeeded  his  father,  by  the 
name  of  Ptolemy  Philometor,  all  the  great  men  and  nobility  of 
Coelo-Syria  and  Palestine  hastened  to  Alexandria  to  present 
their  congratulations  to  the  king.  Joseph,  the  king's  receiver 
general,  of  whom  we  have  spoken  before,  and  who  had  con- 
tinued in  office  all  this  time,  being  now  too  old  to  take  such  a 
journey,  sent  his  son  Hyrcanus  to  make  his  compliments  to  the 
Egyptian  court. 

Josephus  gives  a  very  curious  account  of  the  circumstances 
connected  with  the  birth  of  Hyrcanus ;  a  brief  outline  of  which 
I  shall  now  lay  before  the  reader. 

Joseph,  having  often  occasion  to  visit  Alexandria,  in  the 
execution  of  his  office,  on  one  occasion  took  with  him  a 
brother  by  the  name  of  Solymius,  who  having  a  very  beautiful 
daughter  of  marriageable  age,  took  her  along,  probably  with 
the  view  of  obtaining  for  her  a  respectable  connexion  in  mar- 
riage with  some  wealthy  Jew  of  Alexandria.  While  they  were 
at  court,  Joseph  was  desperately  smitten  with  the  beauty  of  a 
young  Egyptian  girl,  whom  he  had  seen  in  one  of  the  dances 
which  took  place  in  the  palace.  Being  unable  to  suppress  the 
violence  of  his  passion,  he  solicited  his  brother  to  endeavour  to 
obtain  this  beautiful  dancing  girl  as  a  concubine  for  him.  So- 
lymius, while  he  seemed  to  assent  to  his  brother's  proposal,  yet 
resolved  to  prevent  his  forming  such  a  connexion  with  a  heathen 
woman ;  and  the  method  which  he  took,  according  to  our  ideas 
of  propriety,  were  very  unbecoming  in  the  father  of  a  young 
virgin.  For,  as  Josephus  tells  the  story,  instead  of  introducing 
to  his  brother's  bed  the  Egyptian  girl,  he  substituted  his  own 
daughter,  and  the  affair  was  so  managed  that  for  some  days  the 
cheat  was  not  discovered.  But  Joseph  becoming  more  and 
more  attached  to  his  Egyptian  concubine,  as  he  supposed  she 
was,  expressed  his  devoted  attachment  to  his  brother,  who  then 
confessed  to  him  what  he  had  done,  and  avowed  as  his  motive, 
the  desire  of  keeping  him  from  violating  the  law  of  God,  by 
taking  a  strange  wife,  against  which  the  displeasure  of  the 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  493 

Lord  had  been  so  strongly  manifested  in  the  days  of  Ezra  and 
Nehemiah.  Joseph  was  so  far  from  expressing  any  displeasure, 
that  he  thanked  his  brother  for  his  friendship  in  thus  taking 
measures  to  preserve  him  from  a  disgraceful  transgression  of 
the  law  of  God.  Joseph  now  received  his  brother's  daughter 
as  his  lawful  wife;  for  the  Jews  hold  that  for  a  man  to  marry 
his  niece  is  no  violation  of  the  law  of  Moses,  nor  of  the  law  of 
nature ;  but  for  a  man  to  marry  his  aunt  is  forbidden,  and  is 
contrary  to  the  law  of  nature;  because  it  reverses  the  order  of 
reverence  and  obedience  which  younger  persons  naturally  owe 
to  their  near  relatives  of  superior  age  and  relative  standing. 
This  story  should  not  have  been  introduced  here,  but  for  the 
important  figure  which  Hyrcanus,  the  fruit  of  this  marriage, 
makes  in  the  subsequent  history  of  the  Jews. 

Joseph  had  seven  other  sons  by  another  wife,  all  older  than 
Hyrcanus,  to  each  of  whom  he  offered  the  commission  to  go  as 
his  deputy  to  the  court  of  Ptolemy ;  but  they  all  refusing,  Hyr- 
canus, then  a  very  young  man,  undertook  it.  And  as  he  had  a 
very  large  sum  of  the  collected  tribute  to  pay  into  the  king's 
treasury,  he  persuaded  his  father  not  to  send  presents  from 
Judea,  but  to  permit  him  to  purchase  in  Alexandria  such 
articles  as  would  be  suitable  for  the  occasion.  Accordingly,  an 
order  was  given  by  Joseph  to  Arion  his  agent,  to  let  his  son 
have  as  much  money  as  he  should  need.  But  Hyrcanus,  on 
his  arrival,  instead  of  demanding  ten  talents,  or  any  moderate 
sum,  required  a  thousand  talents  to  be  paid  to  him ;  equal  to  a 
hundred  thousand  pounds  sterling.  With  this  money  he  pur- 
chased one  hundred  beautiful  boys,  as  a  present  for  the  king, 
and  as  many  beautiful  maidens  for  the  queen.  Each  of  these, 
when  presented,  carried  a  talent  in  their  hands.  By  this  means 
he  so  ingratiated  himself  into  the  favour  of  the  king  and  queen, 
that  he  came  away  with  a  commission  to  collect  the  king's 
revenues  in  all  the  country  beyond  Jordan.  Having  thus 
overreached  his  father,  and  having  obtained  for  himself  most  of 
that  authority  and  influence  which  his  father  had  so  long  pos- 
sessed, his  brothers  were  so  enraged  against  him,  that  they  laid 
a  plot  to  assassinate  him ;  but  being  well  attended,  he  got  the 
better  of  them  in  the  affray,  and  left  two  of  them  dead  on  the 
spot ;  on  which  account,  his  father  being  greatly  exasperated, 
as  well  as  for  his  unfair  dealing  in  Egypt,  refused  any  longer  to 
own  him.  Hyrcanus  now  passed  over  Jordan,  to  execute  his 
office ;  but  his  father  dying  soon  afterwards,  a  violent  dissension 
arose  between  him  and  his  remaining  brothers,  about  the  pos- 
session of  his  estate,  which  was  carried  on  with  such  violence 
on  both  sides,  that  for  some  time  the  peace  of  Jerusalem  was 
disturbed  by  their  quarrels. 

The  high-priest  and  people  of  Jerusalem,  generally,  took  part 


494  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

•with  the  brothers ;  and  Hyrcanus  was  obliged  to  retreat  again 
beyond  Jordan,  where  he  built  a  strong  fortress  which  he  called 
Tyre,  and  from  which  he  carried  on  a  predatory  war  with  the 
neighbouring  Arabs.  These  events  occurred  while  Seleucus 
Philopator,  the  son  of  Antiochus  the  Great,  reigned  in  Persia; 
but  when  Antiochus  Epiphanes  succeeded  to  the  throne,  and  had 
regained  these  provinces,  Hyrcanus  attracted  his  attention,  and 
he  threatened  to  execute  vengeance  upon  him  for  his  lawless 
conduct.  On  hearing  of  this,  Hyrcanus  fell  on  his  sword,  and 
killed  himself.  Before  his  death,  however,  he  had  contrived  to 
gain  over  Onias,  the  high-priest,  who  undertook  the  safe-keep- 
ing of  his  treasure,  and  laid  it  up  for  him  in  the  temple,  which 
•was  probably  the  first  occasion  of  the  quarrel  between  Onias 
and  Simon  the  governor  of  the  temple,  who  is  believed  to  have 
been  the  brother  of  Hyrcanus. 

It  seems  that  Joseph  had  been  appointed  governor  of  the 
temple.  He  was,  perhaps,  the  first  who  held  that  office ;  for 
before  this  time,  the  high-priest  seems  to  have  had  the  sole  autho- 
rity in  Jerusalem.  But  the  kings  who  ruled  over  Palestine,  no 
doubt  found  it  convenient  to  have  an  officer  of  their  own  selec- 
tion stationed  in  that  important  city ;  and  Joseph  being  greatly 
in  favour  of  the  Ptolemies,  as  he  was  ever  faithful  to  their  inte- 
rests, was  probably  clothed  with  authority  to  act  for  them  in 
Jerusalem.  However  this  may  be,  we  find  Simon  a  Benjamite, 
holding  this  office  in  the  year  176  B.  C.,  who  is  believed  to  have 
been  the  son  of  Joseph,  as  before  hinted.  Between  this  man 
and  Onias  the  high-priest,  a  difference  arose;  and  when  Simon 
could  not  prevail,  he  and  his  associates,  who  are  called  the  sons 
of  Tobias,  fled  from  Jerusalem,  and  went  to  Apollonius, 
governor  of  Ccelo-Syria,  informing  him  that  great  treasures 
were  concealed  in  the  temple  of  Jerusalem ;  in  consequence  of 
which  intelligence,  the  king  sent  his  treasurer,  Heliodorus,  to 
bring  them  away. 

An  account  of  what  befell  Heliodorus  in  consequence  of  this 
sacrilegious  attempt  to  rifle  the  temple  of  Jehovah,  is  related  at 
large  in  the  third  chapter  of  the  second  book  of  Maccabees. 

The  substance  of  this  account  is,  that  Heliodorus,  on  coming 
to  Jerusalem,  notwithstanding  the  determined  opposition  of 
Onias  the  high-priest,  the  solemn  and  importunate  entreaties  of 
the  other  priests  and  Levites,  and  the  mournings  and  supplica- 
tions of  all  ranks  and  sexes,  would  not  be  diverted  from  his 
purpose.  But  when,  with  his  guard,  he  had  penetrated  to  the 
treasury,  he  was  met  with  a  fearful  apparition ;  for  "  there  ap- 
peared unto  him  a  horse  with  a  terrible  rider  upon  him,  and 
adorned  with  a  very  fair  covering ;  and  he  ran  fiercely  and 
smote  at  Heliodorus  with  his  fore-feet ;  and  it  seems  that  he  that 
sat  upon  the  horse  had  complete  harness  of  gold.  Moreover, 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  495 

two  other  young  men  appeared  before  him,  notable  in  strength, 
excellent  in  beauty,  and  comely  in  apparel,  who  stood  by  him  on 
the  other  side,  and  scourged  him  continually,  and  gave  him 
many  sore  stripes.  And  Heliodorus  fell  suddenly  upon  the 
ground,  and  was  compassed  with  great  darkness;  but  they  that 
were  about  him  took  him  up  and  put  him  upon  a  litter."  And 
he  was  restored  only  through  the  prayers  of  the  high-priest. 
(See  the  account  in  full,  2  Mac.  ii.  3.) 


SECTION  XIII. 

JUDEA      FALLS     UNDER      THE     POWER     OF      ANTIOCHUS — PREDICTIONS     RESPECTING 

SELEUCUS — GOOD     CHARACTER     OF      ONIAS     THE     HIGH     PRIEST JASON'S   WICKED 

CONDUCT AND    THE    MORE   WICKED   OF    MENELAUS — DEATH    OF    ONIAS — ROBBERY 

OF  THE  TEMPLE  BY  LYSIMACHUS — STRANGE  SIGHTS  SEEN  AT  JERUSALEM — TEM- 
PLE DESECRATED  BY  ANTIOCHUS — WRETCHED  END  OF  MENELAUS — ANTIOCHUS 
INVADES  EGYPT,  BUT  IS  MET  BY  AN  EMBASSY  FROM  BOME — DREADFUL  PER- 
SECUTION OF  THE  JEWS  BY  ANTIOCHUS  EPIPHANES. 

AFTER  the  battle  of  Paneas,  before  mentioned,  Judea  and  all 
the  neighbouring  provinces  came  under  the  power  of  Antiochus 
the  Great.  But  when  he  made  peace  with  Ptolemy,  and  gave 
his  daughter  Cleopatra  in  marriage  to  him,  these  provinces  it 
was  agreed  should  go  with  her,  as  a  part  of  her  dowry.  There 
is,  however,  reason  to  believe,  that  this  treaty  was  never  execu- 
ted, so  far  as  relates  to  these  intermediate  countries :  for  in  the 
reign  of  Seleucus,  the  successor  of  Antiochus,  we  find  them 
still  under  the  Syrian  government ;  yet  if  the  story  of  Josephus, 
related  above,  respecting  Hyrcanus,  is  worthy  of  credit,  they 
must  have  belonged  to  Egypt  at  the  birth  of  Ptolemy  Philome- 
tor.  There  seems  to  be,  therefore,  a  chasm  in  the  history  of 
Judea,  about  this  period.  It  is  certain,  however,  from  the 
testimony  both  of  Josephus  and  the  author  of  the  second  book 
of  Maccabees,  that  they  were  in  the  possession  of  Seleucus  king 
of  Syria,  at  the  time  of  his  decease. 

The  prophet  Daniel,  who  was  so  particular  in  predicting  the 
fortunes  of  Antiochus  the  Great,  has  not  passed  over  his  succes- 
sor Seleucus,  without  notice.  He  is  spoken  of  as  his  successor, 
in  the  words  following :  "  There  should  stand  upon  his  estate 
a  raiser  of  taxes."  And  it  is  a  fact,  that  Seleucus  was  occupied 
during  his  whole  reign  in  collecting  money  from  all  quarters  to 
pay  what  had  been  laid  upon  his  father,  by  the  Romans.  The 
whole  sum  was  fifteen  thousand  Eubaean  talents,  which  they 
agreed  should  be  paid  by  instalments  of  a  thousand  talents 
annually,  and  the  last  of  the  years  of  this  tribute,  was  the  last 
of  his  life ;  so  he  did  little  else  than  gather  taxes.  But  the 
prophecy  goes  on  to  say,  that,  "  Within  a  few  years  he  should 
be  destroyed,  and  that  neither  in  anger,  nor  in  battle."  And 


496  HISTOKY   OP  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

so  it  turned  out,  for  he  was  neither  slain  in  foreign  war,  nor 
sedition  at  home,  but  fell  by  the  treachery  of  one  of  his  own 
friends. 

Seleucus  died  in  the  year  175  B.  C.,  and  Heliodorus,  who 
was  the  treacherous  author  of  his  death,  used  every  effort  to 
place  himself  on  the  throne.  Antiochus  the  brother  of  Seleu- 
cus, hearing  of  his  death  at  Athens,  and  of  the  treasonable 
designs  of  Heliodorus,  who  had  secured  a  powerful  party  in  his 
favour,  applied  to  Eumenes  the  king  of  Pergamus,  and  to  Atta- 
lus  his  brother,  to  assist  him  in  getting  possession  of  the  throne, 
to  which  he  was  the  legitimate  heir;  which,  through  policy, 
they  did.  Fearing  a  war  with  the  Romans,  they  knew  that 
the  friendship  of  the  king  of  Syria  would  be  important.  Antio- 
chus, when  seated  on  his  throne,  took  the  name  of  Epiphanes, 
which  signifies  illustrious,  the  very  opposite  of  his  true  charac- 
ter. The  unerring  pen  of  the  prophet  gives  an  exact  descrip- 
tion of  this  prince,  when  he  is  called  "  a  vile  person ."  (Dan.  xi. 
21.)  The  original,  however,  would  be  more  correctly  rendered, 
a  despicable  person.  But  the  truth  of  this  character  is  also 
confirmed  by  the  most  unexceptionable  testimony  of  profane 
writers.  Polybius,  Philarchus,  Livy,  and  Diodorus  Siculus,  the 
two  first  of  whom  were  contemporary  with  him,  all  concur  in 
describing  him  as  a  king  of  corrupt  manners,  of  which  they  give 
many  pertinent  examples.  Indeed  his  conduct  was  so  extrava- 
gant and  so  unbecoming  his  royal  station,  that  he  appeared  to 
many  to  be  a  fool  or  insane ;  and  for  shameless  impudence,  and 
beastly  lust  and  intemperance,  no  one  could  be  more  debased. 

Onias,  who  was  now  high-priest,  was  held  in  great  esteem  by 
all  the  people  for  his  piety  and  justice;  but  he  had  a  brother 
named  Jason,  of  a  very  opposite  character.  The  ambition  of 
this  man  led  him  to  the  impious  attempt  to  supplant  his  brother. 
And  knowing  the  high  esteem  in  which  Onias  was  held,  he  pre- 
vailed upon  Antiochus  to  call  him  to  Antioch,  that  he  might  be 
out  of  his  way.  To  induce  Antiochus,  who  was  in  great  need 
of  money,  to  comply  with  his  wishes,  he  offered  him  a  large  sum. 
In  addition  to  what  Jason  gave  the  king  for  the  priesthood,  he 
offered  a  hundred  and  fifty  talents  more  for  the  liberty  of  erect- 
ing a  gymnasium  and  an  ephibeum,  according  to  the  manner 
of  the  Greeks,  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem.  He  also  bargained 
with  the  king  to  have  as  many  of  the  Jews,  as  he  wished,  made 
freemen  of  Antioch.  This  introduction  of  Grecian  customs 
and  Grecian  amusements,  had  a  powerful  tendency  to  corrupt 
the  young  people  of  the  Jewish  nation,  who  appear  by  their 
long  captivity  to  have  been  entirely  weaned  from  their  propen- 
sity to  idolatry.  But  now,  through  the  dissolute  principles  of 
Jason,  a  great  corruption  of  manners  took  place.  The  services 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OP  JUDEA.  497 

of  the  altar  were  often  neglected,  and  many  of  the  Jews  aposta- 
tized from  their  religion. 

Upon  the  death  of  Ptolemy  Philometor,  Cleopatra  his  queen, 
the  sister  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  administered  the  affairs  of 
the  kingdom  with  much  prudence.  But  on  her  decease,  Ptolemy 
Philometor  being  still  an  infant,  the  administration  fell  into  the 
hands  of  some  of  the  nobility;  who  speedily  involved  the 
country  in  a  war  with  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  by  a  demand  of 
the  provinces  of  Coelo-Syria,  Palestine,  and  Phenicia,  which 
had  always  belonged  to  Egypt,  until  the  times  of  Antiochus  the 
Great. 

Ptolemy  Philometor,  having  reached  his  fourteenth  year,  was 
crowned  king,  and  inaugurated  with  great  pomp.  Jason,  now 
high-priest,  sent  his  brother  Menelaus  to  the  king  at  Antioch, 
to  carry  the  tribute  due  from  the  province  of  Judea.  This  man, 
being  even  more  unprincipled  than  his  brother,  availed  himself 
of  the  favourable  opportunity  which  this  embassy  afforded,  to 
supplant  Jason,  as  Jason  had  Onias.  The  king,  regardless  of 
the  Jewish  law  and  of  the  wishes  of  the  people,  for  the  sake  of 
a  higher  price,  agreed  to  advance  Menelaus  to  the  priesthood; 
but  on  his  arrival,  the  party  of  Jason  proved  too  powerful  for 
him,  so  that  he  was  obliged  to  return  to  Antioch.  Here  he 
showed  how  little  he  cared  for  the  priesthood  or  the  religion  of 
his  fathers,  by  offering,  with  his  adherents,  to  embrace  the  reli- 
gion of  the  king.  His  only  object  in  aspiring  to  the  office  of 
high-priest,  was  to  obtain  the  civil  power  which  had  been  con- 
nected with  it  since  the  days  of  Nehemiah;  for  during  this  long 
period,  the  high-priests  were  invested  with  the  principal  author- 
ity in  all  civil  as  well  as  ecclesiastical  affairs.  Antiochus  being 
much  gratified  with  the  offer  of  Menelaus  to  conform  to  his 
religion,  sent  now  along  with  him  to  Jerusalem  a  sufficient  force 
to  place  him  in  the  office.  Jason  was  therefore  obliged  to  flee 
to  the  land  of  the  Ammonites. 

Menelaus,  being  now  advanced  to  the  high-priesthood,  was 
little  careful  to  pay  the  money  which  he  had  promised  for  the 
office :  on  which  the  king  summoned  both  him  and  the  captain 
of  the  temple  to  appear  before  him  at  Antioch.  When  they 
arrived  at  that  city,  the  king  was  gone  to  suppress  an  insurrec- 
tion in  Asia  Minor.  This  gave  Menelaus  time  to  make  an  exer- 
tion to  raise  the  money,  which  he  effected  by  purloining  some 
of  the  golden  vessels  which  belonged  to  the  temple,  and  caus- 
ing them  to  be  sold  at  Tyre.  By  this  means,  he  not  only 
raised  the  sum  due  to  the  king,  but  was  able  to  bribe  Androni- 
cus,  and  some  other  of  the  courtiers,  to  use  their  influence  in 
his  favour. 

Onias  still  resided  at  Antioch,  and  by  his  piety  and  virtue 
had  greatly  won  the  affections  of  the  people.  When  he  was 
32 


498  HISTORY  OF   THE    ISRAELITISH   NATION 

informed  of  the  sacrilege  of  his  brother  Menelaus,  he  sharply 
reproved  him ;  by  which  he  was  so  deeply  offended,  that  he  got 
Andronicus  to  agree  to  murder  Onias.  Onias  obtaining  infor- 
mation of  this  plot,  fled  to  the  famous  asylum  at  Daphne;  but 
Andronicus,  by  various  flattering  and  false  pretences,  having 
enticed  him  from  the  sanctuary,  immediately  destroyed  him. 
"With  this  act  of  cruelty  towards  so  good  a  man,  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Antioch  were  so  much  displeased,  that  when  the  king 
returned,  they  made  complaint  of  Andronicus.  Antiochus  as 
soon  as  he  had  satisfied  himself  of  the  truth  of  the  charge, 
ordered  Andronicus  to  be  taken  and  killed  on  the  very  spot 
•where  he  had  slain  Onias.  The  time  of  the  priesthood  of  Onias 
until  his  death,  was  twenty-four  years. 

In  the  meantime  a  great  mutiny  arose  at  Jerusalem,  respect- 
ing the  vessels  which  had  been  taken  from  the  temple  by  order 
of  Menelaus.  He  having  gone  to  Antioch,  had  left  Lysima- 
chus,  another  brother  no  better  than  himself,  to  manage  his 
affairs  during  his  absence.  He  used  his  instrumentality  to  pro- 
cure the  vessels  above  mentioned,  which  he  sold  at  Tyre.  The 
report  of  this  sacrilegious  action  having  got  wind  among  the 
people,  produced  a  wonderful  tumult.  Lysimachus,  to  defend 
himself  against  the  multitude,  collected  around  him  about 
three  thousand  men ;  but  the  multitude  becoming  outrageous, 
fell  upon  them,  and  having  slain  many  of  them,  found  their 
way  to  the  presence  of  Lysimachus,  whom  they  put  to  death. 

The  war  having  commenced  (170  years  before  Christ)  be- 
tween Antiochus  and  the  king  of  Egypt,  while  he  was  at  Tyre 
•with  his  army,  the  Jews  sent  an  embassy  of  three  respectable 
citizens  to  complain  of  the  conduct  of  Menelaus.  These 
ambassadors  were  commissioned  by  the  Sanhedrim,  and  on 
being  admitted  to  an  audience,  made  good  their  accusation. 
Menelaus,  to  avoid  the  sentence  which  he  deserved,  bribed  with 
a  great  sum,  one  of  the  king's  chief  favourites,  by  whose  influ- 
ence it  was  brought  about,  that  Antiochus,  instead  of  punishing 
the  sacrilegious  priest,  put  to  death  the  three  envoys  from 
Jerusalem. 

At  Jerusalem,  about  this  time,  there  were  seen  strange 
sights  in  the  air,  for  forty  days  together;  horseman  and  foot- 
men armed  with  shields,  spears  and  swords,  and  in  great  com- 
panies fighting  with  each  other,  as  in  battle  array ;  which  are 
supposed  to  have  been  ominous  of  the  calamities  which  speedily 
fell  on  that  city.  Similar  appearances  were  beheld  before  its 
utter  destruction  by  the  Romans. 

Antiochus  met  with  but  small  resistance  from  the  young 
king  of  Egypt,  who  seems  voluntarily  to  have  put  himself  into 
the  power  of  his  enemy.  "While  he  was  in  Egypt,  the  report 
reached  him  of  a  revolt  among  the  Jews.  Jason,  thinking  this 


TO   THE   CONQUEST   OF   JUDEA.   '  499 

a  good  opportunity  for  recovering  his  lost  power,  marched  to 
Jerusalem  with  more  than  a  thousand  men  and  took  the  city, 
forcing  Menelaus  to  take  refuge  in  the  castle,  and  exercising 
the  utmost  cruelty  on  the  citizens — putting  to  death  without 
mercy  as  many  of  his  adversaries  as  he  could  lay  hands  on. 
Antiochus  marched  with  all  hia  forces  into  Judea;  and  on  being 
told  that  the  people  of  Jerusalem  had  greatly  rejoiced  at  a 
report  which  had  been  circulated  of  his  death,  he  was  exceed- 
ingly exasperated ;  and  in  great  rage  laying  siege  to  Jerusalem, 
and  taking  the  city  by  force,  slew  of  the  inhabitants,  in  three 
days,  forty  thousand  persons,  and  sold  as  many  more  for 
slaves  to  the  neighbouring  nations.  But  the  impious  king  not 
contented  with  these  cruelties,  found  his  way  into  the  temple, 
under  the  guidance  of  Menelaus;  and  entering  into  its  inmost 
recesses,  polluted  by  his  presence  not  only  the  holy  place,  but 
also  the  holy  of  holies.  To  complete  the  climax  of  his  impieties, 
he  sacrificed  a  sow  upon  the  altar  of  burnt-offerings;  and  having 
ordered  broth  to  be  made  of  part  of  the  flesh,  he  had  it  sprin- 
kled all  over  the  temple,  that  its  defilement  might  be  carried  to 
the  very  uttermost.  After  this,  he  proceeded  to  plunder  it,  by 
taking  away  the  golden  altar,  the  table  of  shew-bread,  and  the 
golden  candlestick,  and  other  vessels,  to  the  value  of  eighteen 
hundred  talents  of  gold.  Having  completed  the  desecration 
and  robbery  of  the  temple,  the  wicked  wretch  marched  home  to 
Antioch,  laden  with  the  spoils  of  both  Egypt  and  Judea.  To 
increase  the  vexation  of  the  Jews,  he  appointed  one  Philip,  a 
Phrygian,  of  ferocious  temper,  to  be  ruler  of  Samaria ;  and, 
what  was  to  them  the  worst  of  all,  left  Menelaus  in  the  office  of 
high-priest.  As  soon  as  Antiochus  approached  Jerusalem, 
Jason  fled  again  to  the  Ammonites;  but  being  there  accused 
by  Aretas  king  of  the  Arabians,  of  some  injury  done  to  his 
dominions  in  that  vicinity,  he  fled  to  Egypt,  and  thence  to 
Greece,  hated  and  despised  of  all  men,  and  receiving  counte- 
nance from  none,  until  at  last  he  died  miserably  in  exile,  with- 
out even  a  decent  burial. 

When  the  Egyptians  found  that  through  the  imbecility  of 
Ptolemy  Philometor,  their  country  was  fallen  under  a  kind  of 
vassalage  to  Antiochus,  they  made  his  brother  king  in  his 
room,  whose  name  was  at  first  Ptolemy  Euergetes;  but  on 
account  of  his  corpulency  through  luxury,  he  was  afterwards 
known  by  the  name  of  Ptolemy  Physcon,  i.  e.  The  Fat.  This 
led  Antiochus  to  make  another  expedition  to  Egypt,  where, 
upon  his  arrival,  he  laid  siege  to  Alexandria;  but  being  unable 
to  take  the  city,  he  went  to  Memphis,  and  pretended  to  put 
the  whole  country  into  the  hands  of  the  elder  brother,  but 
reserved  in  his  own  hands  Pelusium,  the  key  of  the  country. 
After  his  departure,  the  brothers  were  reconciled,  through  the 


500  EXTORT   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

influence  of  Cleopatra  their  sister,  by  which  means  peace  was 
restored  to  Egypt;  the  youngest  brother  having  yielded  the 
throne  to  Philometor.  As  soon  as  Antiochus  heard  of  this 
revolution,  he  was  filled  with  rage ;  for  he  had  laid  his  plans  to 
set  them  at  war  with  each  other,  by  which  means  he  hoped  the 
country  would  fall  an  easy  prey  to  himself.  He,  therefore, 
sent  a  large  fleet  to  Cyprus,  from  which  island  he  designed  to 
invade  Egypt.  This  he  soon  after  did,  and  having  reduced  it 
as  far  as  Memphis,  laid  siege  to  Alexandria,  which  he  would 
have  taken,  had  he  not  been  met  by  a  Roman  embassy,  which 
put  an  end  to  all  his  fond  hopes  of  subduing  Egypt.  As  Popi- 
lius,  the  chief  of  this  embassy,  had  been  an  intimate  friend  of 
Antiochus,  when  he  resided,  in  his  younger  days,  at  Rome,  he 
offered  to  embrace  him  in  a  friendly  manner;  but  Popilius  drew 
back,  and  told  him  that  private  friendship  must  yield  to  the 
public  interest ;  and  when  he  observed  that  Antiochus  wished  to 
gain  time  and  not  to  give  an  immediate  answer,  he  took  his  staff, 
and  making  a  circle  round  him  in  the  sand,  peremptorily  told 
him,  that  he  should  not  move  out  of  that  circle,  until  he  had 
given  his  reply.  This  interposition  of  the  Romans  was  brought 
about  by  an  embassy  to  Rome  from  Cleopatra  and  Ptolemy 
Physcon,  during  the  former  siege  of  Alexandria.  The  ambas- 
sadors, on  that  occasion,  represented  the  dangerous  height  of 
power  to  which  Antiochus  was  likely  to  arise,  if  Egypt  should 
be  added  to  the  other  countries  under  his  dominion. 

Antiochus,  enraged  at  the  failure  of  his  design  upon  Egypt, 
but  not  daring  to  resist  the  Roman  power  which  was  now  grow- 
ing formidable  in  Greece,  where  Paulus  Emilius  had  just 
obtained  a  great  victory  over  the  Macedonians,  turned  his  wrath 
against  Judea.  On  his  march  homeward  from  Egypt,  he 
detached  from  his  army  two  and  seventy  thousand  men,  and 
sent  them,  under  the  command  of  Apollonius,  to  destroy  Jeru- 
salem. 

The  arrival  of  Apollonius  at  the  holy  city  was  just  two  years 
after  Antiochus  had  been  there  himself,  as  related  above.  At 
first  he  behaved  peaceably,  until  the  Sabbath  arrived,  when,  the 
people  being  all  collected  in  their  synagogues,  he  let  loose  his 
soldiers  among  them;  giving  them  orders  to  kill  all  the  men, 
and  seize  the  women  and  children,  that  they  might  be  sold  as 
slaves.  This  order  was  executed  with  the  most  horrid  cruelty. 
The  streets  of  Jerusalem  were  made  to  swim  with  the  blood  of 
its  innocent  inhabitants.  None  were  spared  on  whom  the  sol- 
diers could  lay  hands.  Having  completed  this  work  of  des- 
truction, Apollonius  spoiled  the  city  of  all  its  riches,  pulled 
down  the  walls,  and  set  fire  to  it  in  several  places.  Out  of  the 
ruins  of  the  walls  he  built  a  strong  fortress  over  against  the 
temple,  so  as  completely  to  command  that  edifice.  In  this  for- 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  501 

tress  he  placed  a  strong  garrison,  and  there  deposited  great 
quantities  of  arms  and  munitions  of  war,  together  with  the 
spoils  which  he  had  taken  from  the  city.  From  this  fortress, 
the  garrison  attacked  all  who  came  up  to  the  temple  with  their 
sacrifices,  or  to  worship,  and  shed  their  hlood  around  the  courts 
and  the  altar;  so  that  in  a  little  time,  the  service  of  the  temple 
fell  into  neglect ;  for  no  one  durst  come  up  thither  to  make  his 
offerings  according  to  the  law;  and  in  this  condition  did  affairs 
remain  for  three  years  and  a  half.  At  this  time  many  of  the 
pious  Jews  fled  into  the  wilderness,  where  they  concealed  them- 
selves in  caves  and  among  the  rocks,  living  upon  herbs  and 
such  scanty  provisions  as  the  wilderness  afforded. 

Antiochus,  after  his  return  to  Antioch,  issued  a  decree  that  all 
the  nations  within  his  dominions  should  worship  the  same  gods 
which  he  did.  This  was  particularly  intended  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Jews,  not  only  those  in  Palestine,  but  also  those 
who  were  scattered  through  the  surrounding  countries.  The 
heathen  conformed  without  scruple  to  the  king's  edict,  as  one 
form  of  idolatry  was  as  good,  in  their  view,  as  another.  The 
Samaritans,  also,  who  were  forward,  when  the  Jews  were  in  pros- 
perity, to  claim  kindred  with  them,  now  pretended  that  they 
were  of  Sidonian  origin,  and  manifested  no  opposition  to  con- 
forming to  the  king's  edict.  The  whole  weight  of  this  decree, 
therefore,  fell  on  the  afflicted  Jews.  The  Samaritans,  moreover, 
petitioned  that  their  temple  on  mount  Gerizim,  might  hence- 
forth be  dedicated  to  the  Grecian  Jupiter ;  which  being  favour- 
ably received  by  Antiochus,  he  sent  Nicanor  to  Samaria  to  see 
that  it  was  done  according  to  their  wish.  It  is  also  a  melan- 
choly truth,  that  under  this  grievous  persecution,  many  of  the 
Jews  also  fell  away  into  heathen  idolatry,  and  became  bitter 
enemies  to  the  religion  of  their  fathers;  joining  with  the  king 
in  all  his  cruel  persecutions  of  their  brethren. 

Antiochus  showed  that  he  was  in  good  earnest  in  executing 
this  decree;  for  he  sent  one  Athenaeus,  an  old  man,  well  skilled 
in  all  the  rites  of  the  Gentiles,  to  carry  it  into  full  effect  in 
Judea  and  Samaria.  All  sacrifices  to  the  God  of  Israel  were 
now  prohibited,  and  all  the  observances  of  the  Jewish  religion 
were  suppressed:  their  children  were  forbidden  to  be  circum- 
cised, and  their  law,  wherever  a  copy  could  be  found,  was  seized 
and  destroyed.  The  temple  itself  was  consecrated  to  Jupiter 
Olympus,  whose  image  was  set  up  over  the  altar  of  burnt-offer- 
ings, just  before  which  they  built  a  smaller  altar,  on  which 
sacrifices  were  offered  to  Jupiter.  The  same  change  was  made 
in  the  public  worship  at  Samaria,  but  with  the  full  consent  of 
the  people.  Their  temple  was  dedicated  to  Jupiter,  under  the 
name  of  Protector  of  Strangers. 

The  severity  with  which  this  cruel  and  impious  decree  was 


502  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

executed,  -will  appear  by  the  following  narrative :  Two  women 
were  discovered  in  Jerusalem  to  have  circumcised  their  new- 
born sons.  The  officers  suspended  the  children  around  the 
necks  of  their  mothers,  and  then  led  them  through  the  streets 
of  Jerusalem,  until  coming  to  a  high  part  of  the  wall,  they 
precipitated  them  from  the  top,  and  slew  all  who  had  given  any 
assistance  in  the  performance  of  the  sacred  rite.  With  the 
same  cruelty  they  persecuted  all  who  were  found  practising 
any  part  of  their  old  religion.  And  to  propagate  paganism 
more  effectually,  chapels  for  idols  were  erected  in  every  city, 
and  sacrifices  offered  to  their  false  deities.  The  feast  of  Bac- 
chus was  especially  celebrated,  in  which  the  Jews  were  forced 
to  join  the  procession,  carrying  in  their  hands  branches  of  ivy. 


SECTION  XIV. 

ASMONEAN    FAMILY    OF    MODIN — CONSTANCY  OF    MATTATHIAS HE  AND    HIS    FRIENDS 

TAKE    REFUGE    IN    THE    MOUNTAINS MARTRYDOM    OF    ELEAZAR OF    THE    MOTHER 

AND  HER  SEVEN  SONS — ASSIDEANS — ANTIOCHU9  AIMS  TO  DESTROY  ALL  COPIES  OF 
THE  LAW — DEATH  OF  MATTATHIAS — JUDAS  MACCABjEUS — BOOKS  OF  THE  MACCA- 
BEES  VICTORIES  OF  JUDAS ANTIOCHUS  RESOLVES  TO  DESTROY  THE  WHOLE  JEW- 
ISH NATION WONDERFUL  SUCCESS  OF  JUDAS OCCUPIES  JERUSALEM CLEANSES 

AND  DEDICATES  ANEW  THE  TEMPLE — PROPHECIES  RESPECTING  ANTIOCHUS  EPI- 
FHANES. 

WHILE  these  efforts  were  making  utterly  to  suppress  the  Jewish 
religion,  and  to  introduce  the  impure  rites  of  heathenism, 
Apelles,  one  of  the  officers  who  had  charge  of  this  matter,  came 
to  the  town  of  Modin,  where  Mattathias,  a  priest  of  the  course 
of  Joarib,  had  his  residence.  He  was  the  son  of  John,  the  son 
of  Simon,  the  son  of  Asmongeus;  from  whom  the  family  had 
the  name  of  Asmoneans.  This  man  was  truly  zealous  for  the 
law  of  his  God;  and  had, five  sons,  all  valiant  men,  and  equally 
zealous  for  the  law  as  himself.  The  names  of  these  young  men 
were,  John,  surnamed  Kaddis,  Simon,  called  Thassi,  Judas,  sur- 
named  Maccabaeus,  Eleazar,  named  Avaran,  and  Jonathan, 
whose  surname  was  Apphus. 

Apelles  having  called  together  the  inhabitants  of  Modin, 
informed  them  of  the  purpose  of  his  visit,  and  persuaded  them 
to  comply  with  the  king's  mandate;  and  especially  he  addressed 
himself  to  Mattathias,  as  being  the  principal  man  of  the  place ; 
promising,  that  if  by  his  example  he  would  induce  the  other 
inhabitants  to  obey,  he  should  be  advanced  to  great  power  and 
wealth.  To  which  the  venerable  Mattathias  answered  with  a  loud 
voice,  so  as  to  be  heard  by  all  the  people,  that  no  consideration 
should  induce  him  or  any  of  his  family  to  forsake  the  law  of 
their  God ;  but  that  they  would  still  adhere  to  the  covenant  which 
he  had  made  with  their  forefathers.  When  he  had  made  this 
public  declaration  of  his  steadfastness,  he  saw  one  of  the  Jews 


TO   THE   CONQUEST  OF   JUDEA.  503 

coming  up  to  offer  sacrifice  on  the  heathen  altar ;  at  the  sight 
of  which,  being  transported  with  zeal,  like  Phinehas  of  old,  he 
fell  upon  the  apostate  and  slew  him  at  the  altar.  After  this, 
he  and  his  sons  put  Apelles  and  all  his  attendants  to  the  sword, 
ajid  inviting  all  who  were  zealous  for  the  law  to  follow  him, 
retired  to  the  mountains.  Many  others,  in  various  places,  fol- 
lowed this  example ;  so  that  the  wilderness  was  filled  with  the 
refugees  who  had  escaped  from  the  cruel  persecution  which 
raged  throughout  Judea.  Against  them  Philip  the  Phrygian, 
governor  of  Samaria  and  Jerusalem,  went  out  with  an  army. 
At  first  he  persuaded  them  quietly  to  submit  to  the  king's 
authority;  promising  a  complete  amnesty  for  all  that  was  past. 
To  this  they  all  answered,  that  they  would  rather  die  than  for- 
sake the  law  of  their  God.  On  which  Philip  then  laid  siege  to 
the  cave  where  they  were  collected,  and  knowing  their  sacred 
regard  to  the  Sabbath,  he  waited  till  the  arrival  of  that  day  of 
rest,  when  he  fell  upon  them,  not  a  hand  being  raised  in  their 
defence,  and  all  the  men,  women,  and  children,  who  were  col- 
lected in  that  cave,  were  butchered. 

Mattathias  and  his  friends,  who  were  in  another  part  of  the 
mountain,  when  they  heard  of  this  disaster,  and  the  reason  of 
it,  held  a  solemn  consultation;  whether,  in  such  circumstances 
they  were  bound  by  the  laws  of  the  Sabbath,  foreseeing,  that 
on  these  principles,  they  must  all  inevitably  perish.  The  result 
of  their  deliberation  was,  that  in  such  a  case  the  law  of  God 
did  not  bind  them  to  refrain  from  self-defence.  Accordingly, 
it  was  resolved,  that  after  this  time,  when  assaulted  by  their 
enemies  upon  the  Sabbath,  they  would  fight  for  their  lives. 
Having  ratified  this  decree  by  the  consent  of  all  the  priests 
and  elders  who  were  with  them,  they  sent  it  to  those  through- 
out the  land  who  stood  up  for  the  observance  of  the  law ;  by 
whom  it  was  received  with  the  like  consent;  and  ever  after- 
wards it  was  made  the  rule,  in  all  the  wars  which  the  Jews 
waged  against  their  enemies. 

The  next  year,  167  B.  C.,  Antiochus  hearing  that  his  edict 
met  with  opposition  from  the  Jews  in  many  places,  came  him- 
self to  see  its  execution ;  and  to  strike  terror  into  the  other 
Jews  who  adhered  to  their  law,  he  exercised  the  greatest  cruel- 
ties on  such  as  fell  into  his  hands.  It  was  on  this  occasion, 
as  we  read  in  the  second  book  of  Maccabees,  that  Eleazar 
suffered  martyrdom;  and  a  mother  and  her  seven  sons,  who 
bravely  encountered  death,  "not  accepting  deliverance;"  (Heb. 
xi.  35,)  of  which  transactions  Josephus  has  also  given  a  very 
particular  account. 

In  the  meantime,  Mattathias  and  his  company  lay  concealed 
in  the  fastnesses  of  the  mountains,  where  they  were  scarcely 
accessible;  and  as  soon  as  Antiochus  had  returned  home,  great 


504  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

numbers  of  the  Jews  who  were  zealous  for  their  religion, 
resorted  to  Mattathias,  to  fight  for  the  law  of  their  God,  and 
for  their  liberties.  Among  these,  there  was  a  company  called 
Assideans,  men  mighty  in  valour,  and  of  great  zeal  for  the 
law,  who  had  voluntarily  devoted  themselves  to  a  more  rigid 
observance  of  it  than  others;  whence  they  obtained  the  name 
of  Chasidim,  or  Assideans,  that  is,  the  pious.  For  after  the 
return  of  the  Jews  from  the  Babylonish  captivity,  there  were 
two  sets  of  religious  men  among  them.  The  first  were  called 
Zadikim,  the  righteous;  who  were  contented  with  an  exact 
observance  of  the  written  law;  the  others,  Chasidim,  the  pious; 
•who,  to  the  written  law,  added  many  observances,  which  they 
had  received  from  the  tradition  of  the  elders. 

The  company  of  Mattathias  increased  so  much,  that  they 
began  to  assume  the  appearance  of  a  little  army.  He  no 
longer,  therefore,  confined  himself  to  his  fastnesses,  but  came 
boldly  forth  into  the  inhabited  country,  and  going  from  village 
to  village,  pulled  down  the  heathen  altars,  caused  the  male 
children  to  be  circumcised,  and  cut  off  all  apostates  and  perse- 
cutors, wherever  he  came.  He,  moreover,  re-establised  the 
•worship  of  the  true  God ;  and  having  recovered  several  copies 
of  the  law,  restored  the  worship  of  the  synagogue. 

One  object  at  which  Antiochus  aimed  in  his  persecution,  was 
to  destroy  all  copies  of  the  law.  A  proclamation  was  therefore 
made  by  him,  that  every  person,  who  was  in  possession  of  a 
copy,  should,  upon  pain  of  death,  deliver  it  up  to  his  officers. 
By  this  means,  all  the  copies  of  the  law  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  persecutors,  except  such  as  were  carried  away  by  those  who 
fled  into  the  wilderness.  And  when  they  did  obtain  them, 
they  either  destroyed  them,  or  polluted  them  by  painting  on 
their  margins  the  images  of  their  gods;  so  that  the  Jews  could 
make  no  further  use  of  them.  This  work  of  destruction,  how- 
ever, had  relation  only  to  the  books  of  Moses ;  for  these  only, 
had  before  this  time  been  read  in  the  synagogues.  Those 
Jews,  therefore,  who  still  persisted  in  attending  to  the  worship 
of  God,  being  destitute  of  copies  of  the  law,  began  now  to  read 
select  portions  of  the  prophets;  and  this  practice  has  been 
continued  in  the  synagogues  ever  since.  The  law  and  the  pro- 
phets are  both  read  every  Sabbath  day,  wherever  there  is  a 
synagogue  of  the  Jews. 

Mattathias,  being  advanced  in  years,  was  soon  worn  out  with 
this  state  of  perpetual  warfare,  and  died  the  very  next  year 
after  he  had  commenced  his  resistance  to  the  impious  edict  of 
the  king,  166  B.  C.  Before  his  death,  the  old  man  called  his  five 
sons  together  and  exhorted  them  to  stand  up  manfully  for  the 
law  of  their  God,  and  with  a  steady  courage  and  constancy  to 
fight  the  battles  of  Israel,  against  their  present  persecutors. 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  505 

That  there  might  be  no  contention  among  them  about  pre-emi- 
nence, he,  knowing  the  character  of  each,  appointed  Judas  to 
be  their  captain,  and  Simon  to  be  their  counsellor.  Mattathias 
was  then  buried  by  his  sons  in  Modin,  in  the  sepulchres  of  his 
forefathers,  and  great  lamentation  was  made  for  him  by  all  the 
faithful  in  Israel.  But  the  place  of  this  good  patriarch  was  more 
than  supplied  by  his  son  Judas  Maccabseus ;  for  as  soon  as  his 
father's  funeral  was  over,  he  took  on  him  the  chief  command  of 
the  forces  collected,  according  to  his  father's  will ;  and  his  army 
being  continually  increased  by  those  resorting  to  him  from  all 
parts,  who  were  zealous  for  the  law,  he  erected  his  standard  and 
marched  forth  to  meet  the  enemies  of  his  God.  The  inscription 
on  his  standard  consisted  of  the  initial  letters  of  the  words,  mi 
camo-Jca  baalim  Jehovah;  the  meaning  of  which  motto  is,  "who 
is  like  unto  thee  among  the  gods,  0  Jehovah?"  Hence,  Judas 
•was  called  Maccabseus,  and  all  who  followed  his  standard  were 
denominated  Maccabees  or  Maccabseans.  Such  abbreviations, 
and  names  formed  from  them,  are  so  common  among  the  Jews, 
that  it  will  be  unnecessary  to  give  particular  instances.  Because 
Ruffin  has  called  the  eldest  of  the  seven  brothers  who  suffered 
martyrdom,  Maccabaeus,  some  have  supposed  that  the  name  was 
derived  from  him;  but  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  Ruffin 
called  him  by  that  name,  because,  in  this  war  the  chief  defend- 
ers of  the  law  were  so  denominated. 

The  books  which  have  received  the  title,  Maccabees,  are  four 
in  number.  The  first  and  second  are  contained  in  the  Apocry- 
pha of  our  Bibles,  and  are  reckoned  to  be  canonical  by  the 
Romanists.  The  third  is  a  book,  already  mentioned,  which 
contains  the  history  of  Ptolemy  Philometor's  attempt  to  destroy 
all  the  Jews  in  Egypt  by  his  elephants.  The  fourth  is  a  histo- 
ry of  the  martyrdom  of  Eleazar  and  the  mother  and  her  seven 
sons,  by  Josephus  the  Jewish  historian. 

Antiochus,  the  king,  having  heard  that  Paulus  Emilius,  after 
his  victory  over  Perseus  king  of  Macedon,  had  celebrated 
games  at  Amphipolis,  on  the  river  Strymon,  proposed  to  do  the 
same  in  imitation  of  him,  at  Daphne,  near  Antioch.  These 
games  were  celebrated  with  much  pomp  and  at  great  expense, 
for  several  days,  during  which  time,  the  king  gave  himself  up  to 
his  usual  impudent  folly  and  vileness,  to  such  a  degree,  that  many 
decent  people  left  the  games  in  utter  disgust,  at  the  indecency 
of  his  behaviour.  But  while  Antiochus  was  thus  playing  the 
fool  at  Daphne,  Judas  was  playing  another  sort  of  game  in  Judea. 
He  went  round  the  cities,  as  his  father  had  done  before,  destroy- 
ing the  whole  apparatus  of  idolatry,  and  slaying  all  apostates 
from  the  true  religion;  and  not  only  delivered  the  faithful 
worshippers  of  God  from  their  oppressors,  but  fortified  the 
towns,  and  rebuilt  the  fortresses,  in  which  he  placed  strong 


506  HISTORY   OF   THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION 

garrisons,  that  henceforward  they  might  be  in  a  state  of 
security. 

Apollonius,  who  was  left  governor  of  those  regions,  now 
thought  it  high  time  to  arrest  the  alarming  progress  of  a  force, 
which,  in  the  beginning,  appeared  too  despicable  to  create  any 
apprehensions.  But  Judas,  on  the  first  meeting  with  this 
impious  foe,  who  had  spilled  so  much  innocent  blood  in  Jerusa- 
lem, fell  upon  his  army  with  such  vehemence  and  determined 
courage,  that  they  could  not  stand  before  him.  Apollonius 
himself  was  slain  in  the  battle,  and  a  great  slaughter  was  made 
among  his  soldiers.  Among  the  spoils  taken,  was  the  sword  of 
Apollonius  the  general,  which  Judas  took  to  himself,  and  used 
ever  afterwards,  in  all  his  battles. 

Seron,  deputy  governor  of  some  part  of  Coelo-Syria  under 
Macron,  on  hearing  of  the  overthrow  of  Apollonius,  collected 
all  the  forces  that  were  at  his  command,  and  marched  into 
Judea,  calculating  on  reaping  a  rich  harvest  of  renown,  by 
speedily  conquering  Judas,  whose  name  now  began  to  be  terri- 
ble. But  on  meeting  with  this  valiant  captain,  with  his  little 
army,  the  event  was  very  different  from  the  expectation  of  the 
haughty  Syrian:  for  he  met  with  the  same  fate  as  Apollonius, 
being  vanquished  and  slain  in  battle  by  Judas,  and  a  great 
slaughter  made  among  his  men. 

When  Antiochus  heard  of  these  two  defeats,  his  indignation 
and  fury  were  enkindled  to  the  highest  pitch,  and  he  immedi- 
ately gave  orders,  that  all  his  forces  should  be  collected,  intend- 
ing to  march  in  person  at  their  head  into  Judea,  and  inflict 
tremendous  vengeance  on  Judas  and  his  associates.  Upon  ex- 
amination of  his  treasury,  however,  it  was  found  that  there 
was  not  money  sufficient  to  pay  his  troops,  which  rendered  it 
necessary  to  suspend  his  design  of  utterly  extirpating  the  Jews, 
on  which  he  had  resolved. 

Antiochus  was  a  king  of  great  profusion  and  magnificence, 
dealing  out  to  his  followers  munificent  gifts,  so  that  he  obtained 
the  name  of  the  magnanimous  and  munificent.  And  thus  also  his 
character  exactly  answered  to  the  description  of  the  prophet, 
that  "he  should  scatter  among  his  followers  the  prey,  and  the 
spoil  and  riches."  Another  prophecy  of  Daniel  was  also  ful- 
filled at  this  time.  "  Tidings  came  to  him  out  of  the  East,  and 
out  of  the  North,  that  troubled  him ;"  (Dan.  xi.  24 — 44.)  For 
he  now  received  intelligence,  that  Artaxias,  king  of  Armenia, 
had  revolted  against  him ;  this  was  from  the  North ;  and  from 
Persia,  in  the  East,  he  learned  that  his  taxes,  of  which  he  now 
stood  in  so  much  need,  were  no  longer  duly  paid.  This  failure 
was  the  effect  of  his  laws  requiring  uniformity  in  religion,  by 
which  the  minds  of  the  Persians  were  disturbed  and  alienated. 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  507 

In  this  difficult  state  of  his  affairs,  he  resolved  to  divide  his 
army,  and  to  send  the  one  half  of  his  forces  against  Judea, 
under  Lysias ;  and  with  the  other  half,  to  march  himself  into 
Armenia  and  Persia.  Accordingly,  having  invested  Lysias, 
who  was  of  the  royal  family,  with  authority  over  all  the  coun- 
tries on  this  side  the  Euphrates,  and  having  committed  to  his 
tutelage  his  infant  son,  then  seven  years  of  age,  he  set  out  on 
his  march  to  the  East,  taking  the  route  over  mount  Taurus  into 
Armenia;  where,  having  vanquished  Artaxias,  and  made  him 
prisoner,  he  marched  directly  into  Persia. 

Lysias,  intent  on  executing  the  king's  orders,  which  required 
him  utterly  to  destroy  and  extirpate  the  whole  nation  of  the 
Jews,  and  to  settle  the  country  with  people  brought  from  among 
other  nations,  among  whom  the  lands  of  the  Jews  were  to  he 
divided,  made  haste  to  send  an  army  into  Judea;  which  seemed 
to  become  more  necessary  every  day,  as  intelligence  was  con- 
stantly received  of  the  progress  made  by  Judas,  in  bringing  all 
places  under  his  authority.  The  conduct  of  this  army  was 
committed  to  Ptolemy  Macron,  governor  of  Coelo- Syria,  who 
appointed  Nicanor  his  lieutenant,  and  sent  him  before  him  with 
twenty  thousand  men.  Gorgias,  an  old  and  experienced  soldier, 
was  associated  with  him  in  command.  But  Ptolemy  was  not 
long  in  following  with  the  rest  of  the  forces,  which,  when  joined 
together,  amounted  to  an  army  of  forty  thousand  infantry  and 
seven  thousand  horse.  They  met  with  no  obstacle  to  their 
march  until  they  came  near  to  Jerusalem,  where  they  encamped 
at  a  village  called  Emmaus.  To  this  place  also  resorted  mer- 
chants to  the  number  of  one  thousand,  who  came  to  purchase 
slaves.  For,  Nicanor  having  it  in  view  to  raise  two  thousand 
talents  to  pay  the  tribute  due  to  the  Romans,  had  made  procla- 
mation in  all  the  neighbouring  countries,  that  ninety  Jews 
would  be  sold  for  a  single  talent.  The  plan  was  to  kill  all  the 
full  grown  people  and  sell  the  rest  for  slaves. 

Judas,  finding  his  country  threatened  with  utter  destruction, 
for  the  orders  of  the  king  in  relation  to  the  extirpation  of  the 
Jewish  nation  were  known,  resolved,  with  his  associates,  to 
stand  on  their  defence,  and  bravely  fight  for  their  laws,  their 
lives,  and  their  liberties.  Having  about  six  thousand  men,  he 
divided  them  into  four  bands  of  fifteen  hundred  each.  Of  one 
of  these  Judas  himself  took  the  command,  and  committed  the 
others  to  three  of  his  brothers ;  he  then  led  his  little  army  to 
Mizpah,  there  to  supplicate  God  for  his  divine  aid,  in  this  time 
of  imminent  danger.  This  place  was  chosen  for  this  solemn 
purpose,  because  it  had  formerly  been  one  of  the  places  chosen 
of  God  for  his  worship,  and  Jerusalem  was  now  in  the  hands  of 
the  ememy.  When  they  arrived  at  Mizpah,  a  day  was  spent 


508  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

in  prayer  and  fasting  before  the  Lord,  immediately  after  which 
they  marched  to  meet  the  Syrian  host. 

Judas,  who  was  fighting  for  the  law  of  his  God,  was  very 
careful  to  observe  all  the  precepts  of  that  law  himself.  He, 
therefore,  made  proclamation,  that  all  who  had  recently  mar- 
ried wives,  built  houses,  or  planted  vineyards,  were  at  liberty 
to  return  home:  for  he  knew  that  the  battle  was  not  to  the 
strong,  and  that  God  could  save  by  few  as  well  as  by  many. 
In  consequence  of  this  permission,  his  army  was  reduced  from 
six  to  three  thousand,  with  which  diminished  force  he  valiantly 
resolved  to  encounter  an  enemy  of  fifty  thousand  veterans. 
He,  therefore,  went  and  pitched  his  camp  very  near  to  the 
Syrian  host,  informing  his  men  that  it  was  his  purpose  early 
the  next  morning  to  attack  the  enemy ;  for  which  they  pre- 
pared accordingly.  During  the  night  he  received  intelligence 
that  Gorgias,  by  the  guidance  of  certain  apostate  Jews  acquaint- 
ed with  the  country,  was  leading  five  thousand  selected  men  by 
unfrequented  paths,  to  attack  him  by  surprise.  He  immediately 
determined  on  a  counter-march,  and  on  an  enterprise  of  the 
boldest  kind.  For  instead  of  waiting  for  the  attack  of  Gorgias, 
he  marched  his  force  directly  on  the  camp  of  the  enemy,  now 
•weakened  by  having  its  best  soldiers  detached  on  this  secret 
expedition.  This  bold  and  well-planned  manoeuvre  was  attended 
with  complete  success,  for  the  Syrians  left  in  the  camp  were 
taken  by  surprise,  and  were  thrown  into  confusion,  so  that  they 
made  scarcely  any  resistance,  but  fled  in  all  directions,  leaving 
three  thousand  of  their  men  dead  on  the  ground. 

Judas,  finding  himself  master  of  the  Syrian  camp,  would  not 
permit  his  men  to  lay  their  hands  on  the  spoil,  because  the  corps 
of  Gorgias,  superior  in  numbers  to  his  force,  and  chosen  men, 
were  untouched;  but  as, soon  as  his  soldiers  heard  of  the  total 
defeat  of  their  main  army,  they  threw  down  their  arms  and  fled 
also.  Judas,  on  being  informed  of  this  fact,  engaged  in  the 
pursuit  of  the  fugitives,  nine  thousand  of  whom  he  slew,  and 
•wounded  many  more.  When  he  and  his  men  returned  to  the 
Syrian  camp,  they  found  it  full  of  riches,  and  there  got  posses- 
sion of  the  large  sums  of  money  which  had  been  brought  to 
purchase  their  wives  and  children  as  slaves.  Judas  and  his 
associates,  flushed  with  this  great  victory,  and  their  number 
being  increased  by  the  addition  of  many  who  now  were  encour- 
aged by  their  success,  to  join  them,  resolved  to  march  over 
Jordan,  and  attack  Timotheus  and  Bacchides,  who  were  collect- 
ing forces  in  that  country.  Accordingly,  they  met  the  army  of 
the  enemy  and  overthrew  them  in  a  great  battle,  killing  twenty 
thousand  of  their  men,  and  enriching  themselves  with  abund- 
ance of  spoil.  On  this  occasion  the  vengeance  of  Heaven  over- 
took two  men  who  had  distinguished  themselves  by  acts  of 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  509 

impiety  and  cruelty.  The  one  was  Philarches,  the  author  of 
many  evils  to  the  Jews,  who  was  slain  in  battle;  the  other, 
Callisthenes,  the  man  who  set  fire  to  the  gates  of  the  temple 
and  burnt  them  down ;  he  was  pursued  into  a  small  house,  which 
being  set  on  fire,  he  perished  in  the  flames. 

Nicanor,  the  Syrian  general,  escaped  home  with  his  life,  but 
was  ever  after  held  in  the  utmost  contempt,  on  account  of  his 
total  failure  in  this  expedition.  To  excuse  himself,  he  was  con/ 
strained  to  acknowledge  the  great  power  of  the  God  of  Israel, 
who,  he  said,  fought  for  his  people.  As  to  Ptolemy  Macron, 
he  seems  not  to  have  been  present,  for  although  he  came  to 
Emmaus,  it  is  probable  that  he  returned  before  the  battle.  When 
Lysias  heard  of  the  total  defeat  of  all  his  armies  by  Judas  with 
his  small  band  of  associates,  he  was  utterly  confounded :  but 
knowing  how  much  the  king  had  the  execution  of  his  orders  at 
heart  in  relation  to  the  Jews,  he  set  himself  about  collecting 
another  army.  Having  mustered  sixty-four  thousand  men,  and 
five  thousand  horse,  he  put  himself  at  their  head,  and  marched 
into  Judea,  aiming  at  nothing  less  than  the  utter  destruction  of 
the  country.  On  entering  Judea,  he  pitched  his  camp  at  a 
place  called  Bethsura,  not  far  to  the  south  of  Jerusalem.  Here 
Judas  met  him  with  ten  thousand  men,  and  having  unshaken 
confidence  in  God,  he  did  not  hesitate  to  engage  with  the  whole 
Syrian  army  of  seventy  thousand  chosen  men.  And  God,  in 
whom  he  trusted,  did  not  disappoint  his  expectations;  for  he 
completely  defeated  the  army  of  the  Syrians,  slaying  five  thou- 
sand men,  and  putting  the  rest  to  flight.  Lysias,  being  greatly 
dismayed,  returned  home  to  Antioch  with  the  scattered  remains 
of  his  forces,  intending  to  return  with  a  more  numerous  army 
the  next  year.  This  extraordinary  success  of  Judas  took  place 
in  the  year  165  B.  C. 

By  the  retreat  of  Lysias,  the  whole  country  being  left  under 
the  power  of  Judas,  he  proposed  to  his  brethren,  that  they 
should  march  to  Jerusalem,  and  after  cleansing  the  place, 
restore  the  worship  of  Jehovah.  When  they  arrived,  and 
beheld  the  destruction  of  the  city,  which  was  a  heap  of  rubbish, 
and  the  defilement  of  the  sanctuary  of  the  Lord,  they  were  all 
affected  with  the  deepest  grief,  and  were  urgent,  that  the  work 
of  cleaning  and  rebuilding  the  place  should  immediately  com- 
mence. But  as  Antiochus  had  carried  away  the  altar  of 
incense,  the  table  of  shew-bread,  and  the  golden  candlestick, 
Judas  caused  to  be  made  out  of  the  gold  taken  from  the 
Syrians,  other  holy  furniture  for  the  sanctuary,  exactly  accord- 
ing to  the  pattern  of  those  which  they  had  lost.  By  his  care, 
too,  all  other  vessels  and  utensils,  necessary  for  the  service  of 
God,  were  provided.  The  ensigns  of  idolatry  being  thus  re- 
moved, and  the  house  of  God  cleansed,  it  was  determined  to 


510  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

dedicate  it  anew,  in  a  solemn  manner.  For  this  celebration, 
the  twenty-fifth  of  the  month  Cisleu  was  appointed,  which  was 
about  the  time  of  the  winter  solstice,  and  the  very  day  on 
which,  three  years  and  a  half  before,  the  temple  had  been  pro- 
faned and  desolated  by  Apollonius. 

This  feast  of  dedication  was  celebrated  for  eight  days 
together,  with  great  joy  and  thanksgiving,  for  the  deliverance 
which  God  had  wrought  for  his  people.  They  commenced  the 
solemnities  by  offering  sacrifices  according  to  the  law,  upon 
the  new  altar  which  they  had  erected.  The  fire  was  obtained 
by  striking  two  flints  together ;  and  from  the  same  fire  they 
lighted  the  seven  lamps  of  the  golden  candlestick,  which  stood 
in  the  holy  place.  All  other  parts  of  the  divine  service  were 
now  restored,  according  to  the  prescriptions  of  the  law,  and  the 
usage  of  former  times.  This  feast  continued  to  be  observed  by 
the  Jews  on  the  same  day  of  the  year,  the  twenty-fifth  of 
Cisleu,  as  long  as  the  temple  stood.  It  is  once  mentioned  in 
the  New  Testament,  and  our  Saviour  was  at  Jerusalem  at  the 
time  of  its  celebration.  (John  x.  22.)  That  it  was  the  anniver- 
sary of  this  dedication,  and  not  of  that  of  Solomon,  or  of 
Zerubbabel,  is  manifest,  from  the  season  of  the  year  in  which  it 
occurred,  which  is  expressly  stated  to  have  been  the  winter ; 
whereas,  both  the  other  dedications  occurred  at  other  seasons. 
This  was  sometimes  denominated  the  feast  of  lights,  because, 
during  its  celebration  the  Jews  were  accustomed  to  set  up  can- 
dles at  every  door.  Although  the  temple  was  now  recovered 
and  purified,  and  the  worship  of  God  restored,  the  fortress  or 
castle,  which  overlooked  and  commanded  the  temple,  remained 
in  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  and  was  strongly  garrisoned  by 
them,  partly  with  heathen  soldiers,  and  partly  with  apostate 
Jews.  The  people  who  came  up  to  the  temple  to  worship, 
were,  therefore,  greatly  annoyed  by  the  soldiers  of  the  garri- 
son ;  who  often  sallied  out  upon  them,  and  sometimes  slew  those 
who  were  bringing  their  sacrifices  to  the  temple.  This  castle 
stood  on  a  mount  which  received  the  name  of  Acra,  on  account 
of  the  fortress  on  the  top.  Judas,  at  first,  stationed  some  of 
his  men,  so  as  to  prevent  these  sallies  from  the  garrison;  but 
that  plan  not  succeeding,  he  built  high  walls  around  the  moun- 
tain of  the  temple,  and  so  fortified  the  place,  as  to  secure  those 
who  were  coming  to  the  temple  to  worship.  As  a  barrier 
against  the  Idumeans,  who  were  now  troublesome  to  the  Jews, 
Judas  fortified  Bethsura  which  was  on  their  borders.  But  it 
should  be  remarked,  that  what  is  here  called  Idumea,  is  not 
the  same  country  as  the  land  of  Edom,  so  often  mentioned  in 
the  Old  Testament.  This  lay  between  the  Dead  Sea  and  Red 
Sea,  and  was  afterwards  known  by  the  name  of  Arabia-Petrea : 
but  while  the  Jews  were  in  captivity,  the  Edomites  took  posses- 


TO  THE   CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  511 

sion  of  the  south  part  of  the  land  which  had  been  assigned  to 
the  tribe  of  Judah,  in  the  original  distribution ;  and  also,  that 
part  of  the  land  of  Simeon  which  was  included  in  the  general 
survey  of  the  lot  of  Judah.  There  they  dwelt  ever  afterwards, 
and  in  process  of  time,  all  went  over  to  the  Jewish  religion. 

Antiochus,  while  in  Persia,  heard  the  news  of  the  repeated 
defeats  of  the  Syrians  in  Judea,  at  which  he  was  so  much 
enraged,  that  he  immediately  turned  his  face  towards  that 
country  in  haste,  to  inflict  vengeance  on  the  Jews;  for  his 
whole  soul  seemed  to  be  fired  with  wrath  against  this  people, 
especially  when  he  heard  that  Judas  had  pulled  down  all  his 
heathen  altars,  and  restored  the  worship  of  God.  But  while 
on  his  march  to  Babylonia,  which  lay  in  his  way,  he  was  seized 
with  a  painful  and  incurable  disease  in  his  bowels,  for  which  no 
remedy  could  be  found;  and  yet  so  ardent  was  his  desire  of 
vengeance  on  the  Jews,  that  he  could  not  be  persuaded  to  stop, 
nor  to  slacken  his  march.  While  pressing  on,  however,  with 
redoubled  speed,  the  chariot  in  which  he  rode  was  overturned, 
and  he  was  bruised  in  a  fearful  manner.  He  was  now  obliged 
to  stop  in  a  small  village,  where  he  lay  suffering  excruciating 
pains.  A  loathsome  ulcer  began  to  discharge  fetid  matter,  and 
was  soon  filled  with  vermin;  in  which  distressing  condition  he 
continued  until  his  death.  And  the  hand  of  God  seemed  to  be 
heavy  upon  him,  in  spirit  as  well  as  body;  for  his  conscience 
was  agonized  with  a  sense  of  his  crimes,  and  especially  of  his 
sacrilegious  conduct  in  regard  to  the  temple  at  Jerusalem. 
Polybius  relates  the  fact  of  his  agony  of  mind  on  account  of 
this  crime,  but  ascribes  it  to  the  attempt  to  rob  the  temple  of 
Diana,  in  Elymais.  Josephus,  however,  and  the  author  of  the 
book  of  Maccabees,  refer  it  all  to  his  actual  and  horrid  pro- 
fanation of  the  temple  of  God,  at  Jerusalem. 

Antiochus  being  the  greatest  enemy  of  the  church  and  peo- 
ple of  God,  who  ever  arose,  the  prophecies  have  been  very  par- 
ticular in  describing  him.  The  eleventh  chapter  of  Daniel, 
from  the  twenty-fifth  verse  to  the  forty-fifth,  seems  to  be 
entirely  occupied  with  predicting  the  character  and  deeds  of 
this  enemy  to  all  righteousness. 

The  revolt  of  Ptolemy  Macron  from  Ptolemy  Philometor,  is 
referred  to  in  the  twenty-fifth  and  twenty-sixth  verses.  The 
twenty-seventh  verse  relates  to  the  free  and  apparently 
friendly  intercourse,  which  took  place  between  the  two  kings 
at  Memphis,  when  Antiochus  and  Ptolemy  often  eat  at  the 
same  table;  but  tliey  spoke  lies  to  one  another,  while  they  pre- 
tended friendship.  In  the  twenty-ninth  and  thirtieth  verses, 
there  is  a  prediction  of  the  last  visit  of  Antiochus  to  Egypt, 
after  he  had  taken  off  the  mask,  for  then  "  Tie  returned  again 
toivards  the  south,  that  is,  to  Egypt;  but  he  did  not  then  pre- 


512  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

vail,  as  in  the  former  and  latter  attempts;"  that  is,  in  the  two 
former  expeditions;  because  of  the  ships  that  come  from  Chit- 
tim;  that  is,  the  Grecian  ships  that  brought  Poplius  and  the 
other  Roman  ambassadors  into  Egypt,  to  Alexandria,  whose 
arrival  put  an  end  to  all  his  expectations  of  conquering  that 
country;  for  they  made  him,  "to  his  great  grief,  return  out  of 
Egypt."  "What  is  said  in  verses  forty-third  and  forty-fourth  of 
his  stretching  forth  his  hand  upon  the  land  of  Egypt,  "  and  his 
having  power  over  the  treasures  of  gold  and  silver,  and  all 
other  precious  things  of  that  country,"  was  fulfilled  exactly,  in 
the  frequent  expeditions  to  that  country,  from  which  he  carried 
off  great  spoils. 

The  prophet  in  this  chapter  (xi.)  also  predicts,  in  strong 
language,  the  disappointment  of  Antiochus,  upon  his  being  pre- 
vented by  the  Romans  from  seizing  on  Egypt,  which  was  just 
ready  to  fall  into  his  hands :  and,  also,  how  he  turned  his  ven- 
geance against  the  holy  city,  and  desecrated  the  sanctuary  of 
God.  "For  the  ships  of  Chittim  shall  come  against  him; 
therefore  he  shall  be  grieved,  and  return,  and  have  indignation 
against  the  covenant:  so  shall  he  do;  and  he  shall  have  intel- 
ligence with  them  that  forsake  the  covenant.  And  arms  shall 
stand  on  his  part,  and  they  shall  pollute  the  sanctuary  of 
strength,  and  shall  take  away  the  daily  sacrifice,  and  they  shall 
place  the  abomination  that  maketh  desolate." 

These  prophecies  respecting  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  so  exactly 
correspond  with  the  events  related  of  him  by  all  the  historians, 
that  Porphyry,  who  wrote  largely  against  the  Scriptures, 
acknowledged  the  exact  coincidence,  but  pretended  that  these 
predictions  were  never  penned  by  Daniel,  but  by  some  writer 
who  lived  after  the  time  of  Antiochus.  And  to  make  this  the 
more  probable,  he  compared  what  is  contained  in  this  eleventh 
chapter  of  Daniel,  with  the  accounts  of  all  the  historians  extant 
in  his  time,  most  of  which  are  now  lost,  and  proved  that  the 
agreement  was  most  exact;  from  which  he  drew  the  inference, 
that  this  chapter  must  have  been  written  after  the  events  took 
place.  This  work  of  Porphyry  is  now  lost,  and  also  several 
answers  to  it  by  learned  Christians.  All  we  now  have  of  it  is 
found  in  Jerome's  Commentary  on  Daniel. 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  513 


SECTION  XV. 

HISTORY   OF   JUDAS  CONTINUED — DISTRESSING    CONDITION   OF    THE   JEWS DEATH   OF 

ELEAZAR,  BROTHER  OF  JUDAS — DEATH  OF  ANTIOCHUS — MISERABLE  END  OF  MENE- 
LAUS — CIVIL  WAR  BETWEEN  THE  TWO  BROTHERS  IN  EGYPT — INTERPOSITION  OF 
THE  ROMANS — DEMETRIUS  SUCCEEDS  ANTIOCHUS — ALCIMU8  APPOINTED  HIGH-PRIEST 
— THE  QUARREL  OF  THE  TWO  BROTHERS,  PTOLEMY  PHII.OMETOR  AND  PTOLEMY 
PHYSCON,  BROUGHT  BEFORE  THE  ROMAN  SENATE  AND  DECIDED. 

JUDAS  MACCABEUS  was  not  permitted  to  be  idle;  for  although 
the  Syrians  were  driven  from  Judea,  the  neighbouring  nations 
seemed  to  have  entered^into  a  general  conspiracy  against  the 
Jews.  Judas,  therefore,  turned  his  arms  against  the  Edomites, 
who  had  been  foremost  in  forming  this  confederation.  Of 
them  he  slew  twenty  thousand  men.  He  next  passed  over 
Jordan  to  the  land  of  the  Ammonites,  where  he  fought  many 
battles,  and  having  vanquished  the  enemies  of  the  Jews  in  that 
quarter,  and  taken  Jazar,  returned  to  Judea. 

The  heathen  about  Gilead,  hearing  of  the  discomfiture  of  so 
many  of  their  friends,  rose  against  the  Jews,  and  having  slain 
a  thousand  of  them  in  the  land  of  Tob,  forced  the  rest  to  take 
refuge  in  a  castle.  The  people  of  Phenicia  also  rose  against 
the  Jews  of  Galilee ;  and  Judas,  receiving  urgent  calls  for  help 
from  both  these  places,  was  at  a  loss  which  way  he  should 
march.  He,  therefore,  consulted  the  Sanhedrim,  who  advised 
him  to  divide  his  forces.  Accordingly,  he  and  Jonathan  passed 
over  Jordan,  and  arrived  just  in  time  to  relieve  the  Jews  who 
were  besieged  in  Dathema. 

Simon  took  another  division  of  the  army  and  marched  to 
Galilee,  where  also  he  met  with  great  success ;  for  in  many 
conflicts  with  the  enemy,  he  came  off  uniformly  victorious. 
But  finding  that  the  Jews  in  those  parts  could  not  be  protected 
from  the  heathen  round  about,  he  took  measures  to  have  them 
transplanted  into  Judea.  While  these  two  divisions  of  the 
army  had  been  completely  successful,  a  third  which  had  been 
left  at  Jerusalem,  under  Joseph  and  Azarias,  having  under- 
taken an  expedition  against  Jamnia,  on  the  seacoast,  where 
Gorgias  commanded,  were  by  him  repulsed  with  great  loss. 

Lysias,  who,  after  the  death  of  Antiochus,  had  seized  upon 
the  chief  authority,  as  he  had  the  young  king  in  his  power, 
now  resolved  to  march  with  a  great  army  against  Judas.  He 
collected  sixty  thousand  infantry,  as  many  cavalry  as  he  could 
find,  and  eighty  elephants,  and  with  this  force  marched  towards 
Judea.  This  great  army  commenced  the  war  by  laying  siege 
to  Bethsura ;  but  Judas,  coming  upon  them,  slew  eleven  thou- 
sand of  his  infantry,  and  sixteen  hundred  of  his  cavalry,  and 
put  the  rest  to  flight.  Lysias,  growing  weary  of  this  unsuc- 
33 


51<i  HISTORY  OF   THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

cessful  war,  now  made  peace  with  Judas  and  his  people.  Quin- 
tillus  Memmius,  and  Torquatus  Manlius,  who  were  then  ambas- 
sadors from  the  Romans,  in  Syria,  were  very  helpful  to  the 
Jews  on  this  occasion.  The  edict  of  Antiochus,  requiring  the 
people  to  conform  to  the  heathen  worship,  was  entirely  rescind- 
ed ;  and  liberty  was  given  them  to  live  according  to  their  own 
laws.  But  this  law  was  not  of  long  continuance.  The  nations 
by  whom  the  Jews  were  surrounded,  began  to  raise  disturb- 
ances as  soon  as  Lysias  was  gone.  Judas  was  soon  called  to 
inflict  punishment  on  Joppa,  where  two  hundred  Jews  had  been 
drowned.  He  burned  their  shipping,  and  then  turning  to 
Jamnia  treated  them  in  the  same  manner,  and  for  a  similar 
offence. 

He  was  next  called  into  Gilead,  where  Timotheus  continued 
to  raise  disturbances.  He  had  now  collected  a  more  numerous 
army,  which  was  entirely  overthrown  by  Judas,  and  thirty  thou- 
sand qf  his  men  slain.  Timotheus  himself  was  in  his  flight 
taken  prisoner;  but  on  the  promise  that  he  would  release  many 
Jews  whom  he  had  in  his  power,  he  was  permitted  to  go  free. 
Judas,  finding  that  the  Jews  beyond  Jordan  would  be  perpetu- 
ally molested,  treated  them  as  Simon  had  the  Galileans,  and 
transplanted  them  into  the  land  of  Judea.  As  the  garrison, 
however,  in  the  fortress  at  Jerusalem  was  a  perpetual  thorn  in 
the  sides  of  the  Jews,  Judas  collected  a  great  force,  and  pre- 
pared all  sorts  of  engines  of  war  used  in  sieges,  and  pressed 
with  all  his  might  to  take  it;  but  the  apostate  Jews  who  were 
in  the  garrison,  knowing  that  they  should  receive  no  mercy  if 
the  castle  were  taken,  several  of  them  made  their  escape,  and 
going  to  the  king  at  Antioch,  urged  their  suit  so  earnestly,  that 
he  was  persuaded  to  collect  a  great  army  of  a  hundred  thousand 
foot,  twenty  thousand  horse,  and  thirty-two  elephants,  at  the 
head  of  which  he  marched  himself,  accompanied  by  Lysias  his 
guardian.  When  they  arrived  in  Judea,  they  laid  siege  to 
Bethsura,  when  Judas  making  an  attack  upon  them  in  the  night, 
slew  about  five  thousand  men,  and  returned  without  suffering 
any  loss.  The  next  day  Judas  encountered  the  whole  Syrian 
army  with  his  small  force;  but  finding  that  he  must  be  over- 
whelmed by  the  multitude,  withdrew  to  Jerusalem. 

In  this  battle,  Eleazar,  one  of  Judas'  brothers,  lost  his  life  by 
a  very  daring  act.  Observing  that  one.  of  the  elephants  was 
much  larger  than  the  rest,  he  imagined  that  the  king  was  car- 
ried on  the  back  of  this  large  animal,  and  that  by  destroying 
him  he  should  deliver  his  country,  and  obtain  everlasting  re- 
nown ;  he  ran  under  the  elephant  and  pierced  his  belly  with  his 
sword ;  but  before  he  could  make  his  escape,  the  wounded  beast 
fell  upon  him,  and  crushed  him  to  death. 

Bethsura,  now,  after  a  brave  defence  by  its  garrison,  fell  into 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  515 

the  hands  of  the  Syrians.  Antiochus  marched  immediately  to 
Jerusalem,  and  laid  siege  to  the  sanctuary:  and  when  they  were 
reduced  to  great  straits,  deliverance  was  obtained  in  an  unex- 
pected manner.  When  Antiochus  Epiphanes  was  near  his  end, 
he  had  called  one  of  his  generals  named  Philip,  and  in  a  formal 
manner  appointed  him  the  guardian  of  his  young  son;  and 
committed  to  him  his  signet  and  his  crown.  But  before  Philip 
arrived  at  Antioch,  Lysias,  who  had  been  left  governor  of  Syria 
and  guardian  of  the  young  king,  had  taken  the  supreme  power 
into  his  own  hands,  and  retained  possession  of  the  king's  person, 
refusing  to  resign  either  the  one  or  the  other  to  Philip.  But 
now,  while  Lysias  and  all  the  best  troops  were  absent,  he  watched 
his  opportunity  for  seizing  Antioch,  and  endeavouring  to  make 
himself  master  of  the  Syrian  empire.  Lysias,  hearing  of  this 
event,  found  it  necessary  to  return  back,  and  thereupon,  again 
made  peace  with  the  Jews. 

Menelaus,  the  wicked  high-priest  of  the  Jews,  had  a  great 
hand  in  instigating  the  king  to  engage  in  this  war,  and  accom- 
panied the  Syrian  army  into  Jerusalem,  with  the  hope  that  he 
would  be  restored  to  his  office ;  and  also  that  the  government 
of  the  whole  country  would  be  put  into  his  hands.  But  when 
the  issue  of  the  war  proved  to  be  unfortunate,  Lysias  was  so 
much  exasperated  against  this  wretch,  that  he  accused  him  to 
the  king  as  the  author  of  all  the  mischief:  on  which  he  was 
condemned  to  death,  and  carried  to  Berhoea,  a  city  of  Syria, 
where  he  was  cast  headlong  into  a  tower  of  ashes  which  was  in 
that  place.  This  punishment  was  inflicted  for  treason,  sacri- 
lege, and  such  other  crimes  as  were  considered  more  than  com- 
monly enormous;  and  was  well  adapted  to  the  shocking  crimes 
of  which  this  man  had  been  so  long  and  signally  guilty. 

On  the  death  of  Menelaus,  the  office  of  high-priest  should 
have  descended  to  Onias,  the  son  of  that  Onias  whom  Menelaus 
caused  to  be  put  to  death  at  Antioch ;  but  it  was  conferred  on 
one  Alcimus,  or  Jacimus,  as  he  is  sometimes  called ;  a  man  not 
less  wicked  than  Menelaus  himself.  Onias  being  much  dissatis- 
fied that  he  was  thus  deprived  of  his  right,  escaped  from  An- 
tioch, where  he  had  resided  from  the  time  of  his  father's  death, 
and  fled  into  Egypt,  where  he  succeeded  in  insinuating  himself 
into  the  favour  of  Ptolemy  Philometor  and  his  queen  Cleopatra. 

On  the  return  of  the  king  and  Lysias  with  the  Syrian  army, 
Antioch  was  without  difficulty  recovered,  and  Philip,  seeking 
safety  in  flight,  soon  after  perished. 

It  has  been  seen  that  there  were  two  brothers  in  Egypt, 
Ptolemy  Philometor  and  Ptolemy  Physcon,  both  of  whom  had 
been  crowned ;  and  although  for  a  while  there  was  a  compro- 
mise between  them,  their  rival  pretensions  soon  involved  them 


516  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH    NATION 

in  a  fresh  quarrel.  In  this  contest  Ptolemy  Physcon  had  pre- 
vailed against  his  brother,  and  driven  him  out  of  the  kingdom. 

The  Koman  senate,  hearing  of  this  civil  war  in  Egypt,  sent 
orders  to  their  ambassadors  in  Syria,  Cneius  Octavius,  Spurius 
Lucretius,  and  Lucius  Aurelius,  to  go  to  Egypt  and  settle  the 
dispute  between  the  two  brothers.  But  while  they  were  on 
their  journey,  Philometor  had  fled,  and  was  on  his  way  to  Rome, 
on  foot,  and  in  a  sordid  habit.  Demetrius,  the  son  of  Seleucus 
Philopater,  late  king  of  Syria,  who  was  then  a  hostage  at  Rome, 
being  informed  of  the  fact,  provided  a  royal  equipage  and  robes 
for  Philometor,  and  met  him  before  he  reached  the  city.  He 
not  only  refused,  however,  to  accept  them,  but  would  not  even 
permit  Demetrius  to  accompany  him.  He  did  this,  that  the 
senate,  seeing  his  miserable  condition,  might  be  the  more  dis- 
posed to  compassionate  his  cause,  and  grant  him  the  assistance 
which  he  asked.  As  soon  as  the  senate  heard  of  his  arrival, 
they  sent  for  him,  and  immediately  directed  that  he  should  be 
furnished  with  everything  answerable  to  his  royal  dignity;  and 
having  heard  his  complaint,  decreed  that  the  kingdom  should 
be  restored  to  him,  appointing  Quintus  and  Canuleius,  two 
of  their  own  body,  to  see  that  their  decree  was  executed.  These 
ambassadors,  on  their  arrival  in  Egypt,  made  a  compromise 
between  the  two  brothers,  assigning  Egypt  and  Cyprus  to  Phi- 
lometor, and  Lybia  and  Gyrene  to  Physcon. 

The  Roman  ambassadors  who  were  sent  to  Syria,  finding  that 
the  Syrian  fleet  contained  more  ships,  and  the  Syrian  army 
more  elephants,  than  were  allowed  by  the  treaty  made  with 
Antiochus  the  Great,  proceeded  to  burn  the  supernumerary 
ships,  and  slay  the  supernumerary  elephants.  Many  of  the 
Syrians  were  exceedingly  indignant  at  this  arbitrary  proceeding 
of  the  ambassadors,  and,  one  Leptines  was  so  transported  with 
rage,  that  he  fell  upon  Cneius  Octavius  while  he  was  anointing 
himself  at  Laodicea  and  slew  him  in  the  gymnasium.  This 
Octavius  had  recently  been  consul  at  Rome,  and  was  the  first 
of  his  family  who  had  attained  that  high  honour.  From  him 
was  descended  Octavius  Cesar,  (commonly  called  Augustus,) 
•who  was  so  long  emperor  of  Rome.  It  was  supposed  that 
Lysias  had  secretly  instigated  the  man  to  commit  this  violation 
of  the  law  of  nations;  but  he  immediately  dispatched  ambassa- 
dors to  Rome  to  disclaim  this  act,  on  the  part  of  the  govern- 
ment. The  Senate  heard  them,  but  returned  no  answer,  saying 
that  they  would  reserve  their  judgment  of  the  true  authors  of 
the  murder,  until  future  inquiry. 

Demetrius,  having  made  another  unsuccessful  attempt  to 
obtain  permission  to  return  to  his  own  country,  by  the  advice  of 
his  friends,  (among  whom  was  Polybius  the  historian,)  made  his 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  517 

escape  from  Rome.  As  soon  as  he  arrived  at  Tripoli,  he  gave 
out  that  he  was  sent  by  the  Roman  Senate  to  take  possession 
of  the  kingdom.  The  cause  of  Eupator  being  now  considered 
desperate,  most  of  the  people  joined  themselves  to  Demetrius; 
and  Lysias  was  put  to  death  by  his  own  soldiers. 

The  first  act  of  Demetrius,  after  his  accession  to  the  throne, 
was  the  punishment  of  two  tyranical  governors,  whom  Antiochus 
had  set  over  the  province  of  Babylonia.  This  act  of  prompt 
and  salutary  justice  rendered  him  so  exceedingly  popular  in 
that  region,  that  they  gave  him  the  surname  of  /Soter,  which 
he  ever  afterwards  retained.  Alcimus,  who,  as  was  before  said, 
received  the  appointment  of  high-priest  from  the  king  of  Syria, 
when  he  came  to  Jerusalem  to  enter  on  the  office,  was  rejected 
by  the  people,  because  he  was  one  of  those  who  had  conformed 
to  the  religious  customs  of  the  Greeks,  in  the  time  of  Anti- 
ochus Epiphanes.  Upon  this  he  collected  all  the  apostate 
Jews,  then  living  at  Antioch,  and  went  with  them  in  a  body  to 
Demetrius,  to  petition  for  relief  against  Judas  and  his  brethren ; 
accusing  them  of  slaying  many  of  the  king's  friends,  and  expel- 
ling others  from  the  country. 

Demetrius  was  so  exasperated  against  Judas,  in  consequence 
of  these  misrepresentations,  that  he  forthwith  sent  Bacchides, 
governor  of  Mesopotamia,  with  an  army  into  Judea,  and  re- 
newed the  appointment  of  Alcimus  to  be  high-priest,  joining 
him  also  with  Bacchides  in  authority  over  the  country.  On 
their  first  arrival,  they  attempted  to  circumvent  Judas,  by 
offering  conditions  of  peace ;  but  he  was  aware  of  their  designs, 
and  escaped  the  snare.  Others,  however,  were  deceived  by 
them,  and  among  the  rest  a  company  of  Assideans,  and  some 
of  the  rulers ;  who  relying  on  the  pacific  professions  of  Bac- 
chides and  Alcimus,  committed  themselves  to  them.  No  sooner 
however,  had  they  got  them  in  their  power  than  they  put  them 
all  to  death. 

Bacchides  now  returned  home,  leaving  Alcimus  part  of  his 
forces  to  secure  him  in  the  possession  of  the  country,  who  had 
influence  to  draw  over  many  deserters,  and  in  no  small  degree 
to  disturb  the  state  of  Israel.  But  no  sooner  was  Bacchides 
gone,  than  Judas  came  forth  with  his  forces,  and  took  ven- 
geance on  those  who  had  revolted  from  him,  Alcimus  being 
unable  to  stand  before  him.  This  wicked  disturber  of  the  pub- 
lic peace,  now  resorted  again  to  the  king,  and  renewed  his 
complaints  against  Judas  and  his  brethren ;  declaring  that  as 
long  as  Judas  lived,  the  king's  authority  could  never  be  estab- 
lished in  that  country.  This  being  confirmed  by  other  enemies 
of  the  Jews  about  the  king's  person,  Demetrius,  more  incensed' 
than  ever,  sent  another  army  against  them  under  the  command 
of  their  old  enemy,  Nicanor,  with  peremptory  orders,  to  cut  off 


518  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

Judas,  disperse  his  followers,  and  so  reinstate  Alcimus  in  the 
office  of  high-priest.  Nicanor  knowing  the  power  of  Judas,  as 
having  heen  already  defeated  by  him,  was  afraid  to  encounter 
him  in  battle.  He,  therefore,  endeavoured  to  enter  into  nego- 
tiation for  peace,  and  accordingly  a  treaty  was  made  between 
them ;  after  which  Judas  and  Nicanor  communed  together  in 
a  friendly  manner.  But  Alcimus  not  liking  the  treaty,  as 
thinking  that  his  own  interest  had  not  been  sufficiently  pro- 
vided for,  went  a  third  time  to  the  king,  and  so  prepossessed 
him  against  the  peace,  that  he  refused  to  ratify  it ;  and  sent 
positive  orders  to  Nicanor  to  renew  the  war,  and  not  to  cease 
until  Judas  was  slain,  or  sent  prisoner  to  Antioch.  Nicanor 
was  then,  though  reluctantly,  obliged  to  engage  in  new  hostili- 
ties with  Judas. 

When  the  agreement  made  between  the  two  Ptolemies  was 
laid  before  the  Senate,  they  were  not  satisfied  with  the  division 
which  the  ambassadors  had  made,  thinking  that  too  much  had 
been  allotted  to  Philometor,  and  too  little  to  Physcon.  They, 
therefore,  determined  that  Cyprus  should  be  taken  from  Phi- 
lometor and  given  to  his  brother.  This  was  brought  about 
very  much  by  the  presence  of  Physcon  at  Rome,  where,  in 
person,  he  had  the  opportunity  of  urging  his  suit  with  the 
senators.  Ambassadors  were  now  sent  back  with  him,  to 
obtain  the  consent  of  Philometor  to  this  new  arrangement. 
While  they  went  forward  to  Alexandria,  to  carry  on  the  nego- 
tiation, Physcon  waited  on  the  borders  of  the  kingdom  for  the 
result.  Philometor  treated  the  ambassadors  with  great  respect, 
but  contrived  to  spin  out  the  negotiation  for  forty  days,  and 
then  peremptorily  refused  to  comply  with  the  last  arrange- 
ment; but  professed  his  willingness  to  abide  by  the  allotment 
first  agreed  on. 

At  the  same  time  the  affairs  of  Physcon  became  more 
involved  in  difficulty,  on  account  of  the  conduct  of  the  Cyre- 
nians ;  who  having  heard  an  ill  report  of  him,  were  unwilling  to 
come  under  his  government,  and  raised  the  standard  of  rebel- 
lion against  him.  This  event  prevented  his  return  to  Rome, 
but  Merula,  the  Roman  ambassador,  who  had  been  employed 
in  the  negotiation,  spread  before  the  Senate  a  full  account  of 
the  whole  transaction :  on  which  it  was  decreed,  that  all  friend- 
ship and  alliance  with  Philometor  should  be  broken  off;  and 
his  ambassador  was  ordered  to  leave  Rome  forthwith. 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  519 


SECTION  XVI. 

THE  WAR  RENEWED — SUICIDE  OF  RAZIS — VICTORY  OF  JUDAS  AND  DEATH  OF  NICA- 
NOR — BACCHIDES  IS  SENT  TO  SUCCEED  NICANOR — DEATH  OF  JUDAS — DREADFUL 
STATE  OF  THE  JEWS — JONATHAN  AND  SIMON,  BROTHERS  OF  JUDAS,  MAKE  A  SUC- 
CESSFUL STAND — DEATH  OF  ALCIMUS — THE  JEWS  ENJOY  REST  FOR  TWO  YEARS — WAR 
BETWEEN  THE  TWO  PTOLEMIES  RENEWED — DEMETRIUS  ABANDONS  HIMSELF  TO  DIS- 
SIPATION— AN  IMPOSTOR  ARISES  TO  CLAIM  HIS  CROWN — BOTH  COURT  THE  AID  OF 

JONATHAN — JONATHAN  ASSUMES  THE  OFFICE  OF    HIGH-PRIEST ALEXANDER  BALAS 

OBTAINS  THE  THRONE  OF  SYRIA. 

NICANOR,  having  received  his  orders  to  renew  the  war,  came  to 
Jerusalem  with  his  army,  and  endeavoured,  by  craft,  to  get  Judas 
into  his  power.  For,  in  the  first  place,  he  invited  him  to  a 
conference,  with  which  Judas  complied,  relying  on  the  peace 
which  had  been  agreed  upon;  but  soon  finding  that  there  was 
an  ambush  laid  for  him,  he  made  his  escape;  after  which  all 
confidence  was  at  an  end,  and  the  war  again  commenced.  Iii 
the  first  action,  Nicanor  lost  five  thousand  men,  and  was  forced 
to  retreat;  and  being  greatly  chagrined  and  mortified  at  his 
defeat,  he  vented  his  rage  on  Razis,  a  venerable  senator  of  the 
Jewish  Sanhedrim,  who  was  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  the 
people  for  his  pious  and  benevolent  acts.  Nicanor  therefore 
judged  that  it  would  be  felt  as  a  sore  calamity  to  the  Jews,  if  he 
were  cut  off;  he  therefore  sent  a  body  of  men  to  take  him, 
intending  to  put  him  to  death.  This  man,  however,  was  in  a 
castle,  where  he  defended  himself  for  some  time  with  great 
bravery;  but  finding  that  the  place  could  not  hold  out  any 
longer,  he  rashly  put  a  termination  to  his  own  life,  by  falling  on 
his  sword.  This  act  is  spoken  of  with  approbation  by  the  wri- 
ter of  the  Maccabees,  which  is  a  clear  proof  that  he  was  not  an 
inspired  man.  No  countenance  is  given  to  such  acts  of  bravery 
any  where  in  the  Holy  Scriptures.  The  idea  that  suicide  in 
such  cases,  was  not  only  lawful,  but  noble  and  heroic,  was 
derived  from  intercourse  with  the  Greeks  and  Romans.  It  is, 
moreover,  related,  that  when  he  found  that  the  wound  did  not 
produce  immediate  death,  he  thrust  his  hand  into  it,  and  pulled 
out  his  own  bowels.  For  this  act,  he  has  been  reckoned  a 
martyr  by  the  Jews;  but  St.  Augustine,  in  his  Epistle  to  Dul- 
cilius,  has  given  unanswerable  reasons  to  prove  that  it  was  un- 
justifiable. 

Nicanor  then  went  up  into  the  fortress,  situated  on  the  moun- 
tain of  the  temple,  and  demanded  that  Judas  and  his  associates 
should  be  delivered  up ;  threatening,  in  case  of  refusal,  that  he 
would  pull  down  the  altar  and  burn  the  temple,  and  in  their 
place  erect  a  temple  to  Bacchus.  At  the  same  time  he  uttered 
many  blasphemous  words  against  the  temple,  and  against  the 
God  who  was  there  worshipped.  But  he  soon  experienced  the 


520  HISTORY  OF   THE    ISRAELITISH  NATION 

power  and  vengeance  of  Him  whose  name  and  worship  he  dared 
to  blaspheme.  For  coming  out  with  all  his  forces  to  encounter 
Judas,  Nicanor  was  slain  on  the  very  first  onset,  on  which  the 
•whole  of  his  army  took  to  flight;  and  all  the  country  rising 
up  against  them,  scarcely  a  man  of  them  was  able  to  effect  his 
escape.  When  Judas  and  his  men  returned  from  the  pursuit, 
to  the  field  of  battle,  and  found  Nioanor  among  the  slain,  they 
cut  off  his  head  and  his  right  hand,  and  hanged  them  up  in  the 
temple,  as  a  memorial  of  the  vengeance  of  Jehovah.  This  vic- 
tory was  gained  on  the  13th  of  the  month  Adar;  and  on  account 
of  the  wonderful  deliverance  obtained  on  that  day,  it  was 
resolved  that,  ever  afterwards,  it  should  be  observed  as  an 
anniversary  of  thanksgiving:  accordingly,  it  is  so  commemora- 
ted by  the  Jews  until  this  day. 

Judas  was  not  only  a  valiant  and  skilful  general,  but  a  wise 
politician.  Finding  that  there  was  likely  to  be  no  end  to  the 
Syrian  invasions,  and  having  heard  of  the  power  and  magnani- 
mity of  the  Romans,  he  sent  ambassadors  to  Rome,  to  obtain 
their  protection  against  the  Syrians.  These  ambassadors, 
Jason  and  Eupolemus,  were  kindly  received,  and  a  decree  was 
made  that  the  Jews  should  be  acknowledged  as  the  friends  and 
allies  of  the  Romans.  A  letter  was  at  the  same  time  written  to 
Demetrius,  ordering  him  to  desist  from  vexing  them,  and  threat- 
ening him  with  war  if  he  persisted.  But  before  this  favour- 
able intelligence  reached  Judea,  Judas  was  no  longer  in  the 
land  of  the  living. 

Demetrius,  upon  hearing  of  the  defeat  and  death  of  Nicanor, 
collected  another  army  of  chosen  troops,  and  again  sent  Bac- 
chides  and  Alcimus  into  Judea.  When  this  army  arrived,  Judas 
had  with  him  no  more  than  three  thousand  men ;  and  most  of 
these  were  so  terrified  at  the  mighty  force  which  they  had  to 
oppose,  that  they  deserted  his  standard;  so  that  he  was  left 
•with  only  eight  hundred  men.  But  such  was  the  undaunted 
spirit  and  unshaken  confidence  of  the  man,  that  with  this  hand- 
ful of  soldiers  he  dared  to  engage  the  host  of  the  Syrians.  In 
this  instance  his  courage  seems  to  have  degenerated  into  rash- 
ness ;  or,  at  least,  the  event  naturally  suggests  this  idea ;  for  in 
this  unequal  battle,  Judas  himself  was  slain.  I  do  not  believe, 
that  in  all  the  annals  of  the  world,  there  is  exhibited  to  our 
view  a  character  more  distinguished  for  bravery  and  extraordi- 
nary success ;  taking  into  view  the  small  number  of  his  soldiers, 
and  the  numerous  and  well  appointed  armies,  headed  by  expe- 
rienced generals,  to  which  he  was  opposed.  But  he  evidently 
was  actuated  by  a  spirit  superior  to  mere  human  courage.  His 
confidence  was  firmly  fixed  on  God,  in  whose  aid  he  relied  in  all 
difficulties,  and  in  all  times  of  danger. 

After  the  death  of  Judas,  the  Syrians  overran  the  land ;  the 


TO  THE   CONQUEST   OF  JUDEA.  521 

apostate  Jews  came  forward  in  multitudes,  and  Alcimus  was  put 
in  possession  of  the  object  of  his  ambition.  Now  a  time  of  great 
distress  was  experienced  by  all  the  faithful  Jews ;  not  surpassed 
even  by  the  persecutions  in  the  days  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes. 
Bacchides  used  great  diligence  in  finding  out,  and  punishing, 
all  the  Maccabseans,  wherever  they  could  be  found;  putting  them 
to  death  with  every  species  of  indignity  and  cruelty.  At  length, 
Jonathan  and  Simon,  the  brothers  of  Judas,  collected  a  small 
force  of  those  who  were  disposed  to  resist  the  tyranny  and 
cruelties  of  Bacchides  and  Alcimus,  and  retreated  into  the  wil- 
derness of  Tekoa;  where,  being  defended  by  the  river  Jordan 
on  the  one  hand,  and  a  morass  on  the  other,  they  could  not  with 
advantage  be  attacked. 

To  secure  their  goods  in  these  dangerous  times,  Jonathan  and 
Simon  sent  their  brother  John  with  all  their  carriages  and  bag- 
gage, to  their  friends,  the  Nabatheans,  to  be  kept  for  them  until 
they  should  be  in  a  condition  to  reclaim  their  property :  but 
while  he  was  on  his  journey,  he  was  attacked  by  the  Jambrians, 
a  tribe  of  Arabians,  who  slew  him,  and  seized  all  the  goods 
which  he  had  under  his  care.  To  revenge  this  unprovoked  vio- 
lence, Jonathan  and  Simon  having  learned  that  a  great  marriage 
was  to  be  solemnized  on  a  certain  day,  at  Medaba,  the  chief 
town  of  the  Jambrians,  placed  an  ambush  by  the  road  along 
which  the  bridegroom  and  bride  with  their  numerous  attendants 
were  to  pass,  in  meeting  each  other,  who  killed  most  of  the 
party,  and  took  from  them  much  rich  spoil. 

Bacchides,  learning  that  Jonathan  and  his  adherents  were 
encamped  on  the  bank  of  the  Jordan,  made  an  assault  on  them, 
on  the  Sabbath  day,  calculating  upon  no  resistance ;  but  Jona- 
than, agreeably  to  the  decision  made  in  the  days  of  Mattathias 
his  father,  exhorted  his  brethren  to  resist  the  enemy,  which 
they  did  so  manfully,  that  they  killed  a  thousand  men :  but 
not  being  able  to  withstand  so  great  a  multitude,  they  swam  the 
Jordan  and  escaped. 

The  next  year  died  Alcimus,  the  great  troubler  of  Israel. 
As  soon  as  he  was  established  in  the  priesthood,  he  set  himself 
to  corrupt  and  change  the  Jewish  religion,  endeavouring  to 
bring  it  to  a  nearer  conformity  with  the  religious  institutions  of 
the  Greeks.  When  the  temple  was  rebuilt  after  the  return 
from  captivity,  there  was  erected  around  the  sanctuary,  a  low 
wall,  it  is  said,  by  order  of  the  prophets  Zechariah  and  Haggai, 
beyond  which,  no  uncircumcised  person  was  permitted  to  pass. 
This  wall,  commonly  called  Hil,  Alcimus  directed  to  be  removed, 
that  the  Gentiles  might  be  put  on  a  level  with  the  Jews.  But 
during  the  progress  of  this  work,  he  was  struck  with  the  palsy, 
and  suddenly  expired. 

After  the  death  of  Alcimus,  Bacchides  was  recalled  to  Anti- 


522  HISTORY   OP  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

och,  and  for  two  years  the  land  had  rest.  This  was  probably 
owing  to  the  letter  which  Demetrius  received  from  the  Roman 
Senate;  for  he  was  solicitous  not  to  provoke  the  displeasure  of 
that  formidable  power ;  and,  indeed,  they  had  never  recognized 
him  as  the  lawful  king  of  Syria.  For,  as  has  been  related,  he 
fled  from  Rome,  when  residing  there  as  a  hostage,  and  coming 
into  Syria,  usurped  the  throne,  and  slew  Antiochus  Eupator, 
the  reigning  king.  He,  therefore,  took  every  opportunity  of 
gratifying  the  Romans,  and  so  earnestly  and  repeatedly  urged 
his  petition  for  reconciliation,  with  their  ambassadors,  that  at 
length  he  accomplished  his  wish,  and  was  acknowledged  king  of 
Syria,  by  the  Roman  Senate,  and  all  the  treaties  made  with  the 
former  kings  of  Syria  were  renewed  with  him.  The  death  of 
Alcimus  occurred  in  the  year  160  B.  C. 

The  Jews  having  now,  as  was  before  said,  two  years  of  unin- 
terrupted quiet,  Jonathan  exerted  himself  to  restore  every  thing 
to  its  proper  state :  but  the  Jews  who  were  ill  affected  to  him 
and  his  cause,  sent  again  to  Antioch,  and  procured  an  order  for 
Bacchides  to  return  with  his  army  into  Judea.  A  conspiracy 
was  also  formed  to  seize  Jonathan  and  his  brothers,  and  deliver 
them  up ;  but  he,  receiving  intelligence  of  it,  seized  about  fifty 
of  the  conspirators  and  put  them  to  death.  He  and  Simon 
then  retreated  to  the  strong  fortress  called  Bethbasi,  where  one 
of  them  remained  to  defend  the  place,  while  the  other  hung 
upon  the  skirts  of  the  Syrian  army,  until  Bacchides  grew  weary 
of  the  war,  and  turned  his  wrath  against  some  of  those  who 
induced  him  to  undertake  the  expedition.  At  which  time  Jona- 
than and  Simon  made  to  him  offers  of  peace,  which  he  gladly 
accepted,  and  solemnly  swore  that  he  would  never  any  more 
carry  on  war  with  the  Jews,  with  which  he  complied ;  for  he 
never  after  this  returned  in  a  hostile  manner  to  Judea. 

In  the  year  166  B.  C.  another  war  broke  out  between  the  two 
Ptolemies.  Physcon  became  so  odious  to  his  subjects,  that 
some  of  them  way-laid  him,  and  in  attempting  to  assassinate 
him,  wounded  him  severely.  He  attributed  it  to  his  brother, 
who,  he  supposed,  had  hired  these  assassins  to  kill  him;  on 
which,  he  repaired  again  to  Rome,  where  he  showed  his  scars, 
and  entered  grevious  complaints  against  his  brother.  The 
Romans,  without  much  inquiry,  directed  an  army  to  accompany 
him,  and  put  him  in  possession  of  Cyprus,  which  Philometor 
refused  to  give  up.  Being  met,  however,  on  the  island,  by 
Philometor,  he  was  vanquished  and  taken  prisoner ;  but  his 
mild  and  affectionate  brother,  instead  of  putting  him  to  death, 
according  to  his  deserts,  restored  him  to  his  kingdom  in  Lybia 
and  Gyrene,  and  added  some  other  territories,  to  render  the 
possession  more  valuable. 

Demetrius  now  gave  himself  up  entirely  to  drinking  and  dis- 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OP  JUDEA.  523 

sipation.  He  relinquished  all  care  of  the  public  administra- 
tion, and  shut  himself  up  in  a  castle,  near  Antioch,  from  which 
he  seldom  came  out.  But  while  he  was  thus  indulging  himself 
in  indolence  and  pleasure,  an  unexpected  enemy  arose.  Her- 
aclides,  a  favourite  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  whom  Demetrius 
had  banished  from  Babylonia,  on  account  of  his  maladminis- 
tration, found  an  obscure  young  man,  called  Balas,  who  was 
willing  to  subserve  his  views,  by  acting  the  part  of  an  impostor, 
and  pretending  that  he  was  the  son  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes. 
This  imposture  could  have  had  little  effect,  had  not  several  of 
the  crowned  heads  of  the  neighbouring  countries  favoured  it ; 
but  Ptolemy,  Attains,  and  Ariarthes,  having  all  received  great 
provocation  from  Demetrius,  were  disposed  to  lend  their  coun- 
tenance to  any  scheme  which  would  have  a  tendency  to  annoy, 
or  ruin  him. 

The  three  kings,  above  mentioned,  having  acknowledged  the 
impostor,  under  the  name  of  Alexander  son  of  Antiochus,  Her- 
aclides  took  him  to  Rome ;  and  to  give  colour  to  the  deception, 
carried  with  him  Laodice,  the  real  daughter  of  Antiochus. 
There,  by  craft  and  false  pretences,  he  got  him  acknowledged, 
and  obtained  a  decree,  not  only  permitting  him  to  return  to 
Syria,  for  the  recovery  of  his  kingdom,  but  granting  him  aid  in 
accomplishing  this  object. 

These  events  roused  Demetrius  from  his  inactivity ;  and  as 
he  had  a  high  opinion  of  the  powers  and  fidelity  of  Jonathan, 
and  thought  it  would  be  important  to  secure  his  services,  he 
appointed  him  his  general,  in  Judea,  with  authority  to  raise 
forces.  As  soon  as  Jonathan  received  this  letter,  he  caused  it 
to  be  read  in  the  hearing  of  the  officers  of  the  garrison,  in 
Jerusalem ;  by  which  they  were  induced  to  give  up  the  host- 
ages which  they  had  in  the  fortress. 

Alexander,  hearing  what  Demetrius  had  done  to  gain  Jona- 
than, sent  proposals  to  him  also.  He  offered  to  make  him 
high-priest,  with  the  title  of  the  king'' 's  friend.  He  also  sent 
him  a  purple  robe,  such  as  princes  only  wear,  and  a  crown  of 
gold.  On  this,  Demetrius  sent  new  offers  to  Jonathan,  promis- 
ing him  all  that  had  been  offered  by  Alexander,  together  with 
extraordinary  privileges  to  the  Jewish  people.  But  the  Jews, 
remembering  the  long  and  bitter  enmity  of  Demetrius  to  their 
nation,  and  how  much  injury  he  had  done  them,  could  place  no 
confidence  in  him,  and  therefore  resolved  to  take  sides  with 
Alexander. 

Jonathan  now  entered  on  the  office  of  high-priest,  which  had 
been  vacant  for  seven  years;  and  from  this  time  the  office 
became  settled  in  the  family  of  the  Asmoneans,  and  so  continued 
until  the  days  of  Herod.  From  the  Babylonish  captivity,  the 
office  descended  on  the  family  of  Jozadak,  until  the  time  of 


524  HISTORY  OF    THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

Onias  the  third.  After  his  expulsion,  it  was  occupied  by  Jason 
his  brother,  then  by  Menelaus  an  older  brother;  and  then  by 
Alcimus.  Whether  the  Asmoneans  were  of  the  family  of  Joza- 
dak,  is  nowhere  said ;  but  they  were  of  the  course  of  Joarib, 
which  was  the  first  class  of  the  sons  of  Aaron. 

Alexander,  backed  by  the  three  kings  already  mentioned,  and 
his  title  being  acknowledged  by  the  Romans,  was  in  a  condition 
to  cope  with  Demetrius,  on  equal  footing.  Demetrius,  on  the 
other  hand,  was  not  inactive  in  preparing  for  a  contest,  in  which 
his  kingdom  was  at  stake.  The  hostile  armies  met,  and  a  deci- 
sive battle  took  place,  in  which,  although  the  wing  commanded 
by  Demetrius  himself  gained  some  advantage,  the  left  wing  was 
put  to  flight,  and  Demetrius  slain  in  the  pursuit. 

Alexander,  having  now  obtained  the  throne  of  Syria,  sent  to 
k  Ptolemy,  king  of  Egypt,  requesting  his  daughter  Cleopatra  in 
marriage.  To  this  Ptolemy  consented,  and  carried  her  to  Pto- 
lemais,  where  the  nuptials  were  celebrated.  To  this  wedding 
Jonathan  the  high-priest  of  the  Jews  was  invited,  and  was  re- 
ceived with  signal  favour  by  both  the  kings ;  especially  by  Alex- 
ander, who  had  him  clothed  in  purple,  and  enrolled  among  the 
chief  of  his  friends.  And  although  his  enemies  presented  accu- 
sations against  him,  the  king  would  listen  to  none  of  them,  but 
sent  him  back  with  honour  to  Judea. 


SECTION  XVII. 

ONIAS   OBTAINS   THE    FAVOUR   OF   THE    KING   AND   QUEEN   OF   EGYPT — BUILDS   THERE 

A    TEMPLE    SIMILAR   TO    THAT    AT    JERUSALEM CONTENTIONS   BETWEEN    THE    JEWS 

AND  SAMARITANS  ABOUT  THE  PLACE  OF  WORSHIP — HIPPARCHUS  THE  ASTRONO- 
MER— WAR  BETWEEN  ALEXANDER  THE  IMPOSTOR  AND  DEMETRIUS — THE  FORMER 
FORSAKEN  BY  HIS  FATHER-IN-XAW  IS  OVERTHROWN  AND  SLAIN. 

ONIAS,  who  on  being  disappointed  of  the  high-priest's  office 
had  fled  into  Egypt,  became  a  favourite  both  with  the  king  and 
queen ;  for  he  was  a  great  soldier  and  a  great  politician.  By 
degrees  he  was  advanced  to  the  highest  station  in  the  army, 
and  also  at  court;  and  had  influence  to  introduce  another  Jew 
of  talents  into  the  royal  favour,  whose  name  was  Dositheus : 
these  two,  in  fact,  managed  all  the  affairs  of  the  kingdom. 
Onias  made  use  of  his  influence  to  induce  the  king  to  permit 
him  to  erect,  in  Egypt,  a  temple  similar  to  that  at  Jerusalem, 
with  the  grant  that  the  office  of  high-priest  should  for  ever  be 
continued  in  his  family.  He  did  not  find  it  difficult  to  persuade 
the  king  that  this  would  be  good  policy,  since  it  would  induce 
many  of  the  Jews  to  settle  in  Egypt.  But  the  difficulty  was, 
to  reconcile  the  minds  of  the  Jews  to  the  idea  of  worshipping 
any  where  else  but  at  Jerusalem,  which  had  been  selected  by 


TO   THE   CONQUEST   OF  JTJDEA.  525 

God  himself  as  the  site  of  his  temple.  To  satisfy  their  minds, 
he  referred  to  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  (Isa.  xix.  18,  19,)  where 
it  is  said,  "In  that  day,  shall  five  cities  in  the  land  of  Egypt 
speak  the  language  of  Canaan,  and  swear  to  the  Lord  of  hosts: 
one  shall  be  called  the  city  of  Destruction.  In  that  day  shall 
there  be  an  altar  to  the  Lord,  in  the  midst  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 
and  a  pillar  at  the  border  thereof,  to  the  Lord."  The  place 
selected  for  this  temple  was  Heliopolis,  only  twenty-four  miles 
from  Memphis,  where  formerly  a  temple  had  stood,  which  was 
now  in  ruins.  Onias  made  it  exactly  according  to  the  pattern 
of  that  at  Jerusalem,  although  not  so  high,  nor  so  costly ;  and 
furnished  it  with  all  the  apparatus  for  worship;  an  altar  of 
burnt-offerings,  an  altar  of  incense,  a  table  of  shew-bread,  and 
other  utensils  and  vessels,  such  as  were  used  in  the  temple  at 
Jerusalem;  except,  that  instead  of  a  candlestick  with  seven 
lamps,  one  large  lamp  was  suspended  in  the  holy  place.  In 
this  temple  daily  sacrifices  were  offered,  and  the  whole  ritual 
service  of  the  law  performed  by  priests,  just  as  it  was  at  Jeru- 
salem; and  continued  so  to  be,  until  after  the  destruction  of 
the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  when  it  was  shut  up,  and  soon  after- 
wards utterly  demolished.  The  building  of  this  temple  took 
place  about  the  year  150  B.  C. 

There  is  pretty  strong  internal  evidence  that  the  prophecy 
of  Isaiah  was  translated  into  Greek,  by  Jews  who  worshipped 
at  this  temple,  and  consequently,  that  the  version  was  made 
after  its  erection ;  for  the  text  cited  above,  is  here  rendered, 
not  the  city  of  destruction,  as  in  the  Hebrew,  but  (noiuj  AosSix 
x^eqattat,  v}  pia  Ttojus-,)  one  of  the  cities  shall  be  called  the  city  of 
righteousness. 

About  this  time  there  arose  a  great  commotion  in  Alexan- 
dria between  the  Jews  and  Samaritans,  respecting  the  place 
appointed  by  God  for  his  worship.  Ptolemy,  in  order  to  quell 
it,  appointed  a  day  to  hear  both  parties,  before  himself  and 
council.  On  this  trial,  the  Samaritans  failed  entirely  in  their 
proof,  and  their  leaders  were  condemned  to  death,  for  exciting 
so  great  a  disturbance  without  cause. 

As  soon  as  Alexander  found  himself  in  quiet  possession  of  a 
rich  kingdom,  he  gave  himself  up  to  luxury  and  vice.  He  sur- 
rounded himself  with  lewd  women,  and  relinquished  all  atten- 
tion to  the  government.  The  principal  management  of  affairs 
was  left  to  one  Ammonius,  who  acted  in  a  very  cruel  manner 
towards  the  people.  By  such  a  course  of  life,  Alexander  soon 
became  odious  to  his  subjects,  and  Demetrius,  the  son  of  the 
late  king,  now  grown  to  manhood,  thought  this  a  fit  opportunity 
to  recover  his  crown.  Accordingly,  he  landed  in  Syria,  with 
some  mercenaries  from  Crete,  and  soon  gathered  a  considerable 
army,  which  was  greatly  strengthened  by  the  revolt  of  Apol- 


526  HISTORY    OP  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

lonius,  the  governor  of  Coelo-Syria,  who  declared  in  favour  of 
Demetrius. 

Jonathan,  who  had  entered  into  a  treaty  with  Alexander, 
adhered  to  his  interest.  Apollonius,  therefore,  turned  his 
forces,  in  the  first  place,  against  him ;  and  drawing  together  a 
large  army  at  Jamnia,  sent  a  challenge  to  Jonathan  to  meet 
him  in  battle.  Jonathan  marching  out  of  Jerusalem  with  ten 
thousand  men,  took  Joppa,  in  the  presence  of  Apollonius  and 
his  army ;  and  then  joining  battle  with  him,  vanquished  him  in 
the  open  field,  and  pursued  his  broken  forces  to  Azotus. 
Having  taken  the  place,  he  set  it  on  fire  and  burnt  it  down, 
together  with  the  temple  of  Dagon,  which  was  in  it.  In  conse- 
quence of  this  victory,  Alexander  sent  Jonathan  a  buckle  of 
gold,  such  as  was  used  only  by  the  royal  family,  and  gave  him 
the  city  of  Ekron. 

About  the  year  147  B.  C.  flourished  the  celebrated  philoso- 
pher Hipparchus  of  Nice,  in  Bithynia.  He  spent  thirty-four 
years  in  studying  the  motions  and  relative  positions  of  the 
heavenly  bodies.  The  Jews  call  him  Abrachus,  and  his  name 
is  deservedly  great  among  them ;  for  their  rabbis  received  from 
him  that  form  of  the  year  which  has  been  in  use  among  them 
ever  since. 

The  war  between  Alexander  and  Demetrius,  for  the  crown  of 
Syria,  still  continued ;  and  Ptolemy  Philometor,  being  desirous 
of  assisting  Alexander  his  son-in-law,  marched  with  a  great 
army  into  Palestine ;  where  he  was  met  by  Jonathan  the  high- 
priest  of  the  Jews,  whom  he  received  with  great  honour  and 
friendship,  and  took  him  with  him  to  his  camp  at  Ptolemais. 
But  here  he  found  that  snares  were  laid  for  his  life  by  Ammo- 
nius,  the  general  of  Alexander;  and  when  he  demanded  of 
this  prince  that  Ammonius  should  be  delivered  up  to  him,  for 
punishment,  he  met  with  a  refusal.  Ptolemy  was,  on  this 
account,  so  much  displeased  with  Alexander,  that  he  not  only 
ceased  to  aid  him,  but  even  took  away  his  daughter  from  him, 
and  gave  her  to  Demetrius,  his  competitor  for  the  crown. 

The  people  of  Antioch  had  Ammonius  in  such  hatred,  that 
they  rose  up  tumultuously  against  him,  and  slew  him ;  and  at 
the  same  time  revolted  from  Alexander,  and  opened  their  gates 
to  Ptolemy,  whom  they  invited  to  be  their  king.  This  ofier  he 
declined,  and  recommended  to  them  Demetrius,  the  legitimate 
heir  of  the  kingdom,  whom  accordingly  they  received  into 
Antioch,  and  placed  on  the  throne  of  his  ancestors. 

Alexander,  who  was  then  in  Cilicia,  hearing  of  these  events, 
hastened  towards  Antioch,  where  he  laid  waste  the  surround- 
ing country;  until,  being  met  by  the  army  of  Demetrius,  he 
was  overthrown  in  a  decisive  battle,  and  made  his  escape  with 
only  five  hundred  horse,  to  Zabdiel,  an  Arabian  prince,  to 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  627 

whom  he  had  privately  sent  his  children  for  security.  But 
here,  in  a  few  days,  he  was  murdered  by  those  in  whom  he 
most  confided.  Such  was  the  end  of  this  successful  impostor, 
after  a  reign  of  five  years. 

The  head  of  Alexander  was  brought  by  his  murderers  to 
Ptolemy,  who  was  greatly  delighted  at  the  sight  of  it;  but 
his  joy  was  short-lived,  for  in  a  few  days  afterwards,  he  him- 
self received  a  wound  which  caused  his  death,  after  a  reign  of 
thirty-five  years. 


SECTION  XVIII. 

CARTHAGE  AND  CORINTH    DESTROYED  IN  THE   SAME  YEAR — HISTORY  OF   POLYBIDS — CLEO- 
PATRA   MARRIES  PHYSCON,  WHO  MURDERS    HER  SON   BY  HER   FORMER  HUSBAND — SYRIA 

IN  A.   DISTURBED   STATE — TYRANNICAL   CONDUCT  OF   DEMETRIUS TRYPHON   CONSPIRES 

AGAINST   HIM    AND   OVERCOMES   HIM — THEOS    IS    MADE   KING,  WHO   GRANTS   GREAT  PRI- 
VILEGES  TO   JONATHAN    AND   SIMON. 

THE  year  147  B.  C.  was  not  only  famous  for  the  death  of  the 
kings  of  Egypt  and  Syria,  within  a  few  days  of  each  other, 
but  also  for  the  destruction  of  the  two  famous  cities,  Carthage 
and  Corinth.  The  former  by  Scipio  Africanus,  the  latter  by 
L.  Mummius.  In  the  burning  of  Corinth,  all  the  brass  was 
melted  down,  and  mingled  with  other  metals,  which  formed  the 
famous  Corinthian  brass  of  the  ancients.  With  this  year  ends 
the  history  of  Polybius,  which  he  wrote  in  forty  books ;  extend- 
ing from  the  beginning  of  the  second  Punic  war  to  the  end  of 
the  third.  Of  these,  only  five  are  now  extant ;  which  are  writ- 
ten with  so  much  spirit  and  correctness,  that  they  serve  to 
increase  our  regret  for  the  loss  of  all  the  rest.  Polybius  was  a 
native  of  Megapolis  in  Arcadia,  the  son  of  Lycortas,  the 
famous  supporter  of  the  Achsean  league.  Being  overcome  by 
the  Romans,  a  thousand  of  the  principal  youth  were  carried  to 
Rome  as  hostages,  of  whom  Polybius  was  one.  It  was  here 
that  he  wrote  his  history. 

Ptolemy  Philometor  being  dead,  his  wife,  Cleopatra — who 
was  also  his  sister — wished  to  secure  the  succession  to  her  son, 
then  an  infant;  but  Ptolemy  Physcon,  king  of  Gyrene,  the 
brother  of  Philometor,  now  laid  in  his  claim.  On  this  occasion, 
Onias  and  Dositheus  surrounded  the  queen  with  an  army  of 
Jews ;  but  the  Romans  interposing,  to  prevent  a  civil  war,  pro- 
posed that  Physcon  should  marry  his  brother's  widow,  and  that 
after  his  death,  the  son  of  Cleopatra  should  succeed  to  the 
throne.  This  was  agreed  to ;  but  on  the  very  day  of  the  nup- 
tials, this  unprincipled  and  unfeeling  wretch  murdered  the  son 
of  his  brother,  in  his  mother's  arms.  The  afiairs  of  Syria  were 


528  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

also  in  a  disturbed  state,  under  Demetrius,  who  was  a  young 
and  inexperienced  man,  and  of  an  unhappy  disposition. 

Jonathan,  finding  all  quiet  in  Judea,  resolved  to  reduce  the 
fortress  of  Jerusalem.  But  as  soon  as  he  commenced  the 
siege,  complaints  Avere  made  against  him  to  Demetrius,  who 
coming  to  Ptolemais,  summoned  Jonathan  to  appear  before 
him.  He  accordingly  came  down,  attended  by  some  of  the 
priests  and  chief  people  of  Jerusalem,  and  bringing  with  him 
valuable  presents  for  the  king.  And  he  so  managed,  as  to 
obtain  the  favour  of  Demetrius,  who  not  only  confirmed  him  in 
his  priesthood,  but  admitted  him  to  a  chief  place  among  his 
friends,  and  bestowed  on  him  several  cities  which  had  formerly 
belonged  to  the  Samaritans. 

Demetrius  conducted  himself  in  a  very  tyrannical  manner 
at  Antioch,  so  that  the  inhabitants  became  greatly  disaffected 
towards  him;  and.  on  one  occasion  rose  in  arms,  and  would 
have  destroyed  him,  had  it  not  been  for  a  body  of  Jewish  sol- 
diers, whom  Jonathan  sent  to  his  aid,  in  consideration  of  a  pro- 
mise, that  the  garrison  should  be  removed  from  the  fortress  in 
Jerusalem,  which  he  was  unable  to  reduce,  either  by  violence 
or  stratagem.  These  Jewish  soldiers  fell  upon  the  inhabitants 
of  Antioch ;  and,  it  is  said,  slew  no  less  than  a  hundred  thou- 
sand of  them.  Thus  retaliating  the  massacres  of  the  Syrians 
in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  in  former  days. 

A  man  called  Tryphon,  observing  how  odious  Demetrius 
had  become  to  his  subjects  by  his  tyranny,  formed  the  design  of 
placing  one  of  Alexander's  sons  on  the  throne;  or  rather,  as  is 
commonly  supposed,  of  availing  himself  of  his  name  and  claims, 
to  ascend  the  throne.  With  this  view,  he  went  to  Zabdiel  the 
guardian  of  Alexander's  children,  and  prevailed  on  him  to  com- 
mit Antiochus  the  son  of  Alexander  into  his  hands,  and 
brought  the  boy  immediately  to  Syria,  and  proclaimed  him 
king.  On  this,  the  soldiers  who  had  been  disbanded  by  Deme- 
trius, and  many  others,  flocked  to  his  standard.  He  was  soon 
in  a  condition  to  march  against  Demetrius,  whom  he  vanquished 
in  battle,  driving  him  into  Seleucia,  and  taking  all  his  ele- 
phants. The  result  of  this  victory  was,  that  Antioch  fell  into 
his  hands;  and  he  was  placed  on  the  throne.  The  people  gave 
him  the  name  of  Theos,  or  divine. 

The  new  king,  anxious  to  secure  Jonathan  in  his  interest, 
immediately  sent  an  embassy  to  him,  with  a  confirmation  of  all 
the  grants  which  he  had  received  from  former  sovereigns,  with 
the  privilege  of  wearing  purple,  and  the  golden  buckle.  Simon 
was  at  the  same  time  made  commander  of  all  the  king's  forces 
from  the  border  of  Syria  to  Egypt,  on  condition  that  the  two 
brothers  should  declare  for  him ;  which  they  were  very  ready 


TO   THE   CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  529 

to  do,  on  account  of  the  perfidious  conduct  of  Demetrius,  who 
had  neither  withdrawn  the  garrison  from  Jerusalem,  nor 
released  the  country  from  tribute,  according  to  his  promise. 
The  brothers,  therefore,  raised  a  large  army  in  Palestine  and 
Coelo-Syria,  and  Jonathan,  leaving  Simon  in  Judea,  went  to 
Galilee,  where  he  was  very  near  being  taken  prisoner,  by 
being  drawn  into  an  ambush :  but  his  men  rallying,  after  being 
put  to  flight,  rescued  their  leader,  and  gained  the  victory. 
Bethsura,  which  had  a  strong  garrison,  was  reduced,  to  the 
great  comfort  of  the  surrounding  inhabitants,  who  had  been, 
long  annoyed  by  the  heathen  soldiers. 


SECTION  XIX. 

JONATHAN  RENEWS   HIS   LEAGUE    WITH   THE   ROMANS  AND  LACEDEMONIANS HE  AND 

SIMON  CALL  A  GREAT  COUNCIL  OF  THE  NATION — TRYPHON  TREACHEROUSLY  MUR- 
DERS JONATHAN SIMON  SUCCEEDS  HIM ERECTS  A  FAMOUS  MONUMENT  FOR  HIS 

BROTHERS DEMOLISHES  THE    STRONG    FORTRESS    AT   JERUSALEM DEMETRIUS    GOES 

AGAINST  THE  PARTHIANS,  AND  FALLS  INTO  THEIR  HANDS — HIS  LIFE  IS  SPARED 
BY  MITHRIDATES,  WHO  GIVES  HIM  HIS  DAUGHTER  IN  MARRIAGE — CLEOPATRA 
MARRIES  ANTIOCHUS  SIDETES,  WHO  INVADES  SYRIA,  AND  OVERCOMES  AND  SLAYS 

TRYPHON SIMON    SENDS    AN    EMBASSY    TO    ROME    TO    OBTAIN    THEIR    CONFIRMATION; 

OF     HIS    AUTHORITY ANTIOCHUS     SEEKS     THE     DESTRUCTION    OF    SIMON — BEASTLY 

CHARACTER  OF  PTOLEMY  PHYSCON  AND  ATTALUS — SIMON  TREACHEROUSLY  MUB- 
DERED  AT  JERICHO. 

JONATHAN  being  now  relieved  from  all  disquietude  at  home,  sent 
ambassadors  to  Rome  to  renew  the  treaty  which  had  been  con- 
cluded with  Judas.  They  were  kindly  and  honourably  received, 
and  obtained  all  that  they  wished.  The  ambassadors,  agreea- 
bly to  their  orders,  on  their  return  renewed  the  former  league 
with  the  Lacedemonians,  and  other  allies  of  the  Jews  in  Greece. 
The  general  of  Demetrius,  who  had  been  defeated  in  Galilee  by 
Jonathan,  returned  with  a  greater  force,  but  was  again  obliged 
to  fly ;  and  the  two  brothers  brought  the  whole  country  under 
subjection  to  Antiochus. 

When  the  country  was  freed  from  invading  foes,  Jonathan 
and  Simon  convened  the  great  council  of  the  nation  to  consult 
about  repairing  and  fortifying  Jerusalem,  and  other  strong 
places  in  Judea.  At  this  meeting  it  was  agreed  that  the  walls 
of  the  city  should  be  repaired,  and  a  new  wall  erected  between 
the  town  and  the  castle,  so  as  to  prevent  all  intercourse  between 
the  garrison  and  the  inhabitants ;  by  which  means  it  was  hoped, 
that  for  want  of  supplies,  they  would  before  long  be  under  the 
necessity  of  surrendering. 

Tryphon,  who  had  brought  back  the  young  king,  supposed 

that  the  time  was  now  come  to  execute  his  nefarious  scheme  of 

putting  him  to  death,  and  seizing  the  crown  for  himself.     But 

foreseeing  that  Jonathan  would  never  countenance  such  villany, 

34 


530  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

he  resolved  to  remove  him  out  of  the  way,  in  the  first  place.  He 
therefore  marched  into  Judea  with  a  strong  force,  but  found 
Jonathan  prepared  to  meet  him  at  the  head  of  forty  thousand 
men.  He  therefore  assumed  the  appearance  of  friendship,  and 
informed  Jonathan  that  the  purpose  of  his  coming  was  to  put 
Ptolemais  into  his  hands;  and  so  deceived  him  by  his  specious 
pretexts,  that  he  was  induced  to  send  away  all  his  men  except 
one  thousand.  With  these  he  went  to  Ptolemais,  to  receive  the 
city,  which  Tryphon  had  sworn  to  surrender  to  him;  but  no 
sooner  was  he  within  the  walls,  than  he  ordered  the  gates  to  be 
shut,  and  resolved  to  put  Jonathan  and  his  all  men  to  the  sword. 

The  Jews,  greatly  intimidated  and  distressed  by  the  loss  of 
their  leader,  appointed  Simon  to  be  their  captain ;  who  soon 
collected  a  formidable  force,  and  marched  to  meet  Tryphon, 
then  on  his  way  to  besiege  Jerusalem,  and  relieve  the  garrison. 
To  Simon  he  pretended  that  his  only  reason  for  seizing  Jona- 
than was  because  he  owed  the  king  a  debt,  which,  if  he  would 
pay,  his  brother  should  be  released.  Simon  saw  through  the 
deception,  but  lest  any  censure  should  light  upon  himself  for 
not  ransoming  his  brother,  he  raised  the  money  and  sent  it  to 
him.  But  this  wicked  wretch,  instead  of  complying  with  his 
promise,  put  Jonathan  to  death.  Thinking  that  the  only  obsta- 
cle to  the  accomplishment  of  his  ambitious  purpose  was  now 
removed,  he  finished  by  making  way  with  Antiochus. 

As  soon  as  Simon  heard  of  his  brother's  death,  he  sent  and 
brought  away  his  bones  from  Bascama,  and  buried  them  at  Mo- 
din,  in  the  sepulchre  of  his  father;  over  which  he  built  a  splen- 
did monument  of  marble.  Near  this  monument  he  erected 
seven  pyramids,  one  for  his  father,  another  for  his  mother,  four 
for  his  brothers,  and  the  seventh  for  himself.  The  architec- 
ture of  this  monument  is  said  to  have  been  very  excellent,  and  as 
it  was  erected  on  an  eminence  near  the  seacoast,  it  served  as  a 
light-house  to  mariners.  Josephus  says  that  it  was  entire  in 
his  time,  and  considered  an  admirable  piece  of  architecture. 
Eusebius,  who  lived  two  hundred  years  later,  informs  us  that  it 
was  still  standing  when  he  wrote. 

I  Tryphon,  now  very  anxious  to  conciliate  the  Romans,  sent 
them  as  a  present,  a  golden  image  of  victory,  valued  at  ten 
thousand  pieces  of  gold ;  hoping  to  be  recognized  as  king  of 
Syria.  The  Roman  Senate  accepted  the  present ;  but  ordered 
the  name  of  Antiochus,  whom  Tryphon  had  murdered,  to  be 
inscribed  on  the  image,  as  if  it  had  been  received  from  him. 
Simon,  also,  sent  ambassadors  to  Rome,  after  his  brother's 
death,  who  were  received  with  distinguished  honour;  and  had 
all  their  former  grants  and  promises  renewed.  The  same 
ambassadors  renewed  their  leagues  with  the  other  allies  of  the 
Jews,  who  lay  in  their  way  home. 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  531 

The  Jews  who  had  joined  the  young  king,  in  opposition  to 
Demetrius,  now  felt  disposed  to  return  to  his  aid  against  Try- 
phon  the  usurper,  who  had  perfidiously  inflicted  on  them  so 
deep  an  injury.  Simon,  therefore,  sent  an  embassy  to  Deme- 
trius, with  a  crown  of  gold.  This  aid  was  so  much  needed  by 
Demetrius  and  so  seasonable,  that  he  not  only  confirmed 
Simon  in  the  priesthood,  and  renewed  all  former  grants,  with 
an  amnesty  for  all  acts  done  against  his  government;  but 
actually  conferred  the  sovereignity  of  the  country  on  Simon, 
by  which  means  the  land  was  freed  from  a  foreign  yoke.  The 
Jews,  therefore,  from  this  time,  instead  of  dating  their  con- 
contracts  by  the  years  of  the  Syrian  kings,  dated  them  by  the 
years  of  Simon  and  his  successors.  Simon  now  made  a  pro- 
gress through  the  land,  reducing  such  fortresses  as  were  gar- 
risoned by  the  heathens,  and  fortifying  those  places  which 
served  for  the  defence  of  the  country.  He  made  Bethsura  a 
despository  of  the  munitions  of  war ;  and  Joppa,  the  seaport  of 
Jerusalem,  it  being  the  nearest  place  on  the  Mediterranean. 
Gazara,  which  had  revolted  on  the  death  of  Jonathan,  he 
reduced,  driving  off  the  heathen  garrison,  and  building  a  house 
there  for  himself. 

In  the  year  142  B.  C.  the  strong  fortress  at  Jerusalem  which 
overlooked  the  temple,  was  reduced  to  the  necessity  of  surren- 
dering for  the  want  of  provisions  and  other  necessaries,  by 
which  means  the  inhabitants  were  delivered  from  a  great  and 
long  continued  grievance.  That  they  might  never  again  be 
subjected  to  a  similar  annoyance,  Simon  not  only  demolished 
the  fortress,  but  proposed  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  to 
take  away  the  hill  itself  on  which  it  had  been  built.  This  pro- 
posal met  with  universal  acceptance;  and  for  three  years  they 
were  engaged  in  this  herculean  labour.  Simon,  also,  renewed 
and  strengthened  the  fortifications  of  the  temple;  and  built  for 
himself  and  his  attendants,  a  house  within  the  circuit  of  the 
outer  wall,  which  probably  occupied  the  site  where  the  tower 
called  Antonia  was  afterwards  erected.  John,  the  son  of 
Simon,  afterwards  called  Hyrcanus,  being  a  valiant  man,  and 
skilled  in  military  matters,  his  father  made  him  general  of  all 
the  forces  of  Judea,  and  sent  him  to  live  at  Gazara,  as  being  a 
frontier  town ;  and  also,  that  he  might  be  near  Joppa,  to 
superintend  the  works,  which  he  was  erecting  there  to  ren- 
der it  a  commodious  place  for  commerce. 

Demetrius  found,  this  year,  141  B.  C.,  a  new  ememy  rising 
up  against  him  in  the  east.  The  Parthians  had  extended  their 
conquests  from  the  Euphrates  to  the  Indus ;  his  friends  in  the 
eastern  provinces  therefore  invited  him  to  come  over  and 
secure  his  territory  from  the  grasp  of  usurpers.  In  compliance 
with  this  invitation,  Demetrius  passed  the  Euphrates,  leaving 


532  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

Tryphon  in  possession  of  a  considerable  part  of  Syria,  behind 
him.  At  first,  he  defeated  the  Parthians  in  many  battles ; 
but  at  length  being  drawn  into  a  snare,  he  was  taken  prisoner 
by  Mithridates,  king  of  Parthia,  and  his  whole  army  cut  to 
pieces.  By  this  event,  the  Parthian  power  was  established  in 
the  east,  and  became  a  formidable  enemy  to  all,  even  to  the 
Romans.  Mithridates  was  the  fourth  in  descent  form  Arsaces, 
•who,  by  his  revolt,  laid  the  foundation  of  this  empire.  He 
extended  his  conquests  far  into  India,  and  to  the  west  as  far 
as  the  Euphrates.  Having  got  Demetrius  into  his  power,  he 
carried  him  about,  through  all  the  provinces  which  formerly 
belonged  to  him,  to  let  the  people  see  the  man  in  whom  they 
had  confided  for  deliverance  from  his  power.  But  he  treated 
him  in  a  manner  suitable  to  his  dignity;  and  after  awhile, 
gave  him  his  own  daughter  in  marriage,  though  he  still  retained 
him  as  a  captive. 

Simon  having  received  from  the  king  of  Syria  the  sovereignty 
of  the  nation,  all  that  was  necessary  to  make  him  a  lawful  king 
was  the  free  and  explicit  consent  of  the  people;  and  this  was 
given  in  a  general  congregation  of  the  priests,  elders,  and 
people.  Here  it  was  agreed  that  the  office  of  high-priest,  and 
the  supreme  power  of  the  nation,  should  be  settled  on  Simon, 
and  his  family,  for  ever.  A  copy  of  this  act  they  caused  to  be 
engraved  on  tablets  of  brass,  and  hung  up  in  the  sanctuary; 
and  the  original  writing  was  laid  up  among  the  archives  belong- 
ing to  the  treasury  of  the  temple.  From  this  time  Simon 
assumed  the  state,  style,  and  authority  of  a  royal  prince ;  and 
all  public  acts  were  in  his  name. 

Cleopatra,  the  wife  of  Demetrius,  when  she  heard  of  his  cap- 
tivity, and  of  his  marriage  to  the  daughter  of  Mithridates,  sent 
to  his  brother  Antiochus,  Sidetes,  and  offered  him  her  hand  and 
the  crown  of  Syria,  if  he  would  come  and  assist  her  against  Try- 
phon :  which  offer  he  gladly  accepted. 

In  the  year  139  B.  C.,  Antiochus  Sidetes  wrote  a  letter  to 
Simon,  king  of  Judea,  complaining  of  the  usurpation  of  Tryphon ; 
and  to  gain  him  over  to  his  interests,  made  him  many  promises. 
(Mac.  xv.  2 — 9.)  Having  landed  in  Syria  with  a  large  body  of 
mercenaries,  he  marched  against  Tryphon,  whose  soldiers  having 
become  much  disaffected  towards  him,  deserted  in  great  num- 
bers, and  joined  the  standard  of  Antiochus.  The  forces  of  the 
latter,  by  the  accessions  which  he  received  in  Syria,  soon 
amounted  to  more  than  a  hundred  thousand  men.  Tryphon, 
not  being  able  to  withstand  such  a  force,  fled  from  place  to 
place,  until  he  came  to  Apamia,  where  he  was  taken  and  put  to 
death. 

Simon  thought  it  would  add  much  to  the  stability  of  hia 
government  if  he  could  get  the  Romans  to  confirm  him  in  his 


TO   THE   CONQUEST   OF  JUDEA.  533 

authority.  He  therefore  sent  an  embassy  to  Rome,  which  was 
received  very  favourably,  as  all  former  embassies  from  the  Jews 
had  been.  In  compliance  with  their  request,  letters  were  writ- 
ten to  all  the  kings  whose  territories  lay  near  Judea,  informing 
them  that  the  Jews  were  the  allies  and  friends  of  the  Romans, 
and  forbidding  all  persons  to  molest  or  injure  them.  But  the 
letters  to  the  king  of  Syria,  being  addressed  to  Demetrius,  who 
was  then  in  captivity,  they  were  of  no  service  to  the  Jews,  for 
as  soon  as  Antiochus  was  settled  on  the  throne,  he  sought  an 
opportunity  to  quarrel  with  Simon.  In  pursuance  of  this  design, 
he  sent  an  ambassador  to  Simon,  to  demand  the  restoration  of 
Gazara,  Joppa,  and  the  fortress  of  Jerusalem — or  five  hundred 
talents  in  lieu  of  them — and  five  hundred  more  for  injuries  done 
in  other  parts  of  his  dominions.  Simon  answered  that  he  was 
willing  to  pay  one  hundred  talents  for  Joppa  and  Gazara,  but 
as  for  his  other  demands,  the  places  belonged  to  the  inheritance 
of  his  forefathers,  which  had  for  a  while  been  unjustly  taken 
from  them,  but  which  he  was  now  resolved  to  keep. 

Antiochus,  on  hearing  this  answer,  immediately  sent  Coende- 
beus  into  Judea  with  an  army  to  enforce  his  demands.  Simon, 
now  too  old  to  take  the  field  himself,  sent  his  two  sons,  John 
and  Judas,  with  twenty  thousand  men,  to  meet  the  Syrian  army. 
A  battle  was  fought  not  far  from  Modin,  in  which  the  Syrians 
were  defeated,  and  two  thousand  of  them  slain.  They  were 
pursued  as  far  as  Azotus,  where  John  took  their  towers  of  de- 
fence and  burned  them,  and  then  returned  to  Jerusalem  in 
triumph  with  his  brother. 

Two  greater  brutes  in  human  shape,  perhaps,  never  appeared 
in  the  world  at  one  time,  than  Ptolemy  Physcon,  king  of  Egypt, 
and  Attalus  Philometor,  king  of  Pergamus.  Folly  and  mad- 
ness were  never  more  completely  exemplified,  than  in  the  con- 
duct of  them  both.  The  former  either  killed  or  banished  all 
the  friends  of  his  late  brother,  and  so  oppressed  and  terrified 
the  inhabitants  of  Alexandria,  that  most  of  them  fled  to  other 
countries,  leaving  the  city  almost  destitute.  To  supply  their 
places,  he  invited  strangers  of  all  sorts  to  come  and  occupy 
the  vacant  habitations.  By  the  dispersion  of  men  of  letters, 
and  of  artizans,  the  countries  of  Greece  and  Asia  Minor  were 
filled  with  learning  of  various  kinds ;  for  after  the  conquests  of 
Alexander,  literature  flourished  nowhere  so  much  as  in  Egypt, 
under  the  fostering  patronage  of  the  Ptolemies. 

About  this  time,  the  Romans  sent  ambassadors  to  visit  all 
the  countries  in  alliance  with  them;  a  prudent  measure,  fre- 
quently adopted.  Of  this  embassy  was  Publius  Scipio  Afri- 
canus,  Sp.  Mummius,  and  L.  Metellus,  who  made  Egypt  the 
first  object  of  their  attention.  At  Alexandria  they  were  re- 
ceived with  great  honour,  and  every  luxury  was  provided  for 


534  HISTORY   OP  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

them ;  but  their  simple  republican  manners  formed  a  complete 
contrast  with  the  luxurious  effeminacy  of  the  Egyptians.  Scipio, 
then  the  greatest  man  at  Rome,  had  in  his  train  only  one  friend 
and  five  servants.  In  the  midst  of  the  most  sumptuous  enter- 
tainments provided  expressly  for  them,  they  refused  to  take 
more  than  what  was  necessary  for  sustenance  and  refreshment. 

Physcon  the  king  was  at  this  time  one  of  the  most  disgust- 
ing sights  that  could  be  seen.  He  was  naturally  deformed, 
very  short  of  stature,  and  very  thick,  with  a  belly  so  promi- 
nent, that  from  this  circumstance  his  name  was  derived.  But 
to  render  himself  still  more  odious,  he  wore  a  dress  entirely 
transparent,  by  which  means  the  turpitude  of  his  deformed 
body  was  rendered  altogether  visible. 

In  the  year  135  B.  C.,  Simon,  making  a  progress  through 
Judea,  to  settle  every  thing  on  a  proper  footing,  came  to  Jeri- 
cho with  his  two  sons,  Mattathias  and  Judas,  where  he  was  in- 
vited to  an  entertainment  by  Ptolemy,  son  of  Abubus,  who  had 
married  one  of  his  daughters.  But  this  perfidious  wretch,  aim- 
ing to  make  himself  master  of  all  Judea,  and  having,  it  is  sup- 
posed, concerted  the  plan  with  Antiochus  Sidetes,  had  concealed 
assassins  in  his  house,  who  at  a  concerted  signal  rushed  into 
the  room,  and  slew  the  venerable  old  man  and  his  two  sons. 
It  was  also  a  part  of  the  design  to  murder  John,  who  was  gov- 
ernor of  Gazara ;  but  he  had  received  early  intelligence  of  what 
was  done  at  Jericho,  so  that  when  the  persons  commissioned  to 
murder  him  arrived,  he  fell  on  them  and  cut  them  off.  Then, 
hastening  to  Jerusalem,  he  secured  the  city  and  the  mountain 
of  the  temple  against  those  sent  by  Ptolemy  to  take  possession 
of  them.  John  was  now  declared  high-priest  and  prince  of  the 
Jews,  who  took  measures  immediately  to  provide  for  the  securi- 
ty of  the  country.  Ptolemy,  the  traitor,  fled,  but  what  became 
of  him  afterwards,  is  not  recorded  in  history. 


SECTION  XX. 

ANTIOCHUS  INVADES  JUDEA — BESIEGES  IIYRCANUS  IN  JERUSALEM — TERMS  OF  PEACE — 
FAMILY  OF  JOSEPHUS — BOOK  OF  ECCLESIASTICUS — ANTIOCHUS  SIDETES  MARCHES  AN 
ARMY  INTO  THE  EAST,  WHERE  HE  IS  ATTACKED  AND  SLAIN  BY  PHRAATE3 — HYRCANUS 
SEIZES  THE  OPPORTUNITY  OF  DELIVERING  HIS  COUNTRY  FROM  SUBJECTION  TO  THE 
SYRIAN  YOKE — DEMETRIUS  RESTORED  TO  HIS  THRONE — INVADES  EGYPT — IS  CALLED 
BACK  BY  A  REVOLT  AT  ANTIOCH  — PTOLEMY  RAISES  UP  A  YOUTH  WHO  PttETENDS  TO 
BE  THE  SON  OF  ALEXANDER  BALAS — HE  RAISES  AN  ARMY  AND  DEFEATS  DEMETRIUS, 

WHO    IS   SLAIN    AT    TYRE ALEXANDER    ZEB1NA    REIGNS   OVER   SYRIA — VAST    SWARM  OF 

LOCUSTS — ZEBINA   DEFEATED   AND   PUT   TO    DEATH. 

ANTIOCHUS,  the  king,  on  hearing  of  the  death  of  Simon  and  his 
sons,  immediately  marched  with  a  powerful  army  into  Judea, 
and  overran  the  country.  Hyrcanus  being  driven  from  the 
field  by  a  superior  force,  shut  himself  up  in  Jerusalem,  where 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  535 

he  was  besieged  by  the  whole  Syrian  army,  which  Antiochus 
divided  into  seven  camps,  that  the  city  might  be  entirely  sur- 
rounded. But  the  besieged  defended  themselves  valiantly,  and 
often  sallied  out  to  burn  the  engines  and  works  of  the  assail- 
ants. To  render  it  more  difficult  for  those  within  the  walls  to 
hold  communication  with  the  country,  Antiochus  caused  two 
large  and  deep  ditches  to  be  drawn  round  the  city.  Hyrca- 
nus,  to  lesson  the  pressure  of  famine,  put  without  the  gates,  all 
such  persons  as  were  unable  to  be  of  any  service  within  the 
walls ;  but  by  means  of  the  ditches  they  could  not  make  their 
escape,  and  he  was  obliged  to  take  them  in  again. 

When  the  time  for  celebrating  the  feast  of  tabernacles  ap- 
proached, Hyrcanus  sent  to  Antiochus  requesting  that  there 
might  be  a  truce,  during  the  festival ;  which  he  not  only  granted, 
but  himself  sent  into  the  city  beasts  for  sacrifice ;  which  act  of 
generosity  gave  Hyrcanus  such  an  opinion  of  the  character  of 
the  king,  that  he  sent  again  to  sue  for  terms  of  peace.  A  treaty 
was  accordingly  concluded.  The  conditions  were,  that  Jerusa- 
lem should  be  dismantled ;  and  that  for  Joppa  and  other  towns 
held  out  of  Judea,  five  hundred  talents  should  be  paid.  Antio- 
chus wished  to  have  the  fortress  in  Jerusalem  rebuilt  and  gar- 
risoned again ;  but  with  this  Hyrcanus  would  not  comply. 

When  this  treaty  was  made,  the  Jews  were  reduced  to  the 
last  extremity,  and  could  not  have  held  out  much  longer.  Their 
enemies  were  urgent  with  Antiochus,  not  to  make  peace  with 
them;  but  utterly  to  destroy  the  hated  nation.  And  it  is 
admitted,  not  only  by  Josephus,  but  Diodorus  Siculus,  that  it 
was  entirely  owing  to  the  generosity  and  clemency  of  this  prince 
that  the  whole  nation  of  the  Jews  was  not  extirpated. 

Three  hundred  talents  of  the  sum  laid  upon  Hyrcanus  was 
paid  upon  the  spot ;  for  the  remainder  time  was  given.  Jose- 
phus tells  a  very  improbable  story,  respecting  the  manner  in, 
which  the  money  was  obtained  by  Hyrcanus.  He  says  he 
robbed  the  sepulchre  of  David,  and  took  from  thence  three 
thousand  talents.  If  there  is  any  truth  in  this  account,  it  must 
have  been,  that  many  rich  men,  in  the  times  of  trouble  which 
the  nation  had  experienced,  hid  their  treasures  in  this  sepul- 
chre, to  preserve  them  from  the  rapacity  of  their  enemies;  for 
certainly  these  treasures  could  not  have  remained  there  un- 
touched, from  the  time  of  David,  and  especially  during  the 
captivity.  About  this  time,  Mattathias.  a  priest  of  the  course  of 
Joarib,  married  a  daughter  of  Jonathan,  the  late  high-priest 
and  prince  of  the  Jews;  of  whom  was  born  Mattathias  Curtis; 
and  from  him  another  Mattathias,  whose  son,  Josephus,  was  the 
father  of  a  third  Mattathias ;  of  whom  was  born  Josephus,  the 
celebrated  Jewish  historian,  in  the  first  year  of  the  emperor 


536  HISTORY   OP  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

Caligula,  which  answers  to  the  thirty-seventh  of  the  Christian 
era. 

In  the  year  133  B.  C.  died  Attalos  Philometor,  the  mad  king 
of  Pergamus,  who  left  all  his  dominions,  by  his  will,  to  the 
Romans,  which  they  did  not  hesitate  to  take  possession  of  with- 
out delay. 

In  the  year  132  B.  C.,  Jesus  the  son  of  Sirach,  a  Jew  of 
Jerusalem,  came  into  Egypt,  and  translated  out  of  Hebrew  into 
Greek,  for  the  use  of  the  Jews,  who  spoke  that  language,  the 
book  of  Jesus  his  grandfather ;  the  same  which  we  now  have  in 
the  Apocrypha,  by  the  name  of  Ecclesiasticus. 

In  the  year  131  B.  C.,  Antiochus  Sidetes  marched  a  vast 
army  over  the  Euphrates,  under  pretence  of  delivering  his  bro- 
ther from  captivity,  but  in  reality  to  recover  the  eastern  pro- 
vinces of  the  Syrian  empire,  which  had  been  wrested  from  its 
princes.  The  Parthian  king,  Phraates,  was  overthrown  by  him 
in  many  battles.  On  this  expedition  he  was  accompanied  by 
John  Hyrcanus,  prince  of  the  Jews,  who  returned  home  at  the 
end  of  the  year  with  much  glory. 

In  the  year  130  B.  C.,  Antiochus  having  remained  in  the 
east  with  his  army,  was  obliged  to  disperse  them  in  places 
remote  from  each  other,  for  the  sake  of  subsistence.  Phraates. 
having  ascertained  how  the  Syrians  were  scattered,  formed  a 
plan  of  a  simultaneous  attack  upon  their  several  encampments. 
Antiochus  hastened  to  the  help  of  those  who  lay  nearest  to 
him,  but  was  overpowered  and  slain;  and  of  that  vast  mul- 
titude, said  to  have  been  three  hundred  thousand,  who  crossed 
the  Euphrates  with  him,  not  one  returned  to  Syria  to  tell  the 
doleful  tidings.  Of  this  army,  however,  more  than  one-half 
were  butlers,  bakers,  cooks,  confectioners,  and  others  who  only 
ministered  to  the  luxury  of  the  soldiers.  As  soon  as  Antio- 
chus had  crossed  the  Euphrates,  the  king  of  Parthia  released 
Demetrius,  his  brother,  and  sent  him  back  to  claim  the  king- 
dom in  Syria,  hoping  thus  to  withdraw  him  from  the  east:  but 
upon  obtaining  this  complete  victory  over  the  Syrian  army,  he 
sent  messengers  after  him,  to  arrest  him  and  bring  him  back. 
Demetrius,  however,  had  made  so  much  haste,  that  he  had 
passed  the  Euphrates  before  they  arrived.  Phraates  took  up 
the  body  of  Antiochus  from  among  the  slain,  and  enclosing  it 
in  a  silver  coffin,  sent  it  into  Syria,  to  be  honourably  buried 
among  his  friends :  and  finding  among  the  captives  a  daughter 
of  the  king,  he  was  so  smitten  with  her  beauty,  that  he  took 
her  for  his  wife. 

After  the  death  of  Antiochus,  Hyrcanus  seized  the  favour- 
able opportunity  of  rendering  his  country  entirely  independent 
of  Syria.  He  also  took  possession  of  several  strong  places 


TO   THE   CONQUEST   OF   JUDEA.  537 

beyond  his  own  borders,  as  Medaba,  Samega,  and  several 
others.  From  this  time,  Judea  was  no  more  subject  to  the 
kings  of  Syria.  Hyrcanus  destroyed  the  Samaritan  temple, 
which  was  built  by  Sanballat,  on  mount  Gerizim.  The  Sama- 
ritans, however,  still  offered  sacrifices  on  an  altar  there,  as 
they  have  continued  to  do  unto  this  day. 

In  the  year  129  B.  C.,  Hyrcanus,  having  conquered  the 
Idumeans,  gave  them  their  choice,  to  leave  the  country,  or  to 
embrace  the  Jewish  religion ;  they  chose  the  latter,  and  became 
incorporated  with  the  Jewish  church  and  nation. 

The  Parthians,  in  the  war  with  the  Syrians,  having  called  in 
the  aid  of  the  Scythians,  these  were  so  much  pleased  with  the 
country,  that  as  soon  as  the  war  was  over,  they  began  to  seize 
upon  it  for  themselves.  And  now  Phraates  was  guilty  of  a 
second  folly;  for  having  taken,  in  the  late  victory,  a  multitude 
of  Grecian  mercenaries,  he  put  arms  into  their  hands  and 
employed  them  against  the  Scythians.  But  these  veteran 
soldiers,  resenting  the  cruel  treatment  received  from  the  Par- 
thians, went  generally  over  to  the  Scythians ;  and  having  with 
them  ravaged  the  country,  then  returned  home. 

Hyrcanus  next  sent  an  embassy  to  Rome,  to  renew  the 
treaty  made  with  his  father  Simon,  to  which  the  Roman  Senate 
readily  consented.  And  as  Antiochus  Sidetes  had  made  war 
upon  the  Jews,  contrary  to  the  provisions  of  that  treaty,  and 
had  exacted  from  them  a  heavy  tribute  for  Gazara  and  Joppa, 
and  by  besieging  Jerusalem,  had  forced  them  to  a  disadvan- 
tageous peace,  it  was  now  resolved,  that  those  cities  should  be 
restored  to  them,  free  from  all  tribute:  and  that  the  Syrians 
should  be  accountable  for  all  damages  which  they  might  have 
incurred,  while  in  their  possession.  And,  moreover,  it  was 
ordered,  that  the  expenses  of  the  Jewish  ambassadors  should 
be  paid  out  of  the  public  treasury. 

A  war  having  broken  out  in  Egypt,  between  Cleopatra  the 
wife  of  Philometor,  and  Physcon,  the  latter  was,  for  a  while, 
driven  from  Egypt,  and  took  refuge  in  Cyprus;  but  collecting 
an  army,  he  afterwards  defeated  the  forces  of  Cleopatra;  on 
which  she  sent  to  Demetrius,  now  restored  to  the  throne  of 
Syria,  to  come  to  her  aid,  promising  him  the  possession  of  the 
kingdom. 

Demetrius  readily  complied  with  this  invitation,  and  invaded 
Egypt;  but  while  he  was  absent,  a  revolt  was  raised  against  him 
at  Antioch,  on  account  of  his  tyrannical  behaviour.  Cleopatra, 
being  now  disappointed  in  her  expectation  of  aid  from  Deme- 
trius, whose  affairs  required  his  presence  at  home,  took  all  her 
treasures,  and  putting  them  into  a  ship,  sailed  to  Ptolemais, 
where  her  daughter  Cleopatra  resided.  This  daughter  had  first 
married  Alexander  Balas,  the  king  of  Syria,  and  afterwards 


538  HISTORY   OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

Demetrius,  in  her  father's  life-time;  but  when  Demetrius  was 
taken  prisoner,  in  Parthia,  she  was  married  to  his  brother  Anti- 
ochus;  and  after  his  death  returned  again  to  the  bed  of  De- 
metrius. 

Ptolemy  now  returned  to  the  throne  of  Egypt,  and  out  of 
resentment  for  the  hostile  conduct  of  Demetrius,  raised  up  a 
youth  called  Alexander  Zebina,  who  he  pretended  was  the  son 
of  Alexander  Balas ;  and  sent  him  into  Syria,  where  his  pre- 
tensions were  countenanced  by  many,  out  of  hatred  to  Deme- 
trius. In  a  short  time  he  was  strong  enough  to  meet  Demetrius 
in  the  field.  A  battle  was  fought  near  Damascus,  in  which  De- 
metrius being  defeated,  fled  to  Cleopatra,  at  Ptolemais.  But 
she  being  not  fully  reconciled  to  him  for  marrying  Rhodoguna, 
the  Parthian,  refused  to  admit  him  into  the  city ;  on  which  he 
was  obliged  to  fly  to  Tyre,  where  he  was  slain.  Zebina  now 
reigned  over  the  greater  part  of  Syria;  Cleopatra  being  per- 
mitted to  hold  in  her  possession  a  certain  part.  John  Hyrca- 
nus,  who  was  a  politic  man,  formed  a  close  alliance  with  Zebina, 
by  which  means  he  enlarged  and  strengthened  his  territory. 

In  the  year  125  B.  C.,  a  vast  swarm  of  locusts  came  into 
Africa,  and  destroyed  all  the  verdure,  and  fruits  of  the  earth, 
wherever  they  came;  and  being  driven  into  the  sea  by  the  wind, 
on  the  coasts  of  Lybia  and  Cyrene,  and  carried  on  shore  by  the 
tide,  they  occasioned  such  a  plague  in  those  regions,  as  carried 
off,  according  to  report,  above  eight  hundred  thousand  persons. 

Seleucus,  the  son  of  Cleopatra  queen  of  Syria,  being  now 
twenty  years  of  age,  aspired  to  the  crown  of  Persia,  with  which 
his  mother  was  so  much  displeased  that  she  murdered  him  with 
her  own  hands ;  but  finding  that  she  needed  some  one  to  bear 
the  royal  title,  whose  claim  would  be  respected,  she  sent  to 
Athens  for  Antiochus,  her  other  son,  who  was  then  pursuing 
his  education,  intending  that  his  power  should  be  merely  nomi- 
nal, as  she  was  ambitious  to  rule  the  country  herself.  This 
young  man,  who  was  not  more  than  twenty  years  of  age,  was 
declared,  on  his  arrival,  king  of  Syria.  To  distinguish  him 
from  others  of  the  same  name,  he  has  been  called  Grypus; 
though  Josephus  calls  him  Philometor;  and  the  name  Epi- 
phanes  is  on  his  coins. 

Zebina,  not  discovering  a  disposition  to  hold  Syria  as  a 
dependent  of  the  crown  of  Egypt,  according  to  the  wishes  of 
Physcon,  who  had  set  him  up,  he  was  not  permitted  by  the 
latter  to  retain  the  quiet  possession  of  his  power ;  for  he,  enter- 
ing into  an  agreement  with  Cleopatra,  married  his  daughter 
Tryphoena  to  Grypus  her  son,  and  sent  an  army  into  Syria. 
Zebina  being  overthrown  in  battle,  fled  to  Antioch,  where, 
being  detected  in  an  attempt  to  rob  the  temple  of  Jupiter,  he 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  539 

was  expelled  from  the  city ;  and  wandering  about  for  a  while, 
was  at  length  put  to  death. 


SECTION  XXI. 

REMARKABLE  SEASON — CLEOPATRA  DIES  BY  A  POTION  PREPARED  FOR  HER  SON — DISTURB- 
ANCES IN  SYRIA — JOHN  HYRCANUS  GOES  ON  PROSPEROUSLY — IS  OPPOSED  BY  THE  PHARI- 
SEES— ORIGIN  OF  THIS  SECT — HYRCANUS  JOINS  THE  SADDUCEES HIS  DEATH TUB 

CASTLE  OF  BARIS. 

THE  year  121  B.  C.,  (L.  Opimius  and  I.  Fab.  Maximus  being 
consuls  at  Rome,)  was  distinguished  for  the  excellency  of  it8 
seasons,  and  value  of  its  productions.  The  wine  made  this 
year  was  so  excellent,  that  some  of  it  was  kept  for  two  hun- 
dred years,  and  is  celebrated  by  the  poets  under  the  name  of 
the  Opimian  wine.  The  next  year,  120  B.  C.,  Grypus  having 
attained  to  manhood,  began  to  exercise  the  power  of  a  king,  as 
he  had  before  assumed  the  name;  on  which,  Cleopatra  was 
so  much  displeased,  that  she  resolved  to  dispatch  him,  as  she 
had  done  his  brother ;  and,  accordingly,  prepared  a  poisonous 
potion,  which  he  made  her  drink  herself.  Nor  did  it  fail  of  its 
effect;  for  in  a  little  time,  this  ambitious  and  wicked  woman 
was  a  corpse,  by  the  draught  which  she  had  prepared  for  her 
own  son. 

In  the  year  117  B.  C.,  Ptolemy  Physcon  having  reigned 
twenty-nine  years  after  the  death  of  his  brother,  died  at  Alex- 
andria. His  vile  character  has  already  been  given.  He  was 
succeeded  by  his  son  Lathyrus,  as  he  is  commonly  called  in 
history;  though  the  name  assumed  by  himself,  was  Soter. 

Grypus  had  been  married  to  Cleopatra,  but  he  was  forced  to 
put  her  away  and  take  Tryphcena  her  sister ;  on  which  the  for- 
mer married  Cycizenus,  the  half  brother  of  Grypus.  This 
young  man  was  brought  up  in  private,  to  preserve  him  from 
death,  because  an  object  of  jealousy  to  Grypus;  so  that  he  was 
under  the  necessity  of  fighting  for  the  crown  as  his  only  means 
of  safety.  But  being  defeated  at  Antioch,  he  fled,  leaving 
Cleopatra  in  an  asylum.  Her  sister,  however,  would  not  be 
satisfied  until  she  was  destroyed,  although  her  husband  entreat- 
ed for  her  life.  But  her  death,  which  took  place  in  the  temple 
whither  she  had  fled,  was  not  unavenged;  for  her  husband,  col- 
lecting another  army,  was  more  successful  in  a  second  battle, 
in  which  he  obtained  the  victory,  and  got  Tryphcena  into  his 
hands,  whom  he  sacrificed  to  the  ghost  of  his  departed  wife, 
putting  her  to  a  cruel  death.  Grypus  and  Cycizenus  at  length 
divided  the  Syrian  empire  between  them,  the  former  residing 
at  Antioch,  the  latter  at  Damascus. 

John  Hyrcanus,  while  these  disturbances  existed  in  Syria, 


540  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

•was  increasing  in  power  and  wealth.  He  found  that  he  had 
little  to  fear  from  either  of  the  kings  of  Syria,  and  therefore 
sent  two  of  his  sons,  Aristobulus  and  Antigonus,  to  besiege  Sa- 
maria. The  inhabitants  sent  for  Antiochus  Cycizenus  to  bring 
them  assistance;  who,  coming  with  a  great  army,  was  van- 
quished by  them,  and  with  difficulty  escaped  alive. 

The  two  brothers,  after  the  gaining  of  this  victory,  returned 
to  the  siege  of  Samaria,  and  pressed  it  so  hard,  that  the  be- 
sieged sent  a  second  time  to  Cycizenus;  but  he,  not  having 
force  enough  of  his  own,  sent  to  Lathyrus,  king  of  Egypt,  and 
obtained  from  him  six  thousand  auxiliaries,  much  to  the  dissatis- 
faction of  Cleopatra,  his  mother;  for  she  had  then  at  court 
Chelcias  and  Ananias,  the  sons  of  Onias,  prime  favourites,  and 
she  did  not  wish  to  disoblige  them.  These  auxiliaries  being 
joined  by  the  Syrians  from  Damascus,  wasted  the  open  country ; 
but  at  length  they  were  obliged  to  withdraw,  and  several  Syrian 
towns  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Jews ;  and  Samaria,  after  a  siege 
of  one  year,  was  obliged  to  surrender.  The  city  was  utterly 
demolished  by  Hyrcanus,  not  out  of  hatred  to  the  Samaritans, 
as  some  have  said,  for  as  we  have  before  seen,  they  were  all 
gone  from  the  place,  and  its  present  inhabitants  were  of  Mace- 
donian descent.  The  siege  of  Samaria  occurred  109  B.  C. 

John  Hyrcanus  now  became  master  of  all  Judea,  Samaria, 
and  Galilee,  and  being  freed  from  all  foreign  enemies,  enjoyed 
a  high  degree  of  prosperity ;  but  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life, 
met  with  some  trouble  from  the  Pharisees,  a  sect  which  had 
recently  sprung  up,  and  were  distinguished  for  their  pride, 
authority,  and  ostentatious  display  of  strictness  in  religion. 
They  are  now  first  heard  of  in  history,  but  they  must  have  been 
in  existence  some  time  before,  as  they  were  at  this  time  so  nu- 
merous and  powerful  as  to  be  formidable  even  to  a  prince  of  so 
decisive  a  character  as  John  Hyrcanus.  They  were  probably  a 
branch  of  the  people  called  Chasidim,  or  Assideans,  who  rigid- 
ly followed  the  traditions  of  the  fathers,  and  received  their 
name,  Pharisees,  from  a  Hebrew  word,  which  signifies,  to  sepa- 
rate; on  account  of  their  separating  themselves  from  the  rest 
of  the  people,  on  pretence  of  their  not  being  holy  enough  for 
their  society.  As  this  sect  was  always  held  in  veneration  by 
the  people,  on  account  of  their  sanctity,  Hyrcanus  wished  to 
gain  them  over  to  his  own  interests;  for  he  himself  had  been 
brought  up  in  their  discipline,  and  professing  himself  to  be  of 
their  number,  had  always  patronized  them  to  the  utmost  of  his 
power.  He,  therefore,  invited  all  the  leaders  of  the  sect  to  a 
feast,  and  then  addressing  them,  said,  that  his  purpose  ever  had 
been  to  serve  God,  and  do  justly  towards  man,  according  to  the 
doctrine  of  the  Pharisees ;  but  knowing  the  frailty  of  men,  he 
wished  now  to  hear  from  them,  whether  they  had  observed  any 


TO   THE   CONQUEST   OF  JUDEA.  541 

thing  defective  in  his  conduct,  that  he  might  amend  it.  All 
united  in  giving  him  unqualified  praise,  except  an  old  austere 
man,  by  the  name  of  Eleazar,  who  sternly  said,  "If  you  would 
approve  yourself  a  just  man,  quit  the  high-priesthood,  and  con- 
tent yourself  with  the  civil  government."  Upon  being  asked 
why  he  gave  this  advice,  he  said,  "Because,  we  have  it  from 
good  authority,  that  your  mother  was  a  captive,  in  consequence 
of  which  you  are  incompetent  to  hold  the  office,  by  the  law  of 
Moses." 

Hyrcanus  was  much  displeased,  but  receiving  it  as  the  ill  say- 
ing of  an  individual,  he  intended  to  take  no  further  notice  of 
it.  But  Jonathan,  a  Sadducee,  and  an  intimate  friend,  insisted 
that  Eleazar  merely  expressed  the  sentiment  of  the  whole 
sect ;  and  suggested  that  this  could  be  put  to  the  test  by  con- 
vening them  again,  and  requiring  them  to  declare  what  punish- 
ment this  man  deserved,  for  reviling  God's  high-priest.  Hyr- 
canus pursued  this  method,  and  to  his  astonishment,  he  heard 
from  them  that  defamation  was  not  a  capital  crime,  and  could 
only  be  punished  by  scourging,  or  some  inferior  penalty.  Hyr- 
canus was  so  much  offended  with  the  whole  sect,  especially  as 
his  mother's  fame  was  called  in  question,  that  from  that  day  he 
forsook  them,  and  went  and  joined  the  Sadducees.  Hyrcanus 
did  not  long  survive  this  change  of  sect ;  for  the  next  year  he 
died,  having  held  the  supreme  power  of  Jerusalem  twenty-nine 
years  after  the  death  of  Simon.  This  event  occured  in  the  year 
107  B.  C.  He  built  the  castle  called  Baris,  on  a  steep  rock, 
where  afterwards  all  the  members  of  the  Asmonean  family  re- 
sided, and  where  the  robes  of  the  high-priest  were  laid  up — the 
same  spot  on  which  the  castle  of  Antonia  was  afterwards  erect- 
ed by  Herod,  cased  with  polished  marble,  so  that  it  was  impos- 
sible for  any  one  to  climb  to  the  top. 


SECTION  XXII. 

HYRCANUS    SUCCEEDED    BY    ARISTOBULUS,    HIS    SON,  WHO    FORCES    THE    ITUREANS   TO 

EMBRACE  THE  JEWISH  RELIGION,  AS  HIS    FATHER  HAD  THE    IDUMEANS SLAYS  HIS 

BROTHER  ANTIGONU3,  BUT  REPENTS  AND  DIES  IN    GREAT    AGONY STORY  OF    JUDAS 

THE  ESSENE ORIGIN  OF  THIS  SECT ALEXANDER  SUCCEEDS  HIS    BROTHER,  ARISTO- 

BULUS — SIEGE  OF  PTOLEMAIS — DEFEAT  OF    ALEXANDER   BY  LATHYRUS — CIVIL  WAR 
— ANNA  THE  PROPHETESS — DEATH  OF  ALEXANDER  JANNEUS. 

JOHN  HYRCANUS,  at  his  death,  left  five  sons;  Aristobulus, 
Antigonus,  Alexander,  and  Absalom :  the  name  of  one  of  them, 
the  fourth  in  order,  is  nowhere  mentioned.  Aristobulus,  being 
the  oldest,  succeeded  his  father,  both  as  high-priest  and  civil 
ruler;  and  as  soon  as  he  found  himself  settled  in  authority,  he 
put  a  diadem  on  his  head,  and  assumed  the  title  of  king;  being 
the  first  elevated  to  this  honour  after  the  Babylonish  captivity. 


542  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

His  mother  by  the  will  of  Hyrcanus,  claimed  the  sovereignty 
while  she  lived;  but  Aristobulus  cast  her  into  prison,  and  there 
caused  her  to  be  starved  to  death.  His  brother  Antigonus, 
was,  for  a  while,  his  favourite ;  but  his  other  brothers  he  shut 
up  in  prison,  and  kept  them  there  as  long  as  he  lived. 

Cleopatra  being  much  displeased  with  her  son  Lathyrus, 
found  means  to  expel  him  from  the  throne,  and  from  Egypt ; 
and  calling  from  Cyprus  her  youngest  son,  Alexander,  placed 
him  on  the  throne ;  forcing  Lathyrus  to  take  Cyprus  in  place 
of  the  kingdom  of  Egypt. 

Aristobulus,  when  settled  in  his  authority  at  home,  made  war 
on  the  Itureans,  and  compelled  them  to  embrace  the  Jewish 
religion,  as  Hyrcanus  had  the  Idumeans  before.  For  he  re- 
quired them,  either  to  forsake  their  country,  and  seek  new 
habitations,  or  to  become  proselytes;  and  in  this  manner  the 
Asmonean  princes  dealt  with  all  the  countries  which  they  con- 
quered. Iturea  lay  to  the  north-east  of  Judea,  and  was  origi- 
nally a  part  of  Coelo-Syria.  It  seems  to  have  received  its  name 
from  Hur,  one  of  the  sons  of  Ishmael;  who,  in  our  English  ver- 
sion, is  called  Jetur;  (Gen.  xxv.  15.)  Aristobulus,  returning 
home  sick  from  Iturea,  left  his  brother  Antigonus  with  the 
army,  to  finish  the  war  which  he  had  begun.  This  country  is 
the  same  which  is  sometimes  called  Auranitis. 

While  Aristobulus  lay  sick,  his  queen,  and  some  of  his  court- 
iers, were  continually  insinuating  things  to  the  disadvantage  of 
Antigonus,  his  favourite  brother.  When  Antigonus  had  com- 
pleted the  war,  he  returned  in  triumph  to  Jerusalem,  and  went 
immediately  to  the  temple,  to  pay  his  devotions  there,  without 
putting  off  his  armour  or  changing  his  dress.  This  was  rep- 
resented to  Aristobulus,  now  sick  in  bed,  as  a  very  suspicious 
circumstance.  On  which  he  sent  word  to  Antigonus  to  come 
to  him  unarmed ;  and  having  stationed  soldiers  along  a  subter- 
ranean gallery,  through  which  he  must  pass,  he  gave  them 
orders,  if  Antigonus  came  unarmed,  not  to  interrupt  him,  but  if 
he  came  with  his  armour  on,  to  fall  upon  him  and  put  him  to 
death.  The  queen  having  heard  these  orders,  bribed  the  mes- 
senger to  tell  him,  that  the  king  wished  him  to  come  to  him 
completely  armed,  that  the  queen  might  see  his  new  suit  of 
armour,  of  which  she  had  heard  so  much.  Accordingly,  Anti- 
gonus presented  himself  armed,  when  the  guards,  agreeably  to 
their  orders,  fell  upon  him  and  slew  him.  No  sooner  was  this 
murder  perpetrated,  than  Aristobulus  repented  it  grievously. 
His  murder  of  his  own  mother  now  also  rushing  upon  his  con- 
science, occasioned  such  perturbation,  that  it  brought  on  a  vom- 
iting of  blood.  The  servant  in  attendance,  in  carrying  out  the 
basin  of  blood,  stumbled  and  spilled  it  on  the  very  spot  where 
Antigonus  had  been  slain;  which  accident  affected  him  so 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  643 

exceedingly,  that  he  could  no  longer  restrain  his  feelings,  but 
bitterly  accused  himself  of  both  these  unnatural  murders.  So 
great  was  his  agony,  that,  in  conjunction  with  the  disease,  it 
soon  brought  him  to  a  dreadful  and  premature  death,  after 
having  reigned  no  more  than  one  year. 

Josephus  relates  a  remarkable  story  respecting  one  Judas, 
an  Essene,  which,  though  it  has  not  a  little  of  the  marvellous 
in  its  composition,  it  may  not  be  improper  briefly  to  state. 
This  man,  it  seems,  pretended  to  be  a  prophet,  and  had  pre- 
dicted that  Antigonus  should  die  at  the  tower  of  Straton,  on 
that  very  day  on  which  he  returned  to  Jerusalem ;  but  on  see- 
ing him  come  into  the  temple  he  was  filled  with  indignation, 
thinking  that  his  prophecy  would  fail  of  its  accomplishment; 
for  Straton's  tower  was  two  days  journey  from  Jerusalem,  on 
the  seacoast.  After  the  murder  of  Antigonus,  however,  he 
found  upon  inquiry,  that  the  tower  immediately  over  the  spot 
where  he  was  killed,  was  called  by  the  same  name.  This,  I 
believe,  is  the  first  mention  of  the  sect  of  the  Essenes,  by  Jose- 
phus. They  were  devoted  to  an  ascetic  life,  and  inhabited 
remote  and  desert  places,  far  from  the  bustle  of  worldly  com- 
merce, and  from  the  promiscuous  intercourse  of  men.  Their  ori- 
gin and  history  is  buried,  even  in  more  obscurity  than  those  of 
the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees ;  and  though  largely  treated  of  by 
Philo,  and  Josephus  in  other  parts  of  his  work,  are  not  once 
mentioned  in  the  New  Testament.  The  most  probable  occa- 
sion of  this  sect  was,  the  long  and  severe  persecutions  of  the 
Jews,  in  consequence  of  which,  many,  for  the  sake  of  a  good 
conscience,  fled  far  into  the  recesses  of  the  wilderness,  where 
they  devoted  themselves  to  acts  of  piety  and  contemplation. 
Being  shut  out  from  the  service  of  the  temple  and  the  syna- 
gogue, they  formed  a  rule  of  life,  according  to  which  external 
ceremonies  were,  little  depended  on ;  which  mode  of  religious 
life  they  were  so  much  delighted  with,  that  they  continued  to 
pursue  the  same,  after  the  necessity  which  first  drove  them  into 
the  wilderness  had  ceased  to  exist.  Immediately  upon  the 
death  of  Aristobulus,  his  wife  Salome  released  his  three  bro- 
thers, who  had  been  kept  in  prison  while  he  lived;  and  Alex- 
ander surnamed  Janneus,  the  eldest,  took  the  kingdom.  His 
next  brother,  having  made  some  attempt  to  supplant  him,  was 
put  to  death ;  but  Absalom  being  contented  to  live  a  private 
life,  enjoyed  his  favour  and  protection,  and  lived  for  forty 
years  after  this ;  and  when  Jerusalem  was  taken  by  Pompey, 
he  was  made  a  prisoner. 

The  wars  between  Grypus  who  reigned  at  Antioch,  and 
Cycizenus  who  had  Damascus  as  the  seat  of  his  kingdom,  were 
incessant.  This  furnished  an  opportunity  for  many  towns 
belonging  to  the  Syrian  empire  to  declare  themselves  indepen- 


544  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

dent.  Others  was  seized  upon  by  tyrants,  who  reigned  with- 
out responsibility  to  either  of  the  kings  of  Syria.  This  occur- 
red in  regard  to  Tyre,  Sidon,  Ptolemais,  Gaza,  Gadara,  Stra- 
ton's  Tower,  &c. 

The  year  106  B.  C.  was  famous  for  the  birth  of  two  noble 
Komans,  whose  names  fill  a  large  space  in  the  history  of  after 
time.  The  one  was  Cn.  Pompey,  the  other  Marcus  Tullius 
Cicero. 

Alexander,  as  soon  as  he  found  himself  firmly  established  in 
authority,  besieged  Ptolemais.  The  inhabitants  sent  for  aid 
to  Lathyrus,  now  king  of  Cyprus;  but  on  his  arrival,  they 
•were  as  much  afraid  of  him  as  of  the  Jews,  and  refused  him 
admittance  into  their  city;  on  which,  he  accepted  the  invita- 
tion of  Zoilus  the  petty  tyrant  of  Gaza,  to  join  him  in  laying 
waste  the  country  of  Judea.  Alexander  now  offered  Lathyrus 
a  large  sum,  if  he  would  deliver  up  Zoilus;  to  which  he  con- 
sented; but  before  the  treaty  was  executed,  he  found  that 
Alexander  was  not  acting  with  good  faith,  for  he  was  at  the 
same  time  treating  with  Cleopatra,  queen  of  Egypt,  about 
driving  him  out  of  Palestine.  He,  therefore,  broke  off  the 
negotiation,  and  having  now  determined  to  do  him  all  the 
harm  he  could,  left  a  part  of  his  army  to  besiege  Ptolemais, 
while  with  the  rest,  he  invaded  the  territories  of  this  prince, 
and  took  several  towns  in  Galilee,  with  many  captives.  Alex- 
ander now  marched  to  meet  Lathyrus,  with  an  army  of  fifty 
thousand  men.  A  great  battle  was  fought  between  them,  near 
the  banks  of  Jordan;  in  which  Alexander  was  completely 
defeated,  and  lost  thirty  thousand  of  his  men.  Lathyrus  pur- 
sued the  victory  to  the  uttermost ;  and  after  the  battle,  finding 
the  villages  full  of  women  and  children,  he  slaughtered  them 
as  sheep,  and  put  their  limbs  into  great  cauldrons,  as  if  prepar- 
ing for  a  feast. 

The  affairs  of  Alexander,  after  this  defeat,  must  have  been 
in  a  ruined  condition,  had  not  Cleopatra  come  to  his  aid  against 
her  own  son ;  for  she  feared  if  he  conquered  Phenicia  and 
Judea,  he  would  become  strong  enough  to  recover  Egypt. 
She,  therefore,  sent  an  army  into  Phenicia,  under  Chilkias  and 
Ananias,  the  two  favourite  Jews  already  mentioned. 

Ananias  expected  to  be  received  into  Ptolemais,  and  being 
refused,  laid  siege  to  the  town ;  while  Chilkias  pursued  Lathy- 
rus into  Coelo-Syria,  where  he  lost  his  life.  Lathyrus  now 
marched  his  army  directly  into  Egypt,  expecting  that  in  the 
absence  of  his  mother  and  the  best  troops,  there  would  be  little 
resistance  made.  But  he  was  repulsed  and  driven  back  to  Phe- 
nicia, where  he  took  up  his  winter  quarters  at  Gaza. 

Cleopatra  continued  the  siege  of  Ptolemais  until  it  fell  into 
her  hands,  after  which  she  would  have  seized  on  Alexandria,  and 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  545 

brought  the  country  under  the  Egyptian  yoke,  had  it  not  been 
for  the  sage  advice  of  Ananias;  who  alleged,  that  this  would 
prejudice  the  world  against  her,  and  unite  all  the  Jews  in  the 
world  in  opposition  to  her.  Alexander  was,  therefore,  permit- 
ted to  return  to  Jerusalem  in  safety. 

Ptolemy  Lathyrus  finding  it  in  vain  to  continue  any  longer 
in  Palestine,  as  his  mother  thwarted  all  his  schemes,  returned 
to  Cyprus ;  but  he  carried  on  a  negotiation  with  Cycizenus  to 
aid  in  recovering  Egypt,  which  becoming  known  to  Cleopatra, 
she  negotiated  with  his  rival  Grypus;  and  to  engage  him  to 
declare  war,  she  gave  him  her  daughter  Selene,  whom  she  had 
taken  away  from  Lathyrus.  A  new  war  therefore  broke  out 
between  the  two  kings,  which  prevented  the  invasion  of  Egypt. 

Ptolemy  Alexander,  observing  how  his  mother  acted  towards 
his  brothers,  and  that  nothing  could  stand  before  her  ambition, 
fled  from  Egypt.  Nor  was  it  without  great  solicitation,  that  he 
consented  to  return ;  for  the  Egyptians  would  not  permit  Cleo- 
patra to  exercise  the  sovereignty  in  her  own  name. 

Alexander,  102  B.  C.,  marched  an  army  beyond  Jordan, 
where  he  took  Gadara  and  Amathus;  but  Theodorus,  prince  of 
Philadelphia,  collecting  a  large  force,  fell  suddenly  on  him,  over- 
threw him  with  the  slaughter  of  ten  thousand  men,  and  not  only 
recovered  his  own  treasure,  but  took  all  Alexander's  baggage. 
The  Pharisees,  who  had  become  enemies  to  all  the  family  of 
Hyrcanus,  were  especially  inimical  to  Alexander;  and  having 
great  influence  with  the  people,  soon  rendered  them  disaffected 
to  his  government. 

In  the  year  97  B.  C.,  Alexander,  after  a  long  and  destructive 
siege,  took  Gaza,  which  was  delivered  up  to  him  by  treachery. 
At  first  he  showed  clemency  to  the  vanquished;  but  when  he 
found  the  place  completely  in  his  power,  he  let  loose  his  soldiers 
to  plunder  and  kill  at  their  own  pleasure.  This  was  in  resent- 
ment for  the  injury  which  he  had  sustained  in  consequence  of 
the  Gazeans  calling  in  Lathyrus  to  their  aid,  against  him.  In 
this  same  year,  97  B.  C.,  died  Grypus  king  of  Syria,  by  the 
treachery  of  one  of  his  dependents,  named  Heracleon.  He 
left  five  sons — Seleucus,  Antiochus,  Philip,  Demetrius  Euchurus, 
and  Antiochus  Dionysius. 

Ptolemy  Apion  died  96  B.  C.,  and  willed  his  kingdom  of 
Gyrene  to  the  Romans,  which  they  would  not  receive ;  but  gave 
freedom  to  the  people,  which,  however,  only  served  to  bring 
them  under  the  power  of  petty  tyrants,  who  seized  on  particu- 
lar cities,  and  subjected  them  to  a  more  cruel  bondage  than, 
they  had  endured  before.  Cycizenus,  on  the  death  of  Grypus, 
seized  on  Antioch,  and  endeavoured  to  make  himself  sovereign 
of  the  whole  empire;  but  Seleucus  took  possession  of  many 
35 


546  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

cities,  and  drew  together  great  forces,  to  assert  his  right  to  his 
father's  dominions. 

In  the  year  95  B.  C.,  Anna,  the  daughter  of  Phanuel,  of  the 
tribe  of  Aser,  of  whom  mention  is  made,  Luke  ii.  36,  was  mar- 
ried to  her  husband,  and  from  this  time,  lived  with  him  seven 
years ;  when,  on  his  death,  she  became  a  widow,  in  which  state 
she  continued  fourscore  years.  Alexander,  while  officiating 
this  year,  95  B.  C.,  at  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  was  openly 
insulted  by  the  people,  who  publicly  reproached  him,  calling 
him  slave,  and  pelting  him  with  citrons,  which  so  enraged  him, 
that  he  fell  upon  them  with  his  soldiers,  and  slew  six  thousand 
men.  The  disaffection  of  the  people  and  the  insult  publicly 
offered,  were  owing  to  the  instigation  of  the  Pharisees,  who 
could  lead  the  people  as  they  would. 

In  the  year  94  B.  C.,  Alexander  marched  against  the  Arabi- 
ans, and  brought  the  inhabitants  of  Moab  and  Gilead  under  his 
dominions.  Seleucus  having  collected  a  large  force  about  him, 
Cycizenus  went  out  to  attack  him,  but  was  overthrown  in  bat- 
tle, taken  prisoner,  and  put  to  death.  By  this  event,  Seleucus 
became  master  of  the  whole  Persian  empire,  but  could  not 
long  retain  it;  for  Antiochus  Eusebes,  the  son  of  Cycizenus, 
having  collected  an  army  of  his  father's  old  soldiers,  overthrew 
Seleucus,  who  being  forced  to  flee  to  Mopsuesta,  in  Cilicia,  was 
there  burnt  to  death  by  the  inhabitants.  The  brothers  of 
Seleucus  endeavoured  to  avenge  his  death  on  the  inhabitants 
of  Mopsuesta,  but  on  their  return  were  met  by  Eusebes ;  and 
Antiochus,  in  attempting  to  swim  the  Orontes,  was  drowned. 
Philip  having  escaped,  and  collected  large  forces,  the  contest 
for  the  Syrian  empire  now  lay  between  him  and  Eusebes. 

Eusebes,  to  strengthen  himself  in  the  kingdom,  married 
Selene,  the  widow  of  Grypus,  at  which  Lathyrus,  whose  wife 
she  first  was,  being  offended,  sent  for  Demetrius  the  fourth  son 
of  Grypus,  and  made  him  king  of  Damascus.  The  contest 
between  Philip  and  Eusebes  prevented  either  of  them  from 
interposing.  When  the  forces  of  these  rivals  came  to  an 
engagement,  Eusebes  was  defeated,  and  was  obliged  to  flee  to 
Parthia. 

Alexander,  ever  fond  of  military  expeditions,  marched  into 
Gaulonitis,  a  district  of  country  on  the  east  of  the  lake  Genne- 
sareth,  and  there  engaged  in  battle  with  Obedas  an  Arabian 
king;  by  whom  he  was  led  into  an  ambush  and  lost  most  of  his 
men.  The  Jews,  when  he  returned  to  Jerusalem,  were  in 
rebellion  against  him.  A  civil  war  now  ensued  which  lasted 
for  six  years,  by  which  the  country  was  exceedingly  wasted. 

In  the  year  89  B.  C.,  Cleopatra  was  plotting  to  put  her  son 
Alexander  to  death,  but  he  being  aware  of  her  designs,  pre- 


TO  THE  CONQUEST  OF  JUDEA.  547 

vented  it  by  putting  her  to  death.  The  Egyptians  under- 
standing that  she  fell  by  her  own  son,  could  not  "endure  his 
presence  among  them;  and  banishing  him  from  the  country, 
recalled  Lathyrus,  and  replaced  him  on  the  throne  of  Egypt. 
Alexander  soon  after  perished  near  Cyprus,  in  a  battle  at  sea. 
The  civil  war  continued  to  rage  between  Alexander  and  the 
Jews;  and  the  latter  not  having  command  of  soldiers  and 
treasures,  sent  for  aid  to  Demetrius  Eucheros;  but  when  he 
approached,  the  very  people  who  sent  for  him  turned  against 
him. 

In  the  year  88  B.  C.,  Anna,  the  prophetess,  being  left  a 
widow,  went  into  the  temple,  where  she  remained  day  and 
night,  serving  God  with  fasting  and  prayers,  for  eighty-four 
years.  The  civil  war  between  Alexander  and  the  Jews  still 
raged;  and  although  he  was  generally  successful,  he  could 
bring  them  to  no  terms. 

During  the  year  87  B.  C.,  the  civil  war  raged  more  violently 
than  ever.  In  a  decisive  battle,  Alexander  inflicted  a  terrible 
blow  upon  his  enemies,  and  shut  up  those  who  remained,  in 
Bethsura.  In  the  year  86  B.  C.  the  place  was  taken.  He 
then  carried  eight  hundred  of  the  principal  persons  to  Jerusa- 
lem, where  he  caused  them  all  to  be  crucified  in  one  day,  and 
their  wives  and  children  to  be  slain  before  their  eyes,  while 
hanging  on  the  cross.  To  enjoy  this  scene  the  more,  he  had  a 
feast  prepared  for  himself,  his  wives,  and  his  concubines,  near 
the  place  of  execution,  whence  the  whole  scene  was  visible. 
This  shocking  cruelty  obtained  for  him  the  name  of  Thracian. 
Thus  ended  this  rebellion,  which  cost  the  Jews  about  fifty  thou- 
sand lives. 

In  the  year  84  B.  C.,  Pella  and  Dia,  beyond  Jordan,  were 
taken  by  Alexander. 

The  Syrians,  worn  out  with  the  continual  wars  between  the 
princes  of  the  east  and  Seleucus,  resolved  to  call  in  some  for- 
eign prince,  and  place  him  over  them.  Accordingly,  they  sent 
for  Tigranes,  king  of  Armenia,  who  reigned  over  Syria  eighteen 
years. 

In  the  years  83  and  82  B.  C.,  Alexander  Janneus  extended 
his  conquests  in  the  country  beyond  Jordan,  taking  Gaulana, 
Seleucia,  and  the  strong  fortress  of  Gamala.  After  this,  he 
gave  himself  up  to  luxury  and  drunkenness. 

In  the  year  81  B.  C.,  Thebes,  in  Upper  Egypt,  was  taken 
by  Lathyrus,  and  so  ruined  and  demolished  that  it  never  after- 
wards made  any  figure;  soon  after  which  he  died,  having 
reigned  in  all,  thirty-six  years.  He  was  succeeded  by  Beren- 
ice, his  only  legitimate  child.  She  was  also  called  Cleopatra, 
as  were  all  the  queens  of  Egypt;  just  as  all  their  kings  were 
called  Ptolemy. 


548  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

In  the  year  80  B.  C.,  Alexander,  son  of  him  who  murdered 
his  mother,-  came  to  Egypt  to  claim  the  kingdom,  and  a  com- 
promise was  made,  by  giving  him  Cleopatra  to  wife.  But  in  a 
few  days  he  put  her  to  death,  and  reigned  alone,  forty  years. 

In  the  year  79  B.  C.,  Alexander  Janneus,  being  affected 
with  a  quartan  ague  which  had  hung  upon  him  for  a  long  time, 
thought  he  would  try  the  effect  of  exercise  and  exertion.  He, 
therefore,  marched  over  Jordan,  and  besieged  Razaba,  a  castle 
in  the  country  of  Gerasans,  where,  labouring  too  hard,  he 
brought  on  a  paroxysm  of  his  disorder,  of  which  he  died  in  the 
camp. 


PAET  VI. 


FROM   THE   CONQUEST   OP    JUDEA   BY  THE    ROMANS 
UNTIL  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM. 


SECTION  I. 

ALEXANDER    BEQUEATHS  THE    KINGDOM    OF   JUDEA    TO   ALEXANDRA  HIS    WIFE COUNSELS 

HER  TO  CONCILIATE  THE  PHARISEES — ORIGIN  OF  THE  FAMILY  OF  THE  HERODS — DIS- 
PUTES ABOUT  THE  PRIESTHOOD — POMPEY  COMES  INTO  THE  EAST — HIS  HEAD  QUARTERS 
AT  DAMASCUS — THE  QUARREL  BETWEEN  ARISTOBULU8  AND  HYRCANUS  BROUGHT 

BEFORE    HIM IMPRUDENT     CONDUCT    OF     ARISTOBULUS — POMPEY    IS    RECEIVED    INTO 

JERUSALEM — ENTERS  THE  SANCTUARY — PLACES  HYRCANUS  IN  THE  OFFICE  OF  HIGH- 
PRIEST — ORDERS  THE  WALLS  OF  JERUSALEM  TO  BE  DEMOLISHED — LEAVES  A  GARRISON 
IN  THE  CITY,  AND  DEPARTS. 

ALEXANDER  left  two  sons,  Hyrcanus  and  Aristobulus,  but 
bequeathed  the  government  to  his  wife  Alexandra,  with  the 
power  to  appoint  whichever  of  his  sons  she  pleased,  to  succeed 
her.  She  being  with  him  on  this  expedition,  when  she  found 
that  he  was  near  his  end,  was  full  of  apprehensions  of  the  dan- 
gers which  surrounded  her.  But  he  called  her  to  him,  and 
advised  her  to  conceal  his  death  until  the  castle  was  taken ; 
then  to  march  back  to  Jerusalem,  in  triumph,  and  to  call 
together  the  leaders  of  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees,  whose  enmity 
had  embittered  his  life,  and  to  lay  his  corpse  before  them,  that 
they  might  cast  it  out  with  indignity,  or  treat  it  as  they 
pleased;  and  to  promise  them,  that  she  would  undertake 
nothing  without  their  advice.  All  this  she  exactly  followed, 
and  the  effect  was  what  he  foresaw.  Their  hatred  for  Alexan- 
der was  turned  into  veneration,  and  they  became  the  warm 
friends  of  Alexandra.  When  she  had  settled  herself  firmly  on 
the  throne,  she  made  her  eldest  son  Hyrcanus,  high-priest; 
and  to  gratify  her  new  friends,  the  Pharisees,  she  repealed  the 
edict  of  John  Hyrcanus,  in  which  he  forbade  their  attention  to 
traditions;  restored  them  to  all  their  former  privileges,  and 
released  all  that  her  husband  had  confined  in  prison.  The 
Pharisees,  however,  insisted  on  having  condign  punishment 


550  HISTORY  OF   THE    ISKAELITISH   NATION 

inflicted  on  all  who  advised  Alexander  to  crucify  the  eight 
hundred  persons,  already  mentioned;  and  on  such  pretexts, 
they  caused  her  to  gratify  their  revenge  on  all  their  enemies, 
but  often  sorely  against  her  will. 

In  the  year  76  B.  C.  Bithynia  became  a  Roman  province,  by 
the  bequest  of  its  king  Nicomedes.  Gyrene  was  also  reduced 
to  the  form  of  a  province,  which  had  been  before  left  to  them, 
in  the  same  manner.  The  progress  of  the  Romans  in  the  east 
became  more  and  more  rapid.  The  only  king  who  gave  them 
much  serious  opposition,  was  Mithridates,  king  of  Pontus ;  but 
it  does  not  lie  in  our  way  to  give  a  history  of  these  wars. 

Alexandra  having  given  herself  up  to  the  counsels  and 
government  of  the  Pharisees,  all  that  were  known  or  suspected 
of  advising  or  aiding  the  late  king  in  his  measures  hostile  to 
their  sect,  were  now  persecuted  with  unrelenting  severity. 
They,  of  the  adverse  party,  seeing  no  end  of  this  oppression, 
collected  in  a  body,  and  with  Aristobulus  at  their  head,  went 
to  the  queen  to  remonstrate  against  these  proceedings.  If 
they  could  not  be  protected  at  home,  they  begged  that  they 
might  be  permitted  to  leave  the  country,  or  might  be  distributed 
among  the  garrisons,  where  they  might  be  exempt  from  these 
cruel  persecutions,  which  they  endured  for  no  other  reason  but 
because  they  were  the  devoted  friends  and  servants  of  the  late 
king.  The  queen  pitied  them  from  her  heart,  but  knew  not 
how  to  relieve  them  without  bringing  on  herself  the  vengeance 
of  the  Pharisees,  who  had  the  people  on  their  side.  She  how- 
ever, agreed  to  place  them  in  the  garrisons  of  the  fortresses. 

This  year,  72  B.  C.,  was  born  Herod  the  Great,  who  was 
afterwards  king  of  Judea.  His  father  Antipas  was  a  noble 
Idumean,  and  his  mother  of  an  illustrious  family  among  the 
Arabians.  The  name  Antipas  was  changed  to  Antipater,  to 
make  it  more  conformable  to  the  usage  of  the  Greeks.  This 
man  was  governor  of  Idumea  under  Alexander  Janneus.  As 
he  was  an  Idumean,  he  was,  of  course,  brought  up  in  the  Jew- 
ish religion  ;  for  all  the  Idumeans  had  embraced  Judaism. 

In  the  year  70  B.  C.  died  Alexandra,  queen  of  the  Jews,  in 
the  seventy-third  year  of  her  age.  She  was  a  woman  of  great 
wisdom  and  clemency ;  but  unhappily  was  under  the  necessity 
of  yielding  to  the  Pharisees — a  faction  which  she  had  no  power 
to  withstand.  As  soon  as  Antiochus  saw  that  his  mother  was 
past  recovery,  having  resolved  to  seize  the  kingdom,  he  private- 
ly withdrew  and  repaired  to  the  castles,  where  his  father's 
friends  had  sought  an  asylum ;  and  by  means  of  these,  all  the 
strong  places  in  the  country  were  soon  in  his  hands. 

The  Pharisees  were  much  disturbed  at  these  proceedings,  and 
as  Alexandra  was  yet  alive,  though  very  low,  they  went  to  her 
to  get  her  to  say,  that  Hyrcanus  should  possess  the  supreme 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  551 

power;  but  she  told  them  that  she  -was  not  in  a  condition  to 
decide  on  such  weighty  affairs;  and  having  submitted  every 
thing  to  their  management,  soon  afterwards  expired.  By  the 
advice  and  aid  of  the  Pharisees,  Hyrcanus  raised  an  army  against 
his  brother;  when  a  decisive  battle  was  fought,  in  which  most  of 
the  soldiers  of  Hyrcanus  going  over  to  Aristobulus,  he  was 
obliged  to  flee  to  Jerusalem ;  but  soon,  almost  all  his  adherents 
declaring  for  his  brother,  he  agreed  to  resign  the  priesthood  and 
the  supreme  power,  and  to  lead  a  private  life.  Thus  ended  the 
tyranny  of  the  Pharisees,  which  had  been  exercised  over  the 
nation  from  the  death  of  Alexander  Janneus.  Aristobulus  now 
exercised  the  office  of  high-priest,  and  of  supreme  ruler  of  the 
nation,  for  six  years  and  six  months;  Hyrcanus  having  been  in 
authority  only  three  months  after  the  death  of  his  mother. 

In  the  year  66  B.  C.,  Pompey  the  Great  succeeded  Lucullus 
in  the  chief  command  of  the  Roman  army  in  Syria.  Pompey 
drew  into  alliance  with  him,  Phraates  king  of  Parthia,  and 
made  an  offer  of  peace  to  Mithridates ;  but  he,  calculating  on 
the  aid  and  friendship  of  the  Parthian  king,  declined  the  over- 
ture. But  when  he  understood  that  Pompey  had  been  before- 
hand with  him,  then  of  his  own  accord,  he  proposed  to  come  to 
terms.  Pompey,  however,  would  listen  to  nothing  but  the 
unconditional  surrender  of  all  deserters,  and  a  cessation  of  all 
hostilities. 

Pompey  soon  conquered  both  Tigranes  and  Mithridates,  and 
marched  against  the  Iberians,  a  northern  people,  who  had 
never  been  subdued.  After  his  return,  all  the  Syrian  empire 
on  this  side  of  the  Euphrates  was  reduced  into  Roman  pro- 
vinces. 

In  the  year  65  B.  C.  a  disturbance  arose  in  Judea,  through 
the  ambition  of  Antipater,  the  father  of  Herod.  He  having 
had  his  education  in  the  court  of  Alexander  Janneus,  ingratia- 
ted himself  into  the  favour  of  Hyrcanus ;  but  when  Aristobulus 
succeeded  to  the  office  and  power  of  his  brother,  all  this  man's 
schemes  of  advancement  were  broken.  He  now  saw  no  way  of 
retrieving  his  fortune,  but  by  attempting  to  raise  a  party  in 
favour  of  the  deposed  Hyrcanus.  His  first  step  was  to  nego- 
tiate with  Aretas,  king  of  Arabia  Petrea,  to  aid  him  with 
troops;  and  he  gathered  together  many  of  the  scattered  Jews, 
who  were  ready  for  an  enterprise  of  this  kind.  But  the  great- 
est difficulty  was  to  excite  Hyrcanus  himself,  who  was  a  man  of 
a  weak  and  quiet  spirit.  At  length,  however,  he  persuaded 
him,  that  his  life  was  in  danger  in  Judea,  and  induced  him  to 
flee  to  the  court  of  Aretas,  who  in  a  little  time  came  back  with 
him,  accompanied  with  fifty  thousand  men.  In  a  battle  with 
Aristobulus,  the  latter  was  completely  defeated,  and  was  forced 
to  take  refuge  in  the  mountain  of  the  temple,  where  they 


552  HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

besieged  him.  This  occurred  during  the  passoyer,  on~which 
occasion,  there  not  being  lambs  enough  "within  the  wall,  Aristo- 
bulus  bargained  with  the  besiegers  for  a  sufficient  number,  and 
let  down  the  money  outside  the  wall ;  on  receiving  it,  however, 
they  refused  to  send  in  the  sacrifices. 

Another  impious  act  of  which  they  were  guilty,  was  their 
treatment  of  Onias,  a  holy  man,  held  in  great  veneration, 
because  it  was  believed,  that  by  his  intercessions  rain  had 
once  been  obtained  in  time  of  drought;  him  they  brought 
out,  and  insisted  that  he  should  curse  Aristobulus;  sup- 
posing that  his  curses  would  be  as  efficacious  as  his  blessing. 
Upon  which  he  lifted  up  his  hands,  and  said,  "  0  Lord  God, 
since  they  who  are  besieged,  are  thy  priests,  and  these  without 
are  thy  people,  hear  the  prayers  of  neither  against  the  other !" 
On  which,  they  were  so  enraged,  that  they  stoned  him  to 
death.  Aristobulus  now  sent  to  Scaurus,  the  Roman  general, 
who  was  at  Damascus,  and  promised  him  four  hundred  talents 
for  his  aid ;  Gabinius,  also,  was  offered  three  hundred  talents. 
Both  then  wrote  to  Aretas  to  withdraw  from  Jerusalem; 
which  he  immediately  did,  and  Aristobulus  pursued  after  him, 
and  coming  on  him  unawares,  slew  a  great  part  of  his  men, 
and  among  the  rest,  a  brother  of  Antipater  whose  name  was 
Cephaleon.  About  this  time,  65  B.  C.,  Pompey  came  to 
Damascus,  and  received  rich  presents  from  most  of  the  kings 
of  the  neighbouring  countries.  The  ambassadors  of  Egypt 
presented  him  with  a  crown  of  gold  of  the  value  of  five  thou- 
sand pieces  of  gold,  and  those  from  Judea  with  a  golden  vine 
of  the  value  of  four  hundred  talents,  which  was  afterwards 
deposited  in  the  temple  of  Jupiter  at  Rome,  and  was  there 
inscribed  as  the  gift  of  Alexander.  It  is  said,  that  no  fewer 
than  twelve  kings  came-  in  person  to  pay  their  respects  to 
Pompey,  while  he  resided  at  Damascus. 

Pompey  had  a  great  ambition  to  extend  his  conquests  as  far 
as  the  Red  Sea.  He  had,  while  in  Africa  and  Spain,  ex- 
tended them  to  the  western  ocean  on  both  sides  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean; and  had  lately  subdued  the  country  to  the  borders  of 
the  Caspian  Sea;  and  he  felt  a  vain  ambition  to  extend  his  vic- 
tories as  far  as  the  Red  Sea.  Having  returned  to  Damascus 
again,  from  Pontus,  he  was  waited  on  by  Antipater,  from  Hyr- 
canus,  and  by  one  Nicodemus,  from  Aristobulus,  each  of  them 
soliciting  his  patronage.  Pompey  gave  them  both  fair  words, 
and  ordered  that  the  two  brothers  should  appear  before  him. 
There  is  reason  to  believe,  however,  that  Antipater  managed 
his  cause  with  much  more  address  than  the  ambassador  of  Aris- 
tobulus. 

In  the  year  64  B.  C.  died  Mithridates,  king  of  Pontus,  and 
long  the  implacable  enemy  of  the  Romans.  His  last  effort 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  553 

against  them,  was  an  attempt,  in  imitation  of  Hannibal,  to 
march  an  army  by  land  into  Italy;  and  for  this  purpose  he 
collected  a  great  multitude  of  soldiers,  and  actually  set  out  on 
his  expedition.  But  his  army  finding  out  his  purpose,  and  that 
a  march  of  more  than  two  thousand  miles  lay  before  them,  over 
deserts,  mountains,  rivers,  and  through  hostile  countries,  revolt- 
ed against  him,  and  placed  his  son  Pharnaces  in  his  stead. 
Upon  this,  Mithri dates  put  an  end  to  his  life.  At  first  he 
attempted  it  by  poison,  but  not  succeeding  in  this,  he  fell  on  his 
sword.  Mithridates  was  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  men 
who  has  appeared  in  any  age.  His  natural  endowments  were 
very  great,  and  he  added  all  manner  of  acquired  improvements. 
No  learning  of  these  times  escaped  his  attention.  Although  he 
had  under  him  nations  who  spoke  twenty-two  different  lan- 
guages, he  was  able  to  address  them  each  in  their  own  tongues. 
He  was  also  a  man  of  great  spirit;  capable  of  forming  and 
executing  enterprises  of  the  utmost  magnitude  and  difficulty. 
And  although  he  was  fortunate  in  his  wars  with  the  Romans, 
yet  if  he  had  lived  to  execute  his  last  project,  he  might  have 
proved  the  most  formidable  enemy  they  ever  had.  Cicero,  in 
speaking  of  him,  says  that  he  was  the  greatest  king  next  to 
Alexander  the  Great.  He  was,  however,  ambitious,  voluptuous, 
and  often  cruel,  even  to  his  own  children,  wives  and  concubines. 
The  cause  of  the  two  brothers,  Hyrcanus  and  Aristobulus, 
was  now  brought  before  Pompey,  at  Damascus,  where  they  both 
appeared  in  person,  according  to  his  order.  Ptolemy  being 
solicitous  to  prosecute  his  Arabian  war,  gave  no  decision  at 
present ;  but  Aristobulus  clearly  perceived  from  what  he  said, 
that  his  cause  was  not  viewed  in  a  favourable  light.  He,  there- 
fore, left  the  place  unceremoniously,  and  returning  into  Judea, 
collected  an  army  for  his  defence;  by  which  proceeding,  Pom- 
pey was  much  incensed.  He  marched,  however,  agreeably  to 
his  purpose,  into  Arabia;  took  Petrea,  and  made  Aretas  the 
king  prisoner,  but  afterwards  released  him,  on  his  agreeing  to 
all  his  terms.  On  his  way  back,  being  informed  of  the  hostile 
movements  of  Aristobulus,  in  Judea,  he  marched  into  that 
country.  Aristobulus  had  shut  himself  up  in  a  strong  fortress, 
built  by  his  father  on  the  top  of  a  mountain,  and  called  after 
him,  Alexandrion.  Pompey  surrounded  the  place,  and  obliged 
him  to  come  down;  when  he  agreed  to  give  up  all  the  fortified 
places  in  his  hands.  But  no  sooner  was  he  free  from  restraint, 
than  he  fled  to  Jerusalem,  whither  he  was  followed  by  Pompey. 
When  Pompey  arrived  at  Jerusalem,  this  unsteady  man  again 
came  out  to  meet  him,  and  promised  full  submission,  and  a  sum 
of  money.  Gabinius  was  sent  to  receive  the  money,  but  he 
found  the  gates  shut  against  him,  and  no  money  to  be  had. 
Pompey,  not  enduring  to^  be  thus  mocked,  cast  Aristobulus, 


554  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

whom  he  had  retained  with  him,  into  chains,  and  marched  with 
his  whole  army  directly  to  Jerusalem.  Within  the  city  there 
were  two  factions ;  that  of  Hyrcanus,  and  that  of  Aristobulus. 
The  former  were  disposed  to  open  the  gates  to  the  Romans, 
and  they  were  the  more  numerous;  but  the  other  party  retired 
into  the  mountain  of  the  temple;  and  having  cut  off  all  com- 
munication with  the  city,  resolved  there  to  maintain  themselves. 

Pompey  having  been  received  into  the  city  by  the  other 
party,  immediately  laid  siege  to  the  mount  of  the  temple. 
Most  of  the  sacerdotal  tribe  were  shut  up  within  the  temple ; 
but  the  greatest  part  of  the  people  were  without.  Battering 
engines  were  brought  from  Tyre,  and  an  assault  was  made  on 
the  north  side  of  the  temple;  and,  although  the  siege  was 
pressed  vigorously  by  the  Romans,  the  garrison  held  out  for 
three  months ;  and  might  have  held  out  much  longer,  but  for 
the  unwillingness  of  the  Jews  to  work  on  the  Sabbath,  which 
gave  a  great  advantage  to  the  assailants ;  for,  on  that  day,  the 
Romans  would  fill  up  the  ditches  drawn  round  the  temple  for 
defence,  and  bring  forward  their  batteries,  and  place  them  to 
the  best  advantage.  During  the  whole  of  the  siege,  the  service 
of  the  temple  was  never  interrupted;  the  priests  being  deterred 
neither  by  the  death  of  their  friends  or  rage  of  their  enemies; 
and  many  of  them,  while  officiating  at  the  altar,  had  their  own 
blood  mingled  with  that  of  the  sacrifices.  This  unshaken  con- 
stancy was  greatly  admired  by  Pompey  himself,  and  indeed  is 
scarcely  to  be  paralleled  in  history.  After  three  months  the 
temple  was  taken ;  that  is,  in  the  first  year  of  the  179th  Olym- 
piad; and  on  the  very  day  observed  as  a  fast  on  account  of 
the  capture  of  the  city  by  Nebuchadnezzar.  All  those  who 
were  considered  the  prime  leaders  of  this  revolt  were  put  to 
death. 

Pompey,  not  contented  with  viewing  the  exterior  of  this 
sacred  edifice,  impiously  penetrated  the  interior,  not  only 
entering  the  sanctuary,  but  into  the  holy  of  holies,  examined 
all  the  arcana  of  that  sacred  place ;  thus  inflicting  the  deepest 
wound  on  the  feelings  of  the  Jews,  who  considered  this  intru- 
sion as  the  highest  possible  profanation.  But  although  he 
found  two"  thousand  talents  laid  up  in  the  temple,  he  neither 
took  them  away,  nor  disturbed  any  thing  else  belonging  to  the 
furniture  of  the  place.  And,  as  if  to  make  amends  for  what  he 
had  done,  in  entering  the  temple,  he  now  ordered  it  to  be 
cleansed,  and  the  divine  service  to  be  resumed.  But  it  has 
been  observed,  that  although  successful  in  all  the  previous  acts 
of  his  public  life,  from  this  time  no  success  ever  attended  him. 
Having  concluded  the  war,  he  reinstated  Hyrcanus  in  the  oifice 
of  high-priest,  and  made  him  also  prince  of  the  commonwealth. 
But  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  he  ordered  to  be  demolished. 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF   JERUSALEM.  555 


SECTION  II. 

OCTAVJUS  CESAR  BORN — DIODORUS   8ICULUS — ALEXANDER,    SON  OF   ARISTOBULU8,  ESCAPES 

FROM    ROME — SEIZES   SEVERAL     STRONG     PLACES — GABINIUS,  GOVERNOR    OF      SYRIA 

ARISTOBULUS    HIMSELF     ESCAPES     FROM     ROME,    AND     RAISES     NEW   DISTURBANCES     IN 

JUDEA— CRASSUS   VISITS     JERUSALEM     AND     ROBS   THE   TEMPLE   OF     ITS   TREASURES 

THE  JUDGMENT  OF  GOD  OVERTAKES  HIM — BATTLE  OF  PHARSALIA — CESAR  CONFIRMS 
HYRCANUS  IN  THE  PRIESTHOOD — ANTIPATER  ACCOMPANIES  CESAR  IN  ALL  HIS  EXPE- 
DITIONS— HIS  FOUR  SONS — HEROD  ARRAIGNED  FOR  ILLEGALLY  PUTTING  CERTAIN 
THIEVES  TO  DEATH — MEDITATES  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  HYRCANUS  AND  THE  WHOLE 
SANHEDRIM RECEIVES  FROM  SIXTUS  THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CCELO-SYRIA. 

IN  this  same  eventful  year,  61  B.  C.,  was  born  Octavius  Cesar, 
afterwards  emperor  under  the  name  of  Augustus,  whose  mother 
was  the  sister  of  Julius  Cesar.  About  this  same  time,  60  B.  C., 
flourished  Diodorus  Siculus,  the  famous  Greek  historian.  He 
was  born  in  Sicily,  from  which  he  derives  his  name.  He  was 
thirty  years  in  collecting  materials  for  his  history,  and  in  com- 
posing the  work;  and  that  he  might  obtain  accurate  infor- 
mation, he  travelled  over  most  of  the  countries  of  whose  affairs 
his  history  treats.  In  this  very  year  he  went  to  Egypt.  His 
Bibliotheca  contained  forty  books,  of  which  only  fifteen  are 
now  extant.  Those  which  remain  are  the  five  first — and  from 
the  tenth  to  the  twentieth ;  all  the  rest  are  lost,  except  frag- 
ments preserved  by  other  authors. 

In  the  year  57  B.  C.,  Alexander,  the  oldest  son  of  Aristo- 
bulus,  who  had  been  carried  to  Rome  by  Pompey,  having  made 
his  escape,  came  into  Judea,  and  collected  an  army  of  ten 
thousand  foot  and  fifteen  hundred  horse,  and  seized  Alexan- 
drion,  Macherus,  and  several  other  strong  castles,  which  he 
garrisoned  and  fortified;  and  from  thence  ravaged  all  the  sur- 
rounding country.  Hyrcanus  being  able  to  oppose  no  effectual 
resistance,  sent  for  aid  to  Gabinius,  governor  of  Syria,  the 
general  of  the  horse  under  him  being  the  famous  Mark 
Antony.  Here  also,  the  Roman  army  was  joined  by  Antipa- 
ter,  and  other  adherents  of  Hyrcanus.  They  came  to  a  battle 
with  Alexander,  who  was  completely  overthrown;  three  thou- 
sand of  his  men  being  slain  in  battle,  and  as  many  taken 
prisoner.  He  himself  took  refuge  in  the  castle  called  Alexan- 
drion,  where  he  was  besieged  by  Gabinius.  While  this  siege 
was  carried  on,  the  Roman  general  took  a  progress  through 
the  country,  and  found  many  of  its  once  famous  cities  lying  in 
ruins,  which  he  ordered  to  be  rebuilt  or  repaired.  While 
Gabinius  was  thus  occupied,  he  met  with  the  mother  of  Alex- 
ander, a  woman  remarkable  for  her  discretion.  She  being 
very  solicitous  about  the  safety  of  her  husband,  Aristobulus, 
who  had  been  carried  to  Rome,  endeavoured,  by  acts  of  kind- 
ness, to  ingratiate  herself  into  the  favour  of  Gabinius,  and  sue- 


556  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH    NATION 

ceeded  to  her  wishes ;  for  upon  her  representations,  he  made 
peace  with  Alexander,  who  surrendered  all  his  castles ;  which, 
by  her  advice,  were  dismantled  or  demolished.  Gabinius  now 
went  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  having  settled  Hyrcanus  in  the 
priesthood,  made  great  alterations  in  the  form  of  the  Jewish 
commonwealth;  and  from  a  monarchy  transformed  it  to  an 
aristocracy.  Hitherto,  the  government  had  been  managed  by 
a  prince,  with  the  aid  of  the  grand  council  or  Sanhedrim,  con- 
sisting of  seventy-two  persons,  with  an  inferior  court  of  twenty- 
three  in  every  considerable  town.  Instead  of  this,  Gabinius 
established  five  independent  courts ;  the  first,  at  Jerusalem ; 
the  second,  at  Jericho;  the  third,  at  Gadara;  the  fourth,  at 
Amathus;  and  the  fifth,  at  Sephoris.  The  tyranny  of  Alex- 
ander Janneus  had  made  the  Jews  weary  of  monarchy ;  and 
they  petitioned  Pompey  for  its  abolition,  when  the  trial  of  the 
two  brothers  took  place  before  him  at  Damascus ;  and  he  so 
far  complied  as  to  take  away  the  diadem  and  the  name,  but 
left  the  supreme  power  in  the  hands  of  Hyrcanus.  But  now, 
they  renewed  their  petition  to  Gabinius,  and  obtained  the 
change  which  has  been  mentioned.  But  when  Julius  Cesar 
afterwards  passed  through  the  country,  he  restored  things  to 
their  former  condition.  Towards  the  close  of  this  year,  Aris- 
tobulus,  who  had  been  led  in  triumph  by  Pompey  with  his  son 
Antigonus,  made  his  escape  from  Rome,  and  came  into  Judea, 
where  he  excited  new  troubles,  for  many  resorted  to  his 
standard,  and  he  seized  several  fortresses,  which  he  began  to 
fortify ;  but  Gabinius  came  upon  him  and  subdued  him.  He 
and  his  son  Antigonus  were  sent  back  again  to  Rome.  Gabin- 
ius, however,  in  compliance  with  a  promise  given  to  his  wife, 
obtained  the  release  of  the  latter. 

In  the  year  55  B.  C.,  Gabinius  having  been  called  into  Egypt 
to  settle  the  disturbances  of  that  kingdom,  Alexander,  the  son 
of  Aristobulus,  excited  new  troubles  in  Judea.  Having  collect- 
ed a  great  army,  he  ravaged  the  whole  country,  killing  all  the 
Romans  he  could  meet  with,  and  driving  the  rest  to  take  refuge 
in  mount  Gerizim,  where  he  besieged  them  closely.  Gabinius 
seeing  what  a  force  he  had  collected,  thought  it  best  to  deal  with 
him  by  fair  means,  and  sent  Antipater  with  conditions  of  peace, 
promising  an  oblivion  of  all  that  was  past.  But  Alexander, 
confiding  in  his  strength,  encountered  Gabinius  in  battle,  but 
was  overthrown,  with  the  slaughter  of  ten  thousand  of  his  men. 
After  this  victory  Gabinius  went  to  Jerusalem  and  regulated 
every  thing  according  to  the  wishes  of  Antipater;  and  then 
marched  against  the  Nabatheans,  whom  he  subdued. 

In  the  year  54  B.  C.,  Pompey  and  Crassus  being  consuls, 
the  latter  had  Syria  and  the  East  assigned  to  him.  Whereupon, 
coming  into  Syria,  with  an  eager  desire  to  amass  as  much  wealth 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OP  JERUSALEM.  557 

as  possible,  and  hearing  of  the  riches  of  the  temple  at  Jerusa- 
lem, he  marched  directly  thither.  At  that  time,  Eleazer  a 
priest,  was  the  treasurer  of  the  temple.  Among  other  precious 
things  under  his  charge,  was  a  bar  of  solid  gold  of  immense 
value,  which  to  conceal  he  enclosed  in  a  wooden  beam,  and  then 
placed  the  beam  over  the  entrance,  from  the  holy  into  the  most 
holy  place,  and  suspended  the  veil  upon  it.  But  when  he  found 
Crassus  very  intent  on  finding  treasure,  Eleazer  told  him  that 
he  would  discover  it  to  him  if  he  would  spare  the  temple  and 
its  other  treasures.  This  Crassus  swore  he  would  religiously 
perform ;  but  the  perfidious  and  sacrilegious  wretch,  no  sooner 
had  the  beam  in  possession,  than  he  entered  into  the  temple,  and 
took  away  the  two  thousand  talents  which  Pompey  had  left 
untouched,  and  robbed  it  of  other  valuable  treasures,  to  the 
amount  of  ten  thousand  talents ;  by  which  he  thought  himself 
well  provided  for  the  Parthian  war.  But  speedy  vengeance  pur- 
sued the  rapacious  and  sacrilegious  Crassus ;  for,  being  decoyed 
by  the  enemy  into  an  unfavourable  situation,  the  Parthians  fell 
upon  him,  defeated  his  army,  and  slew  his  son  and  twenty 
thousand  of  his  men.  Crassus  himself,  while  endeavouring  to 
escape,  fell  under  the  conduct  of  a  treacherous  guide,  and  being 
led  by  him  to  Sarinas,  the  general  of  the  Parthians,  was  imme- 
diately put  to  death.  The  Parthians,  supposing  that  there 
would  be  nothing  to  oppose  their  progress,  crossed  the  Euphrates 
and  invaded  Syria ;  but  here  they  were  met  by  Cassius,  defeated, 
and  driven  back  to  their  own  country. 

In  the  year  49  B.  C.,  Cesar  released  Aristobulus  from 
prison,  and  sent  him  into  Judea  with  two  legions,  to  promote 
his  interest  there,  and  in  the  neighbouring  countries  of  Pheni- 
cia,  Syria,  and  Arabia.  But  some  of  Pompey's  friends  found 
means  to  give  him  poison  on  the  way,  of  which  he  died.  Alex- 
ander, his  son,  having  been  informed  of  the  expected  arrival  of 
his  father,  began  to  raise  forces  to  join  him  as  soon  as  he  came. 
Pompey  sent  orders  to  Scipio  to  put  him  to  death;  who,  caus- 
ing him  to  be  apprehended  and  brought  to  Antioch,  he  was 
there  subjected  to  a  formal  trial,  in  which,  being  condemned, 
his  head  was  cut  off. 

In  the  year  48  B.  C.,  the  contest  between  Cesar  and  Pom- 
pey was  brought  to  a  decision,  by  the  famous  battle  of  Pharsa- 
lia  in  Thessaly ;  in  which  Pompey  was  defeated,  and  obliged  to 
flee  to  Africa,  where  he  was  beheaded.  Cesar,  having  con- 
quered Egypt,  passed  into  Syria,  where  Antigonus,  the  son  of 
Aristobulus  the  late  king  of  the  Jews,  came  to  him,  and 
lamenting  the  death  of  his  father  and  brother,  begged  Cesar  to 
have  compassion  on  him ;  and  at  the  same  time,  made  heavy 
complaints  against  Hyrcanus  and  Antipater.  But  Antipater 
being  then  with  Cesar,  defended  himself  and  Hyrcanus  so  much 


558  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

to  his  satisfaction,  that  he  rejected  the  accusations  of  Antigonus 
as  of  a  turbulent  and  seditious  person,  and  decreed,  that  Hyr- 
canus should  possess  not  only  the  priesthood,  but  the  sovereign 
power,  as  formerly,  and  his  descendants  after  him. 

Antipater  accompanied  Cesar  in  all  his  expeditions  through 
Syria,  and  greatly  conciliated  his  favour.  When  Cesar  left  this 
province,  Antipater  returned  to  Judea,  and  regulated  every 
thing  to  the  best  advantage  for  Hyrcanus.  He  was  a  man  of 
consummate  policy,  and  by  his  skilful  management  had  acquired 
an  unbounded  influence,  not  only  in  Judea,  but  in  Phenicia, 
Syria,  Arabia,  &c. 

Antipater  had  married  a  noble  Arabian  lady,  whose  name 
•was  Cyprus,  by  whom  he  had  four  sons  now  grown  to  mature 
age.  The  oldest  was  called  Phaselus ;  the  second,  Herod ;  the 
third,  Joseph ;  and  the  youngest,  Pheroras.  He  had,  also,  one 
daughter  by  the  same  wife,  named  Salome,  who,  as  well  as  her 
brother  Herod,  is  famous  in  the  history  of  the  following  years. 
Antipater,  having  acquired  such  influence  in  Judea  and  the 
neighbouring  countries,  and  being  so  much  in  favour  with  Cesar, 
was  now  able  to  make  provision  for  his  own  sons.  Accord- 
ingly, he  appointed  Phaselus  to  be  governor  of  Jerusalem,  and 
Herod,  his  'second  son,  to  be  governor  of  Galilee;  he  being 
then  no  more  than  twenty-five  years  of  age.  In  the  printed 
text  of  Josephus,  it  is  only  fifteen,  but  this,  by  a  collation  of 
other  passages,  appears  to  be  a  mistake  of  the  copyists. 

Herod  being  a  young  man  of  an  active  disposition,  and 
wishing  to  signalize  himself,  made  an  attack  on  a  horde  of 
thieves  who  infested  the  country;  and  having  taken  their 
leader  Hezekias,  with  several  of  his  associates,  he  put  them  all 
to  death.  By  this  action  he  gained  much  applause,  even  from 
Sixtus,  the  governor  of  the  province;  but  those  who  were 
enemies  of  Antipater,  represented  to  Hyrcanus  that  Herod 
had  put  these  men  to  death  without  legal  trial,  and  obtained 
from  him  an  order  that  Herod  should  be  cited  to  appear  before 
the  Sanhedrim,  to  answer  for  his  conduct.  Herod  appeared 
before  this  august  tribunal  clothed  in  purple,  and  surrounded 
by  his  guard,  by  which  the  judges  were  so  intimidated,  that  not 
one  of  them  had  courage  to  open  his  mouth,  except  an  old 
councillor,  by  the  name  of  Samias.  He  first  accused  Herod  of 
audacity,  in  appearing  as  he  did,  before  that  court,  and  then 
turned  his  accusation  against  Hyrcanus  the  president,  and  the 
members  of  the  council,  for  their  want  of  firmness  and  dignity; 
predicting  that  this  same  Herod  would  be  the  means  of 
executing  wrath  upon  the  Sanhedrim ;  which  was  actually  ful- 
filled, for  Herod  put  every  member  of  the  Sanhedrim,  after- 
wards, to  death,  except  this  same  Samias,  and  one  other  indivi- 
dual. 


TO  THE   DESTRUCTION   OF   JERUSALEM.  559 

Hyrcanus  did  all  he  could  to  get  Herod  cleared,  as  he  had  a 
great  partiality  for  the  young  man,  whose  father  had  been  the 
chief  cause  of  all  his  power  and  prosperity.  But  finding  that 
he  could  not  procure  his  acquittal,  he  got  the  cause  adjourned 
until  the  next  day ;  and,  in  the  mean  time,  advised  Herod  to 
leave  Jerusalem,  which  he  did ;  and  went  to  Damascus,  where 
putting  himself  under  the  protection  of  Sixtus  Cesar,  he  set  the 
Sanhedrim  at  defiance,  and  refused  again  to  appear  before 
them. 

"While  Herod  was  with  Sixtus,  he  so  ingratiated  himself,  that 
he  obtained  from  him  the  government  of  Coelo-Syria.  He  now 
raised  an  army  and  marched  into  Judea,  to  be  revenged  on  the 
Sanhedrim  for  the  indignity  offered  him,  by  bringing  him  to  a 
trial  before  them.  His  purpose  was  to  depose  Hyrcanus  from 
the  priesthood,  and  cut  off  the  whole  Sanhedrim.  But  his 
father,  and  brother  Phasael,  interposed,  and  made  him  desist 
from  his  design. 


SECTION  III. 

THE    JULIAN    YEAR DEATH  OF    CESAR — MALICHUS,   HIS    INFLUENCE    AND    CHARACTER 

DEATH  OF  ANTIPATER — BATTLE  OF  PHILIPPI — ANTIGONUS,  YOUNGEST   SON  OF  AR1STOBU- 

LUS,  CLAIMS  THE  KINGDOM THE  PARTHIANS  AGAIN  CROSS  THE  EUPHRATES — ARE  HIRED 

TO  INVADE  JUDEA  TO    MAKE    ANTIGONUS,  SON    OF    ARISTOBULUS,  KING — HIS    ADHERENTS 

ARE  RESISTED  BY  HEROD  AND  PHASAEL — CIVIL  WAR  WITHIN  THE  CITY  OF  JERUSALEM 

FLIGHT  OF  HEROD  AND   DEATH  OF  PHASAEL. 

IN  the  year  46  B.  C.,  Cesar  having  returned  from  his  African 
expedition,  undertook,  in  virtue  of  his  office  as  Pontifex  maxi- 
mus,  to  reform  the  calendar;  which  he  happily  effected,  by 
establishing  the  Julian  year,  of  three  hundred  and  sixty-five 
days,  six  hours ;  or,  in  actual  computation,  three  years  of  three 
hundred  and  sixty-five  days,  and  the  fourth,  of  three  hundred 
and  sixty-six:  which  is  in  use  at  this  time. 

In  the  following  year,  45  B.  C.,  Julius  Cesar  was  murdered 
in  the  Senate  house,  by  a  band  of  conspirators  whose  leaders 
were  Brutus  and  Cassius.  Their  professed  object  was  to  destroy 
the  tyrant,  and  restore  liberty  to  the  Senate  and  people.  Cesar 
was  a  man  of  very  extraordinary  abilities  and  learning.  He 
was,  also,  naturally  humane  and  generous ;  but  he  was  ambitious, 
voluptuous,  and  irreligious.  Upon  the  death  of  Cesar,  the 
greatest  confusion  ensued,  not  only  in  Home,  but  in  all  the^.  pro- 
vinces. Of  these  events,  it  would  be  here  out  of  place  to  give 
a  particular  account,  except  so  far  as  they  may  be  intimately 
connected  with  Jewish  history.  Next  to  Antipater,  Malichus 
had  the  chief  authority  in  Judea.  They  had  been  long  associ- 
ated in  the  support  of  Hyrcanus ;  but  this  man  now  began  to 
act  a  very  wicked  and  ungrateful  part  toward  his  patron,  Anti- 


560  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

pater.  He  was  not  contented  to  be  the  second  man  in  the  coun- 
try, but  was  ambitions  to  be  the  first ;  especially,  as  he  was  a 
native  Jew,  and  Antipater  an  Idumean.  He,  therefore,  plotted 
against  the  life  of  Antipater;  and  when  the  latter  obtaining 
some  intelligence  of  his  design  was  preparing  to  oppose  him,  he 
came  to  him  with  so  fair  a  face,  and  so  played  the  hypocrite, 
that  he  removed  all  suspicion  from  his  mind.  Nay,  when  Mur- 
cus  would  have  put  Malichus  to  death,  he  was  spared  at  the  in- 
tercession of  Antipater.  But,  notwithstanding  all  this,  when  he 
was  dining  one  day  with  Hyrcanus,  Malichus  bribed  the  butler  to 
administer  poison  to  him,  of  which  he  died.  Malichus  now  took 
possession  of  the  power  which  had  been  exercised  by  Antipater ; 
but  the  sons  of  the  latter  were  not  easily  to  be  deceived,  and 
not  disposed  to  leave  their  father's  death  unavenged.  Although 
Malichus  denied  having  had  any  hand  in  the  death  of  Antipater, 
they  were  convinced  of  the  contrary.  Herod  was  in  favour  of 
openly  attacking  the  murderer  at  once;  but  Phasael  recom- 
mended a  more  crafty  proceeding,  as  one  less  likely  to  bring  on 
a  civil  war.  In  the  meantime,  the  brothers  acquainted  Cassius, 
who  then  had  possession  of  Syria,  with  the  circumstances  of 
Antipater 's  death,  and  obtained  from  him  the  liberty  of  putting 
the  murderer  to  death;  of  which  order,  notice  was  given  to  the 
commanders  of  the  garrison  at  Tyre.  When  Cassius  had  taken 
Laodicea,  all  the  princes  and  chief  lords  of  Syria  and  Palestine 
came  to  Tyre  to  congratulate  him.  Hyrcanus  and  Malichus, 
were  on  the  road  for  the  same  purpose.  Herod  made  a  great 
supper,  and  on  pretence  of  sending  invitations  to  his  guests, 
informed  them  of  Cassius'  orders,  and  the  approach  of  Mali- 
chus ;  on  which,  men  were  sent  to  meet  him,  who,  according  to 
their  orders,  fell  on  Malichus  and  slew  him.  It  was  ascer- 
tained that  he  had  formed  a  plot,  after  getting  his  son  who  was 
at  Tyre  into  his  possession,  to  return  to  Judea,  and  excite  the 
Jews  to  revolt ;  and  while  the  Romans  were  busy  with  their  civil 
wars,  to  make  himself  king.  But  the  plot  of  Herod  against 
him  was  better  laid,  and  took  complete  effect. 

In  the  year  42  B.  C.  was  fought  the  decisive  battle  at  Phi- 
lippi,  in  Macedonia,  beween  Octavianus  arid  Antony  on  the 
one  side,  and  Brutus  and  Cassius,  the  slayers  of  Cesar,  on  the 
other.  In  this  battle,  the  latter  were  overthrown,  and  their 
cause  ruined;  and  both  Brutus  and  Cassius  were  driven  to 
such  desperation,  that  they  put  an  end  to  their  own  lives. 
After  Cassius  had  left  Syria,  the  friends  of  Malichus  raised  a 
great  tumult,  to  revenge  his  death  on  the  sons  of  Antipater; 
and  had  influence  to  gain  over  to  their  party  Hyrcanus,  and 
also  Felix  the  commander  of  the  Roman  forces,  at  Jerusalem. 
At  the  same  time,  a  brother  of  Malichus  seized  the  castle  of 
Massada,  and  several  other  strong  places  in  Judea.  Herod 


TO  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.  561 

was  at  this  time  confined  with  sickness  at  Damascus,  whither  he 
had  gone  to  see  Fabius  the  Roman  governor.  The  whole  of 
this  storm,  therefore,  fell  on  Phasael,  who  withstood  it  success- 
fully ;  for  he  drove  Felix  and  all  his  party  out  of  Jerusalem. 
When  Herod  returned,  the  brothers  were  soon  able  to  put  down 
the  opposite  faction,  and  recover  the  strong  fortresses.  About 
this  time  a  marriage  took  place  between  Herod  and  Mariamne, 
the  granddaughter  of  Hyrcanus,  which  seemed  to  reconcile  all 
differences.  But  this  peace  was  of  a  short  duration.  Anti- 
gonus,  the  youngest  son  of  Aristobulus  the  late  king,  was 
made  the  instrument  of  the  discontented  faction  at  Jerusalem ; 
for  his  father  and  older  brother  being  dead,  as  related  above, 
he  claimed  the  kingdom  as  his  right.  In  these  pretensions,  he 
was  supported  by  Marion  king  of  Tyre,  Fabius  governor  of 
Damascus,  and  Ptolemy  prince  of  Chalcis.  The  last  of  these 
had  married  the  sister  of  Antigonus.  Coming  with  a  large 
army,  Antigonus  invaded  Judea,  but  he  had  scarcely  entered 
its  borders,  when  Herod  encountered  and  overthrew  him,  and 
returned  to  Jerusalem  in  great  triumph. 

In  the  year  41  B.  C.  the  Parthians  again  crossed  the 
Euphrates,  instigated  and  led  on  by  some  of  the  adherents  of 
Pompey,  who  had  fled  for  refuge  to  the  Parthian  court.  This 
army  was  under  the  conduct  of  Labianus  and  Pacorus,  who 
ravaged  a  large  part  of  Asia  Minor,  and '  took  Sidon  and 
Ptolemais.  By  these  generals,  a  large  party  was  sent  to 
invade  Judea,  for  the  purpose  of  making  Antigonus,  the  son  of 
Aristobulus,  king  of  that  country.  They  were  prevailed  on  to 
pursue  this  course,  by  Lysanias  king  of  Chalcis,  who  promised 
them  as  a  reward,  one  thousand  talents,  and  five  hundred  Jew- 
ish women,  if  they  would  restore  Antigonus  to  his  father's 
kingdom.  Antigonus  himself,  having  collected  an  army  of 
Jews  from  about  Mount  Carmel,  marched  with  them  into 
Judea;  and  having  vanquished  those  who  first  came  against 
him,  pursued  them  to  Jerusalem,  where  having  got  within  the 
city,  he  had  many  skirmishes  with  the  brothers,  Phasael  and 
Herod;  in  which,  the  followers  of  Antigonus  being  worsted, 
retreated  within  the  mount  of  the  temple,  and  the  other  party 
into  the  palace ;  which  two  places  became  the  head-quarters  of 
the  two  parties.  Their  conflicts  continued  until  the  time  of  the 
feast  of  Pentecost,  when,  numbers  of  people  coming  to  the  city 
from  all  parts,  some  took  part  with  one,  and  some  with  the 
other,  until  the  confusion  was  so  great,  that  the  leaders  began 
to  think  of  some  means  of  putting  an  end  to  these  troubles. 
Proposals  of  peace  being  made  to  Antigonus,  he  received  them 
hypocritically,  offering  to  refer  the  dispute  to  the  Parthian 
general,  whom  Pacorus,  according  to  agreement,  had  sent  after 
him.  By  this  stratagem,  the  Parthian  who  was  the  cup-bearer 
36 


562  HISTORY   OF   THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION 

of  Pacorus,  was  introduced  into  the  city,  and  lodged  with  five 
hundred  of  his  horse  within  the  walls.  Here  he  played  his 
game  so  artfully,  that  he  pursuaded  Phasael  to  take  Hyrcanus 
with  him,  and  go  to  Barzapharnes,  who  then  governed  Syria, 
under  Pacorus.  Herod  had  no  confidence  in  the  Parthians, 
and  remonstrated  against  the  course  which  his  brother  had 
determined  to  pursue. 

When  Phasael  and  Hyrcanus  came  to  Galilee,  they  were  met 
by  a  guard  from  Barzapharnes,  and  the  cup-bearer  returned  to 
Jerusalem.  They  were,  at  first,  treated  with  a  show  of  kind- 
ness, until  it  was  supposed  that  the  Parthian  general  had  time  to 
reach  Jerusalem  and  seize  Herod,  when  they  were  both  put  in 
chains.  But  Herod,  aware  of  the  danger,  fled  from  Jerusalem 
with  his  family  and  treasures,  and  seized  the  fortress  of  Mas- 
sada,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Dead  Sea,  where  he  left  his  fam- 
ily, and  went  to  Arabia  to  solicit  assistance  of  Malchus,  who 
had  succeeded  Aretas.  But  Malchus,  though  under  great  obli- 
gations to  Herod  for  services  performed,  ungratefully  refused 
to  receive  or  entertain  him.  He  then  directed  his  course 
towards  Egypt,  but  before  he  arrived  he  heard  of  the  death  of 
his  brother  Phasael.  For  the  Parthians,  when  they  found 
Herod  gone,  made  Antigonus  king,  and  delivered  up  Phasael 
and  Hyrcanus  into  his  hands.  The  former,  knowing  that  his 
death  was  determined,  beat  out  his  own  brains  against  the  wall. 
The  life  of  Hyrcanus  was  spared,  but  to  render  him  incapable 
of  officiating  as  high-priest,  they  cut  off  both  his  ears ;  and  then 
delivered  him  to  the  Parthians,  who  carried  him  with  them  into 
the  east. 


SECTION  IV. 

HEROD     OBTAINS    THE    FAVOUR    OF  ANTONY,   AND    IS   SOLEMNLY   APPOINTED    KING   OF 
JUDEA — IS   SUCCESSFUL  AGAINST   HIS    EMEMIES — ANTONY  SENDS    HIM    TWO  LEGIONS 

TO    REDUCE    JERUSALEM,  STILL    IN  THE    POSSESSION    OF  ANTIGONUS HEROD    GOES  TO 

SAM03ATA  TO  MEET  ANTONY — RETURNS  TO  JUDEA  WITH  FRESH  FORCES — HIS  BRO- 
THER JOSEPH  SLAIN  IN  AN  EXPEDITION  AGAINST  JERICHO— HEROD  LAYS  SIEGE  TO 
JERUSALEM — MAHIAMNE  THE  WIFE  OF  HEROD — JERUSALEM  TAKEN  AND  GIVEN  UP 
TO  PILLAGE — ABJECT  SPIRIT  OF  ANTIGONUS. 

HEROD,  upon  hearing  of  the  death  of  his  brother,  did  not 
return,  but  went  on  to  Pelusium,  and  thence  to  Alexandria. 
Not  meeting  with  any  promise  of  effectual  succour  in  Egypt,  he 
sailed  by  way  of  Rhodes  to  Rome,  where  he  made  his  complaint 
and  application  to  Antony,  beseeching  him,  \>y  the  friendship 
which  subsisted  between  him  and  his  father,  to  pity  the  dis- 
tracted and  miserable  condition  of  Judea.  Antony,  in  consid- 
eration of  the  promise  of  a  very  large  sum  of  money,  entered  with 
much  zeal  into  the  interests  of  Herod,  and  obtained  for  him 
much  more  than  he  expected.  For  he  thought  of  nothing  more 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  563 

than  succeeding  to  the  power  which  his  father  exercised  under 
Hyrcanus.  But  Antony,  first  securing  the  influence  of  Octa- 
vianus  in  favour  of  the  measure,  had  Herod  introduced  to 
the  senate,  with  a  full  exhibition  of  the  merits  of  his  family 
towards  the  Roman  people;  on  which  he  was  recognized  as 
king  of  Judea  by  the  unanimous  vote  of  the  Senate,  and  Anti- 
gonus  was  declared  to  be  an  enemy  to  the  Roman  people. 
Herod  was  then  conducted  to  the  capitol,  with  Antony  on  one 
side,  and  Octavianus  on  the  other,  where  he  was  solemnly  in- 
augurated into  his  new  office,  according  to  the  Roman  usage : 
and  this  act  of  the  Senate  was  laid  up  among  the  archives  of  the 
State. 

Herod,  having  met  with  such  success  at  Rome,  hastened  back 
to  Judea.  This  whole  transaction,  by  which  he  was  solemnly 
advanced  to  the  royal  dignity,  occupied  no  more  than  seven 
days.  Indeed,  his  whole  journey,  both  by  sea  and  land,  from 
the  time  he  left  Judea  until  his  return  to  Ptolemais,  occupied 
only  three  months.  His  first  object  after  his  return  was  to 
relieve  his  wife,  mother,  sister,  and  other  friends,  who  were 
shut  up  in  the  castle  of  Massada,  and  had  been  besieged  by 
Antigonus  ever  since  his  departure.  They  were  now  reduced 
to  such  distress  for  want  of  water,  that  his  brother  Joseph,  who 
had  been  left  in  command  of  the  place,  had  formed  the  purpose 
of  breaking  through  the  besiegers,  and  escaping  to  Malchus, 
king  of  Arabia,  who,  he  heard,  was  now  much  better  disposed 
to  lend  them  aid  than  when  applied  to  by  Herod.  But  the 
night  before  he  had  designed  to  carry  his  purpose  into  effect, 
there  fell  such  plentiful  showers  of  rain  as  filled  all  their  cis- 
terns ;  so  that  they  were  able  to  hold  out  until  Herod  came  to 
their  relief. 

Herod  had  no  small  difficulty  in  collecting  a  suificient  force 
to  meet  the  besieging  army.  He  received  all  into  his  service 
whom  he  could  enlist,  whether  Jews  or  foreigners ;  but  his  prin- 
cipal reliance  was  on  Ventidius  and  Silo,  Roman  generals,  who 
were  then  in  Palestine  with  a  considerable  force.  These,  how- 
ever, did  him  as  much  harm  as  good;  for  having  come  into 
Judea  to  obtain  money,  they  were  ready  to  help  him  who  would 
pay  them  best.  And,  indeed,  they  received  money  from  both 
parties,  and  so  managed  as  to  give  little  real  assistance  to 
either.  Herod,  however,  finally  succeeded  in  reducing  Galilee, 
and  after  a  siege  of  considerable  length  took  Joppa.  Having 
delivered  his  family  and  friends  from  their  unpleasant  situation 
in  Massada,  he  placed  them  in  Samaria,  and  sent  his  brother 
Joseph  into  Idumea,  to  secure  that  region  in  his  interests.  At 
this  time,  Galilee  was  infested  with  multitudes  of  robbers,  to 
suppress  whom  Herod  now  adopted  measures.  "With  some  dif- 
ficulty he  succeeded  in  vanquishing  a  large  body  of  them  who 


564  HISTORY   OF    THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION 

advanced  to  meet  bis  army,  and  compelled  them  to  cross  the 
Jordan.  It  was  some  time,  however,  before  the  country  was 
entirely  freed  from  these  banditti. 

Jerusalem,  and  many  other  places,  still  continued  in  the 
possession  of  Antigonus ;  and  the  war  between  him  and  Herod 
still  went  on.  To  aid  the  latter,  Antony  sent  Macheras  with 
two  legions  and  one  thousand  horse,  who,  approaching  the 
walls  of  Jerusalem  for  the  purpose  of  conferring  with  Antigo- 
nus, was  beaten  back  by  the  archers  and  slingers  on  the  ram- 
part ;  by  which  he  was  so  enraged,  that  on  his  retreat  from  the 
place  he  killed  all  the  Jews  he  could  lay  hands  on.  Among 
them,  many  of  Herod's  friends  were  cut  off;  on  account  of 
which,  he  went  directly  to  make  complaint  to  Antony,  but 
Macheras  overtook  him  and  so  explained  and  apologized,  that 
Herod  agreed  to  think  no  more  of  the  affair.  Still,  however, 
he  prosecuted  his  journey,  to  visit  Antony,  who  was  then 
at  Samosata,  who  received  him  with  distinguished  honour. 
While  there  Herod  rendered  signal  service  in  carrying  on  the 
siege  of  the  place.  While  Herod  was  absent,  his  brother 
Joseph,  neglecting  the  orders  which  he  had  received,  made  an 
expedition  against  Jericho  with  such  forces  as  he  was  able  to 
bring  together.  Being  circumvented  by  the  enemy,  he  was  there 
slain,  and  most  of  his  men  cut  to  pieces.  In  consequence  of 
this  disaster,  many  in  Idumea  and  Galilee  revolted  from 
Herod.  The  intelligence  of  these  unfortunate  events  reached 
Herod  at  Daphne,  on  his  way  home,  and  hastened  his  return. 
Coming  to  mount  Libanus,  he  there  raised  eight  hundred  men, 
and  with  these  and  one  Roman  cohort,  marched  to  Ptolemais, 
and  proceeded  to  subdue  those  who  had  revolted  in  Galilee. 
Then  marching  to  Jerusalem  to  avenge  his  brother's  death,  he 
was  encountered  by  the  friends  of  Antigonus  and  defeated, 
being  himself  wounded  in  the  conflict.  But  soon  rallying,  he 
collected  more  soldiers,  and  fought  another  battle  with  the  flower 
of  the  troops  of  Antigonus,  under  the  command  of  Pappus,  and 
entirely  overthrew  them,  Pappus  himself  being  among  the  slain. 
Had  it  not  been  winter,  he  might  have  marched  directly  to 
Jerusalem,  and  taken  that  place. 

Early  the  next  year,  38  B.  C.,  Herod  took  the  field  with  a 
great  army,  and  proceeded  directly  to  Jerusalem,  where  he 
commenced  a  regular  siege  of  the  place.  While  the  necessary 
works  were  carrying  on,  he  went  to  Samaria,  and  consummated 
his  marriage  with  Mariamne,  who  had  been  betrothed  to  him 
four  years  before.  Mariamne  was  the  daughter  of  Alexander, 
the  son  of  king  Aristobulus,  by  Alexandra  the  daughter  of 
Hyrcanus  the  second.  She  was  a  lady  of  extraordinary  beauty 
arid  great  virtue,  and  accomplished  above  any  woman  of  her 
time.  Herod,  in  selecting  her  for  a  wife,  was  influenced  not 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  565 

merely  by  affection,  but  by  political  motives ;  for  he  thought, 
that  by  an  alliance  with  the  Asmonean  family,  so  highly  vene- 
rated by  the  Jews,  he  would  gain  a  great  influence  over  that 
people.  After  the  return  of  Herod  from  Samaria,  the  siege 
was  prosecuted  with  uncommon  vigour;  for  the  governor  of 
Syria  came  to  his  assistance  with  a  large  number  of  soldiers. 
The  whole  force  engaged  in  the  siege  was  no  less  than  eleven 
legions  and  six  thousand  horse,  besides  the  Syrian  auxiliaries. 
But  the  city  held  out  until  the  next  year,  which  was  37  B.  C., 
when  many  breaches  being  made  in  the  walls,  the  assailants 
entered,  and  exasperated  by  the  length  of  the  siege,  and  the 
hardships  which  they  had  endured,  filled  the  whole  town  with 
blood  and  devastation.  Herod  did  all  he  could  to  prevent  this, 
but  without  effect,  as  Sosius,  the  governor  of  Syria,  encouraged 
the  soldiers  in  these  lawless  and  cruel  proceedings.  At  length, 
when  remonstrance  failed  to  put  a  stop  to  the  utter  devastation 
of  the  city,  Herod  redeemed  it  from  further  spoliation,  by  the 
promise  of  a  large  sum  of  money. 

Antigonus  seeing  that  all  was  lost,  surrendered  himself  to 
Sosius,  and  in  a  very  abject  manner  cast  himself  at  his  feet; 
which,  instead  of  moving  the  compassion  of  this  stern  Roman, 
only  provoked  his  contempt;  for  he  ever  afterwards  called  him 
Antigona.  It  was,  at  first,  designed  to  preserve  him  to  grace 
the  triumph  of  Antony;  but  Herod  wishing  to  remove  all  dan- 
ger of  new  disturbances  from  the  claims  of  this  last  male  of  the 
Asmonean  family,  never  ceased  to  petition  Antony  to  have 
him  put  to  death;  which  was  accordingly  done,  by  the  hands 
of  the  common  executioner,  without  the  least  regard  to  his 
royal  dignity. 


SECTION  V. 

HEROD  ESTABLISHED   ON   THE  THRONE  OF  JUDEA — DESTROYS  THE  WHOLE  SANHEDHI5I 

EXCEPT     TWO HILLEL     AND      SHAMMAI THEIR     DISTINGUISHED     DESCENDANTS 

SIMON GASIALIEL JUDAH    HAKKADOSH SCHOLARS    OF    HILLEL CHALDEE  PARA- 
PHRASES— THEIR    HIGH   ESTIMATION    AMONG    THE    JEWS — JONATHAN    BEN    UZZIEL 

AND    ONKELOS. 

HEROD  was  now  in  full  possession  of  the  kingdom  of  Judea. 
But  as  he  had  made  his  way  to  the  throne  through  much  blood, 
so  now,  when  seated  on  it,  he  found  it  necessary  to  resort  to 
the  sword,  to  subdue  the  obstinacy  of  the  leaders  of  the  opposite 
faction,  who  would  not  consent  to  submit  to  his  authority.  Of 
this  number  was  the  whole  Sanhedrim,  the  grand  council  of 
the  nation,  every  one  of  whom  he  put  to  death,  as  was  before 
mentioned,  except  Sameas  and  Pollio.  During  the  whole  siege, 
these  two  had  declared  in  favour  of  receiving  Herod  as  their 
king,  alleging,  that  God  in  displeasure  for  their  sins,  had 

v 


566  HISTORY   OF   THE    ISRAELITISH   NATION 

decreed  to  give  them  up  to  the  government  of  this  man,  as  a 
punishment.  The  others,  on  the  contrary,  went  about  the  city 
encouraging  the  people,  and  assuring  them  that  God  would  cer- 
tainly protect  his  temple.  On  which  account,  Herod  put  them 
all  to  death;  remembering  also,  the  affront  which  they  had  put 
upon  him,  when  they  cited  him  before  them  as  a  criminal.  It 
is  remarkable,  however,  that  he  spared  Sameas,  who  had  so 
boldly  denounced  him  on  that  occasion ;  and  who  was  of  all  the 
most  vehement  in  requiring  its  condemnation. 

These  two  men  are  very  famous  among  the  Mishnical  doctors 
of  the  Jews,  and  in  the  rabbinical  writings  are  known  by  the 
names  of  Hillel  and  Shammai.  Of  the  Sanhedrim,  which  was 
now  formed,  Hillel  was  made  the  president,  and  Shammai  the 
vice-president.  The  former  is  called  Pollio  by  Josephus,  and 
was  one  of  the  most  eminent  men  for  learning  and  authority, 
•who  ever  appeared  in  the  Jewish  nation.  The  Jewish  writers, 
with  one  consent,  concede  to  him  the  highest  place,  in  the 
knowledge  of  the  Jewish  law  and  traditions.  For  forty  years 
lie  was  president  of  the  Sanhedrim,  and  acquired  higher  repu- 
tation for  the  justice  and  wisdom  of  his  decisions,  than  any  one 
who  had  occupied  that  high  seat  of  judgment  since  the  days  of 
Simon  the  Just.  The  posterity  of  this  eminent  doctor  were 
also  famous  for  a  long  time.  It  is  said,  that  his  descendants 
occupied  the  same  high  office  for  ten  generations.  Simeon,  his 
son,  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  very  person,  who  in  the  tem- 
ple took  our  blessed  Saviour  in  his  arms.  (Luke  ii.  25 — 35.) 
The  third  in  descent  was  Gamaliel,  who  presided  in  the  Sanhe- 
drim when  Peter  and  the  other  apostles  were  called  before  that 
council ;  (Acts  v.  34 ;)  and  was  the  distinguished  master  at  whose 
feet  the  apostle  Paul  was  brought  up.  (Acts  xxii.  3.)  In  the 
Jewish  writings  he  is  called  Gamaliel  the  Old,  because  he  lived 
to  extreme  old  age;  his  death  occurring  only  eighteen  years 
before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  Next  to  Gamaliel,  was 
Simon,  the  second  of  that  name.  He  perished  in  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem.  The  fifth  in  descent  was  Gamaliel  the 
second.  To  him  succeeded  Simon  the  third.  Then  we  come 
to  Judah  Hakkadosh,  or  Judah  the  Holy,  who  composed  the 
Mishna,  the  great  body  of  Jewish  Traditionary  Law,  which 
forms  the  text  of  the  Talmud. 

After  Judah  Hakkadosh,  we  have,  in  regular  succession,  the 
names  of  Gamaliel  the  third,  Hillel,  and  Gemaricus,  all  lineal 
descendants  of  the  Hillel  of  whom  we  are  now  speaking. 
Hillel  was  born  and  brought  up  in  Babylonia,  where  he  resided 
until  the  fortieth  year  of  his  life.  After  that,  he  came  to 
Jerusalem  and  betook  himself  to  the  study  of  the  law,  in  which 
he  became  so  eminent,  that  when  eighty  years  of  age,  he  was 
made  president  of  the  Sanhedrim,  in  which  office  he  continued 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  567 

for  forty  years  more,  so  that  he  lived  to  the  great  age  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  years.  When  Hillel  was  first  made  presi- 
dent of  the  Sanhedrim,  one  Menahem  was  the  vice-president ; 
a  leading  man  among  the  Essenes.  Josephus  says,  that  he  had 
the  spirit  of  prophecy,  of  which  he  gives  the  following  instance. 
One  day,  meeting  with  Herod  among  his  school-fellows,  he 
saluted  him  by  saying,  "Hail,  king  of  the  Jews!"  and  laying 
his  hand  on  his  shoulder,  foretold,  that  one  day  he  should  be 
advanced  to  that  dignity.  When  Herod  was  actually  made 
king,  remembering  this  prediction,  he  sent  for  Menahem  and 
asked  him  whether  he  should  reign  as  many  as  ten  years.  He 
is  said  to  have  answered,  "Yea  ten,  twenty,  thirty  years,"  and 
then  paused,  because  Herod  did  not  wish  to  inquire  further. 

Shammai,  who  is  called  Sameas  by  Josephus,  was  next  to 
Hillel  in  reputation  as  a  Mishnical  doctor.  He  had  been  the 
disciple  of  Hillel;  but  when  appointed  vice-president  of  the 
Sanhedrim  he  did  not  always  concur  with  his  old  master  in 
opinion.  These  differences  of  opinion  between  the  masters, 
caused  great  disputes  and  dissensions  among  their  scholars, 
which  sometimes  arose  to  such  a  height,  as  to  cause  the  shed- 
ding of  blood.  But,  finally,  the  school  of  Hillel  prevailed  over 
that  of  Shammai.  The  tempers  of  these  eminent  men  were 
diverse ;  for  while  Hillel  was  of  a  mild  and  peaceable  disposi- 
tion, Shammai  was  of  an  irascible  and  fiery  spirit. 

Hillel,  it  is  said,  bred  up  no  less  than  one  thousand  scholars 
in  the  knowledge  of  the  law,  of  whom  eighty  were  of  the  first 
distinction.  Of  these  the  Jewish  writers  say,  that  thirty  were 
so  eminent,  as  to  be  worthy  that  the  divine  glory  should  rest  on 
them,  as  it  did  on  Moses ;  and  thirty,  for  whom  the  sun  might 
have  stood  still,  as  it  did  for  Joshua. 

The  most  eminent  of  them  all,  however,  was  Jonathan  Ben 
Uzziel,  the  author  of  the  Chaldee  Paraphrase  on  the  Prophets, 
who  was  contemporary  with  Onkelos,  the  author  of  the  Chalde,e 
Paraphrase  on  the  Law.  Whether  Onkelos  was  also  a  scholar  of 
Hillel,  we  are  nowhere  informed.  These  paraphrases  are  trans- 
lations of  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament,  from  the 
Hebrew  into  the  language  of  the  Chaldeans,  which  was  used 
through  Assyria,  Babylonia,  Mesopotamia,  Syria  and  Palestine. 
They  were  called  Targums,  which  means  versions  or  transla- 
tions. As  was  before  mentioned,  they  had  their  origin  after 
the  return  of  the  Jews  from  captivity,  when  the  common  people, 
and  especially  the  youth,  not  being  familiar  with  the  Hebrew, 
needed  a  version  in  the  vulgar  tongue,  which  was  Chaldee. 
These  versions  were  at  first  made  by  learned  men,  verbally ; 
but  in  process  of  time,  when  Synagogues  multiplied,  it  became 
expedient  to  have  them  in  writing,  that  they  might  be  used 


568  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

•when  there  were  none  sufficiently  learned  to  render  the  He- 
brew, with  correctness,  into  the  vernacular  dialect. 

There  are  now  extant  a  number  of  paraphrases,  by  different 
hands,  and  composed  in  different  ages.  The  principal  are,  The 
Paraphrase  of  Onkelos  on  the  Law — that  of  Jonathan  on  the 
Prophets — another  on  the  Law  ascribed  also  to  Jonathan — The 
Jerusalem  Targum  on  the  Law — The  Targum  on  the  Megilloth ; 
that  is,  on  the  five  small  books,  Kuth,  Esther,  Ecclesiastes, 
Song  of  Solomon,  and  the  Lamentations.  There  are,  more- 
over, two  other  paraphrases  on  the  book  of  Esther.  Next,  we 
have  the  Targum  of  one-eyed  Joseph  on  the  Psalms,  Proverbs, 
and  Job,  and  an  anonymous  Targum  on  the  books  of  Chronicles. 
These  versions  are  of  little  value,  except  the  paraphrases  of 
Onkelos  and  Jonathan  Ben  Uzziel,  which  are  very  important  j 
especially  in  teaching  us  how  the  ancient  Jews  interpreted  the 
Scriptures  which  relate  to  the  Messiah.  That  the  Targums  of 
Onkelos  and  Jonathan  were  composed  a  short  time  before  the 
birth  of  Christ,  is  the  opinion  of  both  Jewish  and  Christian 
writers,  and  is  strongly  confirmed  by  internal  evidence.  The 
only  reason  for  supposing  that  they  were  of  a  later  date,  is  the 
fact,  that  they  seem  to  have  been  entirely  unknown  to  Origen, 
Jerome,  and  the  other  Christian  fathers.  But  if  these  men 
did  not  understand  the  Chaldee  language,  they,  of  course, 
could  not  be  acquainted  with  these  paraphrases;  and  they 
might  have  been  composed  and  principally  used  in  Babylonia ; 
which  supposition  well  corresponds  with  the  language  in  which 
they  were  written ;  which  is  rather  the  eastern  than  the  western 
Aramean.  These  versions  are  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by 
the  Jews,  and,  therefore,  furnish  the  best  weapons  for  carrying 
on  the  controversy  with  them.  They  are,  undoubtedly,  the 
oldest  Jewish  writings  extant,  with  the  exception  of  the  Scrip- 
tures; unless  we  reckon  the  Greek  version  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment as  a  Jewish  composition. 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.  569 


SECTION  VI. 

ANANELUS    MADE    HIGH-PRIEST — HYRCANUS    A    CAPTIVE    AMONG   THE     PAHTHIANS 

HIS    DESIRE   TO    RETURN — ALEXANDRA,  THE   MOTHER  OF    AHISTOBULUS    AND    MARI- 
AMNE  HIS  SISTER,  DISSATISFIED  THAT    HE  WAS  PASSED  OVER  WHEN  ANANELUS  WAS 

EXALTED    TO   BE     HIGH-PRIEST HEROD    CAUSES     ARISTOBULU8     TO   BE   DROWNED 

CLEOPATRA  VISITS    JERUSALEM HER    MANNERS    SO  LICENTIOUS    THAT    EVEN    HEROD 

IS    DISGUSTED — GREAT  EARTHQUAKE    IN  JUDEA — ANTONY   ENTIRELY  DEFEATED  AT 

ACTIUM HEROD    NOW    SEEKS     TO    CONCILIATE    THE    FAVOUR    OF     THE     CONQUEROR, 

AND   SUCCEEDS MARIAMNE    MANIFESTS   THE    UTMOST   HATRED    OF    HEROD — HEROD 

BECAME    FURIOUS    WITH  JEALOUSY,  AND  PUT   BOTH   HIS   UNCLE  JOSEPH    AND    MARI- 
AMNE   TO    DEATH IMMEDIATELY    HE    WAS    SEIZED    WITH     INTOLERABLE    REMORSE, 

AND  FELL    SICK — BECOMES  MORE  SEVERE — IS   INSTIGATED   TO    ACTS  OF    CRUELTY  BY 
ALEXANDRA   AND   OTHERS — CONSPIRACY   AGAINST   HIS   LIFE. 

HEROD,  on  the  death  of  Antigonus,  made  Ananelus  high-priest 
in  his  stead.  He  was  an  obscure  priest,  residing  in  Babylonia; 
but  being  well  known  to  Herod,  and  of  the  pontifical  family, 
he  sent  for  him,  and  put  him  into  this  office.  He  seems  to 
have  chosen  an  obscure  man,  that  there  might  be  no  collision 
between  the  sacerdotal  and  royal  dignity.  Hyrcanus,  who  had 
been  carried  away  by  the  Parthians,  still  lived,  and  was  treated 
with  much  kindness  by  Phraates  the  king,  who,  when  he  under- 
stood his  former  dignity,  released  him  from  his  chains,  and 
allowed  him  full  liberty  to  live  among  the  Jews  who  resided  in 
that  country.  For,  at  this  time,  there  were  more  Jews  in 
Babylonia  and  other  countries  beyond  the  Euphrates,  than  in 
Judea.  Hyrcanus,  on  hearing  that  Herod  was  made  king  of 
the  Jews,  expressed  a  strong  desire  to  return ;  for  as  he  had, 
in  one  instance  saved  Herod's  life,  he  expected  to  be  treated 
kindly.  Herod  was  no  less  solicitous  for  the  return  of  Hyrca- 
nus, but  for  a  very  different  reason.  He  wished  to  get  the  old 
man  into  his  power,  that  he  might  make  away  with  the  only 
survivor  of  the  Asmonean  family,  who  could  have  any  claim  to 
the  throne  of  Judea.  He  therefore  sent  a  special  embassy  to 
Seleucia,  with  the  double  object  of  getting  Phraates  to  give 
him  up,  and  of  persuading  Hyrcanus  to  come.  In  both,  they 
were  successful,  and  the  aged  man,  contrary  to  the  advice  of 
his  best  friends,  returned  again  to  the  land  of  his  nativity. 

In  making  Ananelus  high-priest,  Herod  had  passed  by  Aris- 
tobulus,  the  son  of  Alexander,  to  whom  by  right  of  succession 
it  belonged.  This  produced  no  small  disturbance  in  his  own 
family;  for  Alexandra,  the  mother  of  Aristobulus,  and  Mari- 
amne  his  sister,  could  not  bear  to  see  an  obscure  stranger 
exalted  to  that  office,  while  the  rightful  heir  was  overlooked. 
These  two  ladies  not  only  teased  Herod  continually  respecting 
the  matter,  but  began  to  intrigue  with  Cleopatra,  queen  of 
Egypt,  for  the  advancement  of  Aristobulus.  The  king,  there- 
fore, to  make  peace  at  home,  resolved  to  gratify  them;  so, 
deposing  Ananelus,  he  put  Aristobulus  in  his  room,  a  youth 


570  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

only  seventeen  years  old.  But  Alexandra,  the  mother  of  Aris- 
tobulus,  being  an  ambitious  woman,  knew  that  her  son  had  just 
as  much  right  to  the  kingdom  as  he  had  to  the  priesthood,  and 
therefore,  began  to  intrigue  further  with  Cleopatra,  for  this 
end  also.  Herod  confined  her  to  the  palace,  and  set  spies  over 
her ;  but  she  contrived  a  method  of  escape,  and  set  off  with  her 
son  to  the  court  of  Cleopatra.  Herod,  after  letting  her  pro- 
ceed some  distance,  sent  and  brought  her  back.  Aristobulus 
now  became  more  and  more  the  object  of  the  king's  jealousy. 
At  one  of  the  great  festivals,  when  he  officiated  at  the  altar  in 
his  pontifical  robes,  the  people  were  struck  with  admiration  at 
the  beauty  and  gracefulness  of  the  young  high-priest,  and 
their  mouths  were  full  of  his  praises.  Herod  could  endure  this 
no  longer;  he  determined,  therefore,  to  put  an  end  to  one  who 
gave  him  so  much  uneasiness.  He  invited  him,  with  this  view, 
to  a  feast  at  Jericho,  where  the  young  man  was  enticed  to  go 
out  to  bathe,  with  a  number  of  others.  They,  by  the  direction 
of  Herod,  held  him  under  the  water  until  he  was  drowned ;  and 
then  it  was  pretended  that  his  death  was  accidental.  Herod 
himself  put  on  mourning,  and  affected  the  deepest  grief  for  the 
loss  of  the  high-priest.  But  his  hypocrisy  was  not  concealed, 
and  he  was  abhorred  by  the  people  on  account  of  this  cruel 
act.  As  to  Alexandra,  she  was  inconsolable,  and  probably 
would  not  have  survived  her  beloved  son,  had  it  not  been  for 
the  desire  of  revenge  which  now  took  full  possession  of  her 
breast. 

This  murder  of  Aristobulus  took  place  in  the  year  34  B.  C. 
Alexandra  acquainted  Cleopatra,  by  letter,  with  the  circum- 
stances of  her  son's  death,  and  fully  engaged  her  interest  in 
opposition  to  Herod.  Antony  being  then  very  much  under  the 
influence  of  Cleopatra,  was  easily  induced  to  cite  Herod  to 
answer  for  his  conduct  in  relation  to  this  matter.  But  when 
Antony  came  into  Syria,  Herod  so  mollified  him  that  he  drop- 
ped the  proceedings  altogether.  While  Herod  was  gone  to 
wait  on  Antony,  he  left  Mariamne  in  the  care  of  his  uncle 
Joseph,  who  had  married  his  sister  Salome.  Fearing  lest,  if 
anything  should  happen  to  him,  Mariamne  would  fall  into 
the  power  of  Antony,  who  already  seemed  to  be  in  love  with 
her  from  the  report  of  her  beauty,  he  ordered  Joseph,  as  soon 
as  he  was  dead,  immediately  to  kill  his  wife  also.  This  secret 
Joseph  inadvertently  let  out,  one  day,  when  expatiating  on  the 
greatness  of  Herod's  love  to  her.  On  Herod's  return,  she 
reproached  him  with  it,  which  threw  him  into  a  transport  of 
passion ;  being  persuaded,  that  nothing  but  an  illicit  connexion 
with  Joseph,  (of  which  she  had  been  accused  by  Salome,)  could 
have  extorted  such  a  secret,  he  drew  his  dagger,  and  was  about 
to  plunge  it  in  her  bosom,  but  his  love  for  her  unnerved  his 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF   JERUSALEM.  571 

arm ;  then,  immediately  turning  his  vengeance  on  Joseph  and 
Alexandra,  he  put  the  first  to  death  without  allowing  him  even 
a  hearing,  and  throwing  the  latter  into  chains,  shut  her  up  in 
prison. 

Cleopatra,  having  accompanied  her  paramour  Antony  as  far 
as  the  Euphrates,  visited  Jerusalem  on  her  way  home,  where 
she  was  splendidly  entertained  by  Herod;  but  her  manners 
were  so  voluptuous,  and  even  licentious,  that  Herod  himself 
was  exceedingly  disgusted  with  her.  While  she  was  in  his 
power,  he  once  thought  of  making  away  with  her,  both  on 
account  of  her  former  machinations  against  his  kingdom,  and 
out  of  fear  of  what  she  might  still  continue  to  effect  against 
him ;  but  he  was  restrained  by  a  fear  of  Antony's  displeasure. 

Herod,  being  of  a  suspicious  and  jealous  temper,  resolved  to 
select  some  strong  place,  and  fortify  it  to  the  utmost.  The 
tower  of  Massada  seemed  to  suit  his  purpose  best.  He  there- 
fore furnished  it  with  arms  for  ten  thousand  men,  that  in  all 
events,  he  might  have  a  place  of  refuge  for  himself.  As 
Antony  had  promised  several  kingdoms  to  Cleopatra,  among 
which  was  that  of  Malchus,  in  Arabia,  Herod  was  directed  to 
make  war  with  him.  In  this  expedition  he  at  first  gained  a 
complete  victory ;  but  in  a  second  engagement,  he  was  defeat- 
ed, and  scarcely  escaped  with  the  fragments  of  his  army. 

In  the  year  31  B.  C.  there  occurred  an  earthquake,  which 
shook  the  whole  land  of  Judea  in  a  more  terrible  manner  than 
was  ever  experienced  before.  No  less  than  thirty  thousand 
persons  were  killed  by  this  convulsion  of  nature.  Herod  was 
so  much  affected  with  this  heavy  disaster,  that  he  sent  to  solicit 
peace  with  the  Arabians ;  but  they,  having  heard  that  the  ruin 
from  the  earthquake  was  much  greater  than  it  really  was,  put 
the  ambassadors  to  death,  and  invaded  Judea,  expecting  to 
meet  with  no  resistance.  But  Herod's  soldiers  happened  to 
be  abroad  when  the  earthquake  occurred,  so  that  they  remain- 
ed uninjured,  and  now  collecting  them  together,  he  fell  upon 
the  Arabian  army,  and  having  killed  five  thousand  men,  besieg- 
ed the  rest  in  their  camp.  Being  there  distressed  for  want  of 
water,  they  ventured  another  battle,  in  which  he  slew  seven 
thousand  of  them,  and  took  the  rest  prisoners.  The  Arabians, 
in  their  turn,  were  now  forced  to  sue  for  peace,  and  were  glad 
to  accept  whatever  terms  Herod  chose  to  prescribe. 

Antony,  having  been  entirely  defeated  by  Octavianus  in  the 
battle  at  Actium,  fled  to  Egypt,  where  he  again  gave  himself 
up  to  the  charms  of  Cleopatra.  Herod  perceiving  that  he 
could  depend  no  longer  on  his  protection,  began  to  think  of 
conciliating  Octavianus.  But  still  indulging  his  suspicions  of  the 
aged  Hyrcanus,  who  was  now  resident  at  Jerusalem,  he  pre- 
tended to  discover  a  plot  to  render  assistance  to  Malchus  king 


572  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

of  Arabia,  on  which  he  immediately  had  the  old  man  put  to 
death,  though  now  in  his  eightieth  year. 

Herod,  intent  on  securing  the  favour  of  Octavianus,  if  possi- 
ble, shut  up  Mariamne  and  Alexandra  her  mother,  in  the  for- 
tress of  Alexandrion,  under  a  strong  guard,  and  having  placed 
his  own  mother  and  sister  in  the  strong  fortress  of  Massada, 
set  off  to  pay  his  respects  to  Octavianus.  Herod,  in  his 
address  to  Cesar,  spoke  with  such  ingenuousness,  in  acknow- 
ledging every  thing  which  he  had  done  in  opposition  to  him 
from  friendship  to  Antony,  that  he  won  him  over  to  his 
interests:  Cesar,  therefore,  confirmed  him  in  his  kingdom,  and 
caused  him  to  resume  the  diadem  which  he  had  laid  down  at 
his  feet.  Herod,  upon  this,  made  him  very  rich  presents,  which 
he  had  brought  with  him  for  the  purpose.  Herod  was  now  in 
high  spirits  on  account  of  his  unexpected  success,  in  obtaining 
all  he  wished  from  Octavianus,  and  returned  to  Judea  to  com- 
municate his  good  fortune  to  his  family  and  friends.  But  his 
beloved  wife,  Mariamne,  received  him  with  the  utmost  aversion, 
and  gave  herself  up  to  sighs  and  groans.  The  reason  of  this 
strange  behaviour  was,  that  she  had  by  some  means  learned 
that  he  had  again  given  orders,  that  in  case  of  his  death  she 
should  immediately  be  put  to  death.  He  had  also  given  orders 
that  Alexandra  her  mother  should  also  be  put  to  death;  and 
that  his  brother  Pheroras  should  inherit  the  kingdom. 

Octavianus  having  conquered  Antony  at  Actium,  pursued 
him  into  Egypt.  On  his  way,  he  stopped  at  Ptolemais,  where 
Herod  met  him,  and  gave  him  and  his  army  a  most  splendid 
entertainment ;  and  besides  which,  he  presented  Octavianus 
with  eight  hundred  talents,  by  which  munificent  hospitality  he 
greatly  conciliated  the  friendship  of  the  conqueror.  Antony 
having  been  defeated  on  all  sides,  and  all  his  attempts  to  obtain 
peace  proving  ineffectual,  in  despair  of  ever  retrieving  his 
affairs,  he  fell  upon  his  sword,  and  left  the  world  to  his  rival. 
As  soon  as  Herod  heard  of  his  death,  he  hastened  to  Egypt  to 
pay  his  respects  to  the  conqueror,  by  whom  he  was  received 
with  signal  kindness  and  honour.  He  accompanied  him  on  his 
return  as  far  as  Antioch,  and  received  from  him  several  grants, 
by  which  his  power  and  kingdom  were  enlarged  considerably. 

On  the  return  of  Herod  from  this  visit  to  Egypt,  he  found 
his  domestic  troubles  increased  rather  than  diminished.  Mari- 
amne still  expressed  for  him  the  utmost  abhorrence,  and 
upbraided  him  on  account  of  her  father,  grandfather,  brother, 
and  uncle,  all  of  whom  he  had  put  to  death ;  but  she  concealed 
the  true  reason  of  her  excessive  displeasure,  out  of  regard  to 
the  life  of  Sohemus,  from  whom  she  had  received  the  secret. 
At  length,  Herod  losing  all  patience,  endeavoured  to  extort  from 
her  attendants,  by  the  rack,  the  secret  cause  of  her  grief  and 


TO  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.  573 

anger,  but  he  could  only  learn  that  it  was  owing  to  something 
communicated  by  Sohemus,  that  she  was  so  exceedingly  dis- 
turbed. The  king  then  suspected  that  his  secret  orders,  in 
case  of  his  own  death,  had  been  betrayed ;  and,  as  before,  in  the 
case  of  Joseph,  that  this  never  would  have  been  done  unless 
there  had  existed  an  illicit  intercourse  between  them.  He  was 
now  so  fired  with  jealousy,  that  he  immediately  put  this  man  to 
death,  and  then  forming  a  court  of  his  own  dependents  for  the 
trial  of  Mariamne,  she  was,  as  a  matter  of  course,  condemned 
to  die.  It  was  not,  at  first,  intended  to  carry  the  sentence  into 
execution,  but  merely  to  shut  her  up  in  one  of  the  strong 
fortresses.  The  jealous  tyrant,  however,  fearing  some  insur- 
rection of  the  people,  was  induced  to  precipitate  the  execution. 
Mariamne  suffered  death  with  unshaken  fortitude.  She  was  a 
truly  magnanimous  and  virtuous  woman — of  greater  beauty 
and  accomplishments  than  any  other  of  the  age  in  which  she 
lived.  As  she  was  led  to  the  execution,  her  mother  Alexandra, 
reproached  her  in  the  most  cruel  manner,  for  treating  an  excel- 
lent husband  with  so  much  unkindness;  but  all  this  was  hypo- 
crisy, to  save  her  own  life,  for  she  had  reason  to  fear  that  her 
time  would  come  next.  No  sooner  was  Mariamne  executed, 
than  the  grief  and  remorse  of  Herod  became  intolerable.  He 
found  no  rest  day  nor  night.  Wherever  he  went,  the  image  of 
Mariamne  haunted  him  and  filled  him  with  the  bitterest  reflec- 
tions, until,  at  length,  he  became  subject  to  fits  of  temporary 
madness.  Immediately  after  the  execution  of  the  queen,  a 
grievous  pestilence  occurred,  which  carried  off  great  numbers, 
both  of  the  common  people  and  the  nobility.  This,  all  considered 
as  a  just  judgment  of  God  upon  the  wicked  king.  Herod's 
disorder  of  mind  was  increased  by  this  calamity;  so  that  not 
knowing  what  to  do  with  himself,  he  gave  up  all  care  of  the 
public  business,  and  retired  to  Samaria,  where  he  fell  into  a 
grievous  sickness.  When,  with  much  difficulty  he  was  recover- 
ed, and  had  returned  to  Jerusalem,  he  was  observed  to  be  more 
disposed  to  acts  of  cruelty  than  before,  which  continued  to  be 
his  disposition  to  the  end  of  life.  While  Herod  lay  sick  at 
Samaria,  Alexandra,  expecting  that  he  would  die,  began  to 
intrigue  for  the  supreme  power.  To  accomplish  her  purpose, 
she  negotiated  with  the  governors  of  the  strong  fortresses  in 
Jerusalem.  The  pretext  which  she  used  in  these  negotiations 
was,  that  she  wished  to  secure  the  government  for  Herod's  chil- 
dren by  Mariamne.  These  officers,  however,  immediately  com- 
municated the  whole  matter  to  Herod,  who  sent  orders  to  have 
her  put  to  death.  This  happened  in  the  year  28  B.  C. 

In  the  year  26  B.  C.,  Salome,  Herod's  sister,  whose  first 
husband  was  Joseph,  and  who  afterwards  married  Costobarus, 
an  Idumean,  having  become  weary  of  her  husband,  gave  him  a 


574  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

bill  of  divorcement,  contrary  to  the  usage  of  the  Jews,  which 
permits  a  husband  to  divorce  his  wife,  but  not  a  wife  her  hus- 
band. But  by  the  authority  of  Herod  the  transaction  was 
sanctioned. 

Salome  having  now  returned  to  her  brother,  to  render  her- 
self agreeable  to  him,  pretended  to  reveal  a  conspiracy  which 
had  been  entered  into  by  her  late  husband  with  several  other 
distinguished  men  of  Idumea,  against  his  government.  To  gain 
the  more  credit  to  her  story,  she  informed  him  where  Costo- 
barus  had  concealed  the  sons  of  Babas,  whom  Herod  had  direct- 
ed him  to  put  to  death.  On  sending  to  the  place,  this  account 
was  verified,  which  induced  Herod  to  believe  all  that  she  said 
respecting  the  conspiracy.  He,  therefore,  gave  orders  that  all 
who  were  accused  by  Salome  should  be  put  to  death.  Having 
now  cut  off  all  the  branches  of  the  Asmonean  family,  and  all 
that  favoured  their  pretensions,  Herod  thought  that  he  might, 
without  danger,  make  some  innovations  on  the  usages  of  the 
Jews.  He,  therefore,  erected  at  Jerusalem  a  theatre  and  an 
amphitheatre;  and  in  honour  of  Octavianus,  (now  the  Emperor 
Augustus,)  celebrated  games  and  exhibited  shows.  These 
things,  however,  were  exceedingly  offensive  to  the  Jews.  This 
led  ten  persons  among  them  to  form  a  conspiracy  against  the 
king,  who  by  his  spies  obtained  some  knowledge  of  the  plot;  so 
that  when  these  men  came  to  the  theatre,  with  daggers  under 
their  garments,  they  were  seized,  and  put  to  death  with  the 
most  exquisite  torments.  Nor  did  he  cease  to  make  inquiry 
until  he  had  discovered  every  one  of  the  conspirators,  and  put 
them  all  to  death. 


SECTION  VII. 

DIVINE  JUDGMENTS  ON  THE  LAND — HEROD  ERECTS  A  STATELY  PALACE  ON  MOUNT  ZrON 
ERECTS  ANOTHER  PALACE  ON  A  BEAUTIFUL  HILL  SEVEN  MILES  FROM  JERUSA- 
LEM— ARISTOBULUS  AND  ALEXANDER,  SONS  OF  MARIAMNE,  SENT  TO  ROME  FOR  EDUCA- 
TION—  HEROD  REPAIRS  TO  MITYLENE,  TO  VISIT  AGR1PPA — AUGUSTUS  HIMSELF  VISITS  THE 
EAST — IS  WAITED  ON  BY  HEROD — ALL  ACCUSATIONS  AGAINST  HIM  TURN  OUT  TO  HIS 
BENEFIT — UNDERTAKES  TO  REBUILD  THE  TEMPLE — THE  WORK  COMMENCED  JUST 
FORTY-SIX  YEARS  BEFORE  CHRIST'S  FIRST  PASSOVER. 

HEROD  was  moved  by  his  dread  of  conspiracies,  to  fortify  other 
strong  places  besides  those  in  Jerusalem,  and  selected  Sama- 
ria as  a  suitable  site  for  one.  The  place  was  now  reduced  very 
low,  having  been  destroyed  by  John  Hyrcanus,  as  before 
related.  It  was,  indeed,  no  more  than  a  small  village  when 
Herod  undertook  its  restoration.  When  it  was  rebuilt,  he 
named  it  Sebaste,  in  honour  of  Augustus ;  Sebastos  in  Greek, 
being  of  the  same  import  as  Augustus  in  Latin.  In  this  place 
he  colonized  six  thousand  people,  collected  from  all  parts; 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.  575 

among  whom  he  divided  the  circumjacent  country,  which  being 
fertile,  the  town  soon  became  rich  and  populous. 

In  the  thirteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  Herod,  great  calami- 
ties fell  on  the  people  of  Judea ;  for  a  long  drought  produced 
a  famine,  and  the  famine  a  pestilence,  which  swept  away  multi- 
tudes of  people.  On  this  occasion,  Herod  did  a  very  popular 
and  praiseworthy  action.  He  melted  down  the  plate  of  his 
palace — his  treasury  being  empty — and  turning  it  into  money, 
sent  to  Egypt  for  corn;  by  which  means  so  great  an  abundance 
was  brought  into  Judea,  that  they  were  able  to  send  a  supply 
to  the  Syrians,  who  were  suffering  under  the  same  calamity. 
The  flocks  of  Judea  having  also  been  cut  off  by  the  drought, 
and  there  being  a  want  of  wool  for  the  clothing  of  the  inhabi- 
tants, Herod  took  care  to  have  a  sufficient  supply  imported  from 
foreign  countries.  By  these  acts  of  generosity  and  sound 
policy,  he  greatly  won  upon  the  affections  of  the  people;  and 
among  the  surrounding  nations  acquired  the  reputation  of  a  wise 
and  generous  prince.  But  he  could  not  long  refrain  from  acts 
of  cruelty,  which  sullied  the  fame  of  all  his  good  deeds. 

Herod  being  now  at  peace  with  all  the  surrounding  nations, 
and  the  country  being  in  a  prosperous  state,  he  resolved  to 
build  a  stately  palace  on  mount  Zion,  the  highest  part  of  Jeru- 
salem. This  edifice  he  made  of  such  size  and  magnificence, 
that  in  appearance  it  rivalled  the  temple.  Within,  he  prepared 
two  apartments  very  large  and  sumptuous;  one  of  which  he 
named  Cesareum,  in  honour  of  Augustus,  and  the  other  Agrip- 
peum,  in  honour  of  Cesar's  chief  favourite. 

There  was  at  this  time  in  Jerusalem  a  young  lady  of  exceed- 
ing great  beauty,  named  Mariamne,  the  daughter  of  one  Simon, 
a  common  priest.  Her,  Herod  married,  and  to  exalt  her  family, 
made  her  father  high-priest,  turning  out  Jesus  the  son  of  Phebes, 
to  make  room  for  him. 

Herod  having  a  passion  for  building,  or  finding  in  this  occu- 
pation some  relief  to  the  troubles  of  his  mind,  engaged  in 
another  expensive  work.  He  erected  a  palace  about  seven 
miles  from  Jerusalem,  where  he  had  obtained  a  victory  over 
the  Parthians,  when  his  affairs  were  in  a  very  critical  situation. 
This  palace  was  built  on  the  summit  of  a  beautiful  hill,  which 
had  a  regular  declivity  on  all  sides,  and  commanded  an  exten- 
sive and  delightful  prospect  of  the  surrounding  country.  This 
palace  he  called  Herodium,  after  his  own  name.  When  this 
work  was  finished,  Herod  went  on  to  build  a  city  at  the  place 
on  the  seacoast,  called  Straton's  Tower.  This  city  he  named 
Cesarea,  after  the  emperor ;  and  on  it  he  spent  much  time  and 
expense.  Before  this  time,  the  harbour  was  very  dangerous, 
so  that  no  ship  could  ride  safely  in  it  when  the  wind  was  from 
the  south-west ;  but  by  running  a  mole,  or  breakwater,  in  a  cir- 


576  HISTORY    OF  THE   ISKAELITISH   NATION 

cular  form  around  the  harbour,  to  the  south-west,  he  made  it 
safe  and  commodious,  and  sufficiently  capacious  for  a  large 
fleet.  The  expense  of  this  work  alone  was  immense ;  for  the 
stones  used  in  its  construction  were  brought  from  a  great  dis- 
tance, and  were  of  almost  incredible  dimensions ;  some  of  them 
being  fifty  feet  long  and  eighteen  broad,  and  nine  in  thickness. 
The  foundation  of  this  mole  was  laid  in  the  sea,  at  the  depth 
of  twenty  fathoms.  Herod  was  occupied  twelve  years,  before 
he  completed  all  his  works  at  Cesarea. 

Alexander  and  Aristobulus,  the  sons  of  Herod  by  Mariamne, 
being  now  of  sufficient  age,  were  sent  to  Home  to  be  educated. 
They  were  committed  to  the  particular  care  of  Pollio,  an  inti- 
mate friend;  but  Augustus,  as  a  special  mark  of  his  friendship 
for  the  father,  took  the  sons  into  his  own  palace,  where  apart- 
ments were  prepared  for  them.  To  give  further  evidence  of 
his  attachment  to  Herod,  he  gave  him  the  privilege  of  choosing 
his  own  successor,  from  among  his  sons;  and  added  to  his 
kingdom,  Trachonitis,  Auranitis,  and  Batania.  When  Agrippa 
was  sent  by  Augustus  to  the  east,  he  made  Mitylene,  on  the 
island  of  Lesbos,  his  chief  residence.  As  soon  as  Herod  heard 
of  his  arrival  in  the  east,  he  set  off"  to  pay  him  a  visit,  and 
renew  their  former  friendship.  Soon  after  his  departure,  the 
Gadarenes,  at  the  instigation  of  one  Zenodorus,  a  farmer  of 
the  revenues,  came  to  Agrippa  with  complaints  against  Herod; 
but  he  would  not  listen  to  them,  and  to  gratify  his  friend, 
threw  the  accusers  into  chains,  and  sent  them  to  Herod,  who, 
in  order  to  conciliate  them,  set  them  free. 

In  the  year  21  B.  C.,  Augustus  himself  made  a  progress 
through  the  east.  When  he  arrived  at  Antioch,  Herod  visited 
him,  and  was,  as  usual,  received  with  great  kindness.  But  his 
old  enemy  Zenodorus,  hoping  to  be  more  successful  with 
Augustus  than  he  had  been  with  Agrippa,  brought  new  charges 
against  Herod  in  the  name  of  the  Gadarenes,  accusing  him  of 
rapine,  tyranny,  and  sacrilege.  These  accusations  so  far  influ- 
enced the  emperor,  that  he  appointed  a  day  for  Herod  to 
appear  and  vindicate  himself;  but  when  his  accusers  observed 
the  tenderness  and  partiality  with  which  he  was  treated,  they 
gave  up  their  cause  as  desperate;  and  the  following  night, 
several  of  them  put  an  end  to  their  lives;  among  whom  was 
Zenodorus.  This  was  construed  by  Augustus  as  very  favour- 
able to  the  character  of  Herod.  He,  therefore,  added  to  his 
dominions  the  tetrarchy,  which  had  been  possessed  by  Zeno- 
dorus, and  joined  him  in  commission  with  the  governor  of 
Syria,  as  his  procurator,  in  that  province.  He  also  gave 
Herod's  brother  Pheroras,  a  tetrarchy  in  those  parts.  As  an 
acknowledgment  of  all  these  favours,  Herod  built  near  the 
mountain  Panias,  from  which  the  Jordan  issues,  an  elegant 


'      TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  577 

palace  of  white  marble.  On  his  return  to  Jerusalem,  Herod 
found  the  people  much  dissatisfied  on  account  of  his  various 
innovations  on  their  religion  and  laws,  in  compliance  with  the 
customs  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans.  To  prevent  the  evils 
which  seemed  to  threaten  him,  he  in  the  first  place  forbade  all 
clubs  and  meetings  where  many  persons  convened,  and  had 
spies  in  all  parts  to  bring  him  intelligence  of  all  that  was  said 
and  done.  He  also  purposed  to  require  an  oath  of  fidelity 
from  all  his  subjects ;  but  Hillel  and  Shammai,  with  all  their 
followers,  and  all  who  belonged  to  the  sects  of  the  Pharisees 
and  Essenes,  refusing  to  take  it,  he  was  obliged  to  relinquish 
the  design. 

In  the  year  19  B.  C.,  Herod  formed  the  project  of  rebuild- 
ing the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  by  which  he  promised  himself  that 
he  should  not  only  conciliate  the  Jewish  nation,  but  raise  for 
himself  a  lasting  and  honourable  monument.  The  second  tem- 
ple was,  originally,  greatly  inferior  to  that  of  Solomon ;  and,  in 
the  course  of  five  hundred  years,  had  suffered  exceedingly,  not 
only  from  slow  decay  by  the  lapse  of  time,  but  more  especially 
from  the  almost  perpetual  wars  which  had  been  carried  on,  in 
which  it  was  always  the  last  refuge  of  those  pressed  by  a  supe- 
rior force.  His  purpose  was,  to  take  down  the  whole  edifice, 
and  build  it  anew  with  the  best  materials.  He,  therefore,  con- 
vened a  general  assembly  of  the  people,  and  laid  before  them 
his  plan ;  but  they  were  alarmed  at  his  proposal,  fearing  lest 
when  he  had  pulled  down  the  old  edifice,  something  might  occur 
to  prevent  the  erection  of  another.  To  quiet  their  fears,  there- 
fore, he  promised  that  he  would  not  begin  to  take  down  the  old 
temple,  until  all  the  materials  for  the  new  were  prepared,  and 
on  the  ground.  Accordingly,  he  set  himself  to  work  to  make 
all  manner  of  preparations  for  this  great  work;  employing  for 
the  purpose  a  thousand  wagons  for  carrying  the  stones  and  tim- 
ber, ten  thousand  artificers  to  fit  and  prepare  these  materials, 
and  a  thousand  priests,  skilled  in  architecture,  to  take  the 
supervision  of  the  whole  work.  By  these  exertions,  in  two 
years,  having  got  all  things  ready  for  the  building,  he  began  to 
pull  down  the  old  edifice,  to  the  very  foundations.  The  propo- 
sal of  Herod  to  rebuild  the  temple,  was  made  in  the  latter  part 
of  the  eighteenth  year  of  Herod's  reign,  18  B.  C. 

In  the  year  17  B.  C.,  all  the  preparations  being  completed, 
the  erection  of  the  new  edifice  was  begun,  just  forty  and  six 
years  before  the  first  passover  of  Christ's  personal  ministry,  to 
which  reference  is  had  in  John  ii.  20,  "Forty  and  six  years 
was  this  temple  in  building;"  for,  although  in  nine  years  and  a 
half  it  was  so  far  finished  as  to  be  fit  for  the  public  service,  the 
work  was  carried  on  until  some  time  after  the  public  ministry 
37 


578  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

of  our  Saviour,  -when  eighteen  thousand  workmen  were   dis- 
missed at  one  time. 


SECTION  VIII. 

HEROD  VISITS  HIS  SONS  AT  ROME — ATTENDS  THE  OLYMPIC  GAMES  ON  HIS  WAY — IS 
RECEIVED  WITH  HONOUR  BY  AUGUSTUS — BRINGS  HIS  SONS  BACK  TO  JERUSALEM — THE 
REBUILDING  OF  THE  TEMPLE  IS  DRIVEN  ON — IMPRUDENT  SPEECHES  OF  HEROD's  SONS, 
ALEXANDER  AND  ARISTOBULUS — DOMESTIC  TROUBLES  OF  HEROD  INCREASE — BECOMES 
MORE  SUSPICIOUS — THE  YOUNG  MEN,  HIS  SONS,  CONTINUE  TO  INDULGE  IN  RASH 
SPEECHES — ARCHELAUS,  KING  OF  CAPPADOCIA  AND  FATHER-IN-LAW  TO  ALEXANDER, 

COMES    TO     JERUSALEM — HEROD'S    EXPEDITION    TO     ARABIA DIFFERENCE    BETWEEN 

HIM  AND  HIS  SONS  INCREASES AUGUSTUS  RECOMMENDS  A  COUNCIL HEROD  ACCUSES 

HIS  SONS,  AND  THE  JUDGES    PRONOUNCE  SENTENCE  OF    CONDEMNATION  AGAINST    THEM 

HEROD  CAUSES  THIS     SENTENCE  TO     BE  CARRIED  INTO    EXECUTION  AT    SEBASTE,  BY 

STRANGULATION. 

THE  next  year,  16  B.  C.,  Herod  made  a  visit  to  Rome  to  pay 
his  respects  to  Augustus,  and  to  see  his  two  sons,  who  were 
there  pursuing  their  education.  On  his  way  he  attended  the 
Olympic  games,  on  the  191st  Olympiad,  at  which  he  presided ; 
•when  finding  that  these  games  had  much  declined  in  their  repu- 
tation, in  consequence  of  the  poverty  of  the  Elians,  which  pre- 
vented them  from  keeping  them  up  in  their  former  splendour, 
lie  settled  a  permanent  revenue  upon  them ;  in  honour  of  which 
munificence  they  appointed  him  perpetual  president  of  the 
games,  as  long  as  he  should  live.  On  his  arrival  at  Rome  he 
was  received  with  great  honour  and  kindness  by  Augustus;  and 
having  received  his  sons,  whose  education  was  now  completed 
in  the  best  manner,  he  returned  with  them  into  Judea ;  soon 
after  which  he  provided  suitable  wives  for  both  of  them ;  mar- 
rying Alexander  to  Glaphyra,  the  daughter  of  Archelaus,  king 
of  Cappadocia;  and  Aristobulus  to  Berenice,  the  daughter  of 
his  own  sister,  Salome.  These  young  men,  by  the  comeliness 
of  their  persons,  the  agreeableness  of  their  manners,  and  their 
other  amiable  qualities,  were  the  admiration  of  the  Jews.  But 
the  intriguing  Salome  pursued  them  with  the  envy  and  jeal- 
ousy which  she  had  always  entertained  towards  their  mother 
Mariamne. 

In  the  rebuilding  of  the  temple,  those  parts  where  divine 
service  was  celebrated  were  first  finished.  The  sanctuary  and 
holy  of  holies,  together  with  the  porch,  were  completed  in 
one  year  and  a  half  after  the  work  was  commenced ;  that  there 
might  be  as  little  interruption  in  the  public  service  as  possible. 
But  even  during  this  period,  the  daily  service  was  constantly 
performed  in  the  court  where  the  altar  of  burnt-offerings  was 
situated. 

In  the  year  13  B.  C.,  Alexander  and  Aristobulus,  having  re- 
sided with  their  father  three  years  after  their  return  from  Rome, 
fell  under  his  grievous  displeasure.  The  cause  was  this.  The 


TO   THE  DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  579 

young  men  let  fall  many  rash  words,  expressing  strong  resent- 
ments against  those  who  had  occasioned  the  death  of  their 
mother.  Salome  and  Pheroras,  having  been  the  chief  advisers 
of  this  measure,  began  to  be  alarmed;  and  in  their  own  defence, 
laid  plots  for  the  ruin  of  the  young  princes.  All  these  rash 
speeches  of  Alexander  and  Aristobulus  were  carried  to  Herod, 
by  his  brother  and  sister,  and  represented  in  the  strongest 
colours,  with  insinuations  that  they  were  all  directed  against 
his  life.  And  to  facilitate  the  design,  these  crafty  courtiers 
engaged  persons  to  draw  them  into  free  discussion,  and  provoke 
them  to  say  what  otherwise  would  never  have  .been  uttered. 
Herod  was  so  much  affected  by  these  representations,  that  to 
humble  the  princes,  he  sent  for  his  oldest  son  Antipater,  by 
his  first  wife  Doris;  but  as  she  was  divorced  when  Mariamne 
was  espoused,  her  son  was  educated  in  private.  But  now  his 
father  placed  him  over  these  two  brothers,  which  had  no  other 
effect  than  to  exasperate  them  the  more. 

The  Jews  of  Asia  Minor  and  Gyrene  having  suffered  much 
oppression  from  the  heathen  inhabitants  of  the  countries  where 
they  resided,  who  would  not  permit  them  to  live  according  to 
their  own  laws  and  religion,  and  deprived  them  of  the  privi- 
leges formerly  enjoyed,  sent  an  embassy  to  Augustus,  to  make 
their  complaint  and  pray  for  redress.  Accordingly,  an  edict 
was  made  in  their  favour,  by  which  all  that  they  desired  was 
granted  to  them. 

Domestic  troubles  continued  to  increase  in  the  family  of 
Herod.  Salome,  Pheroras,  and  Antipater,  were  unwearied  in 
their  efforts  to  fill  the  king's  mind  with  suspicions  and  prejudices 
against  his  two  young  sons;  until,  at  length,  they  so  far 
accomplished  their  purpose,  that  an  open  breach  took  place 
between  them  and  their  father.  By  their  malicious  artifices, 
these  enemies  so  filled  the  old  man's  mind  with  suspicion  and 
fear,  that  he  was  unable  to  sleep,  or  obtain  rest  of  any  kind. 
To  make  discoveries,  he  put  all  their  confidants  to  the  rack; 
and  some,  to  obtain  relief,  would  say  any  thing  which  they  sup- 
posed would  have  that  effect.  Some  of  their  extorted  confes- 
sions bearing  hard  on  Alexander,  the  eldest  son,  he  was  cast 
into  prison.  On  which,  becoming  desperate,  he  determined  to 
create  as  much  vexation  as  possible  to  his  father,  and  sent  him 
papers  in  which  he  confessed  a  plot  which  never  had  any 
existence;  in  which  he  named  Salome  and  Pheroras,  and  two 
of  the  confidential  ministers  of  Herod,  as  being  his  accomplices. 
This  had  the  effect  of  driving  the  old  tyrant  almost  to  distrac- 
tion. He  now  suspected  everybody  and  knew  not  whom  to 
trust.  He  raged  like  a  madman  against  all  around  him ;  tor- 
tured some  upon  the  rack,  and  put  others  to  death;  so  that  his 
palace  was  little  better  than  a  slaughter-house. 


580  HISTORY  OP   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

Just  at  this  crisis,  8  B.  C.,  Archelaus,  king  of  Cappadocia, 
and  father-in-law  of  Alexander,  came  on  a  visit  to  Jerusalem. 
Hearing  the  accusations  against  his  son-in-law,  he  affected  to 
be  even  more  violent  in  his  rage  against  him  than  Herod  him- 
self; and  threatened  to  take  away  his  daughter  from  him,  which 
after  a  while  had  the  effect  of  making  Herod  his  advocate. 
Upon  observing  this  temper  in  the  old  man,  he  was  soon  able 
to  bring  about  a  reconciliation  between  him  and  his  son. 
Herod  was  very  sensible  of  the  kindness  conferred  on  him  by 
Archelaus,  and  in  acknowledgment  of  the  favour  he  gave  him 
very  valuable  presents;  and  when  he  returned,  accompanied 
him  as  far  as  Antioch,  where  he  reconciled  him  to  Titus  Volum- 
nius,  the  Roman  governor  of  Syria,  with  whom  Archelaus  had 
had  a  difference. 

A  reconciliation  having  taken  place  between  Herod  and  his 
sons,  he  thought  it  necessary  to  pay  another  visit  to  Rome,  to 
inform  Augustus  of  the  improved  state  of  his  domestic  affairs ; 
he  having  before  informed  him,  by  letter,  of  the  breach  between 
him  and  his  sons ;  and  having  accused  them  to  the  emperor  of 
many  high  crimes  and  treasonable  practices  against  him.  While 
he  was  absent,  the  thieves  of  Trachonitis  returned  to  their  old 
trade,  and  ravaged  all  the  country  of  Coelo-Syria  and  Judea, 
which  was  accessible  to  them.  When,  as  before  related,  Herod 
had  driven  these  banditti  out  of  his  territories,  about  forty  of 
the  ringleaders  fled  into  Arabia  Petrea,  when  Sylleus,  the  gov- 
ernor of  that  country,  not  only  received  them,  but  granted 
them  a  strong  fortress  called  Repta.  When  Herod  went  on  his 
last  journey  to  Rome,  they  invaded  Judea  and  Coelo-Syria,  and 
ravaged  the  country  in  a  distressing  manner.  Sylleus,  the 
governor,  felt  no  disposition  to  discourage  these  depredations, 
for  he  cherished  a  mortal  hatred  to  Herod,  because  he  had  re- 
fused to  let  him  have  his  sister  Salome  as  a  wife,  unless  he 
would  consent  to  be  circumcised  and  become  a  Jew.  Herod, 
on  his  return,  finding  the  country  much  injured  by  the  incursion 
of  this  band  of  robbers,  and  not  having  it  in  his  power  to  pun- 
ish the  perpetrators  of  the  mischief,  determined  to  wreak  his 
vengeance  upon  their  friends  and  relatives  in  Trachonitis. 
This  exasperated  them  so  much  that  they  made  new  inroads 
into  his  territory,  and  wasted  the  country  more  than  ever. 
When  the  principal  buildings  connected  with  the  temple  were 
finished,  after  nine  years  and  a  half  from  the  commencement  of 
the  work,  Herod  appointed  a  day  for  its  solemn  dedication, 
which  falling  on  the  anniversary  of  his  being  made  king,  aug- 
mented the  pomp  and  solemnity  of  the  celebration.  To  put  a 
stop  to  the  incursion  of  the  robbers  who  infested  the  country, 
Herod  applied  to  Saturninus  and  Volumnius,  the  Roman  gov- 
ernors of  Syria,  and  lodged  a  complaint  against  Sylleus  for 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  581 

harbouring  them.  He  also  sued  him  for  a  debt  of  sixty  talents 
which  he  had  borrowed  from  himself.  To  answer  to  these 
charges,  Sylleus  was  obliged  to  appear  at  Berytus,  before  the 
governors ;  and  Herod  having  made  good  his  allegations,  Syl- 
leus,  to  get  clear,  bound  himself  by  oath,  within  thirty  days  to 
pay  the  money  and  deliver  up  all  fugitives.  But  when  the  day 
came  he  performed  neither  of  these  engagements,  but  went  to 
Rome  to  complain  to  Cesar.  Herod  now  obtained  permission 
from  Saturninus  and  Volumnius  to  do  himself  justice.  He, 
therefore,  marched  into  Arabia,  destroyed  Repta,  and  slew  as 
many  of  the  robbers  as  fell  into  his  hands;  then  returned  with- 
out injuring  the  country,  but  not  without  leaving  three  thousand 
men  in  Idumea,  to  prevent  the  further  incursion  of  the  thieves. 

Sylleus,  now  at  Rome,  having  received  an  account  of  these 
transactions,  went  to  Augustus  with  a  doleful  account  of  the 
injustice  of  this  invasion,  and  greatly  exaggerating  every  thing, 
he  so  represented  the  affair  that  the  emperor  was  much  dis- 
pleased, and  wrote  to  Herod  a  sharp  letter  of  reproof,  and  for 
some  time  he  was  actually  out  of  favour  with  the  emperor. 
Nor  was  he  restored  to  favour  soon. 

Dionysius  of  Halicarnassus  began  this  year,  7  B.  C.,  to  write 
his  Roman  history,  which  he  finished  in  twenty  books,  continued 
to  the  time  of  the  first  Punic  war,  at  which  point  the  history  of 
Polybius  commences.  But  of  these  twenty  books,  only  eleven 
are  extant.  The  work  is  written  in  Greek,  and  is  the  fullest 
and  most  accurate  history  of  the  Roman  affairs  in  existence. 
He  was  twenty-two  years  collecting  materials  at  Rome. 

The  next  year,  6  B.  C.,  the  quarrel  between  Herod  and  his 
sons,  Alexander  and  Aristobulus,  was  revived.  This,  combined 
with  the  defeat  of  his  Idumean  guards  by  the  Arabians,  and 
the  loss  of  the  favour  of  Augustus,  fell  heavily  on  the  old  man. 
To  conciliate  the  emperor,  he  sent  two  embassies  to  Rome, 
neither  of  which  was  admitted  to  an  audience.  He,  therefore, 
sent  a  third,  and  employed  in  it  Nicolas  Damascus.  Augustus 
now  wrote  him  a  kind  letter,  and  condoling  with  him  on  account 
of  his  domestic  troubles,  gave  him  leave  to  proceed  against  his 
sons  as  he  should  judge  best.  And  as  to  Sylleus,  Augustus 
ordered  him  to  return  to  Arabia,  and  pay  his  debt  to  Herod, 
after  which  he  commanded  that  he  should  be  put  to  death.  To 
adjust  the  difference  between  Herod  and  his  sons,  Augustus 
directed  that  a  council  should  meet  at  Berytus,  consisting  of 
the  governors  of  the  neighbouring  provinces,  together  with 
Archelaus,  king  of  Cappadocia,  and  other  friends  of  distinction, 
who  should  have  power  to  hear  and  determine  the  whole  mat- 
ter. Herod  immediately  summoned  this  council  to  meet  at  the 
place  appointed,  calling  thither  Saturninus  and  Volumnius, 
governors  of  Syria,  and  all  others  mentioned  by  Augustus, 


582  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

except  Archelaus,  whom  he  considered  too  nearly  related  to 
one  of  the  parties  to  be  an  impartial  umpire.  Before  this 
tribunal  Herod  personally  appeared  as  the  accuser  of  his  two 
unfortunate  sons,  and  laid  so  many  things  to  their  charge,  and 
urged  his  suit  with  so  much  vehemence,  that  the  majority  of 
the  court  were  influenced  to  pass  a  judgment  of  condemnation 
against  the  princes,  leaving  the  execution  of  the  sentence  to 
their  father. 

Herod,  in  pursuance  of  this  sentence,  sent  Alexander  and 
Aristobulus  to  Sebaste,  and  caused  them  to  be  strangled.  Thus 
did  these  two  promising  young  men  come  to  a  premature  end, 
through  the  envy  and  malice  of  an  intriguing  woman.  No 
doubt  they  acted  imprudently,  and  in  resentment  for  their 
mother's  death,  uttered  many  rash  speeches.  Nay,  when  exas- 
perated by  persecution  and  false  accusations,  it  is  probable, 
that  they  were  precipitated  into  crimes  of  deeper  dye.  But  no 
one  can  read  the  history  of  their  tragical  end,  without  lament- 
ing their  unfortunate  connexion  with  a  court,  in  which  deceit 
and  craft  had  such  a  predominant  influence. 


SECTION  IX. 

ANTIPATER    CONSPIRES  AGAINST   THE  LIFE  OF    HIS   FATHER — PHERORAS  DISPLEASES    HIS 

BROTHER    BY  REFUSING    ONE    OF   HIS  DAUGHTERS   AND    MARRYING   A    MAIU-SERANT 

HE  JOINS  THE  PLOT  OK  ANTIPATER — THE  TEMPLE  OF  JANUS  AT  ROME  CLOSED — THE 
ANGEL  GABRIEL  SENT  TO  MARY  AT  NAZARETH — BIRTH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST  AT  BETHLE- 
HEM  THE  REGISTRATION  WHICH  CALLED  THEM  THITHER — LUKE  AND  JOSEPHUS 

RECONCILED — VISIT  OF  THE  MAGIANS — MASSACRE  OF  THE  INFANTS — HEROD  CAUSES 
HIS  SON  ANTIPATER  TO  BE  PUT  TO  DEATH — GIVES  ORDERS  TO  SLAY  ALL  THE  EMINENT 
MEN  OF  THE  COUNTRY,  THAT  THERE  MIGHT  BE  MOURNING  AT  HIS  OWN  DEATH,  WHICH 

HE    PERCEIVED    WAS    NEAR — DEATH    OF    HEROD HIS   FAMILY    AND    DESCENDANTS 

DIVISION  OF  THE  KINGDOM  AMONG  HIS  SONS. 

ABOUT  this  time  Zacharias  beheld  the  vision  in  the  temple, 
as  he  there  officiated  in  his  course,  which  is  recorded  in  the 
first  chapter  of  the  Gospel  of  Luke.  Antipater,  the  oldest  son 
of  Herod,  who  was  of  a  cruel,  crafty,  and  ambitious  temper, 
seeing  nothing  now  in  the  way  of  his  ascending  the  throne  but 
his  father's  life,  conspired  with  Pheroras  to  put  the  old  man 
out  of  the  way,  by  poison. 

Herod,  it  is  true,  had  always  acted  the  part  of  an  affectionate 
brother  to  Pheroras ;  but  of  late,  circumstances  had  occurred 
to  alienate  them  from  each  other.  Herod  wished  his  brother 
to  marry  one  of  his  daughters  by  Mariamne :  but  he  having 
fallen  in  love  with  a  maid-servant,  for  her  sake  rejected  the 
offer  of  the  king's  daughter,  which  gave  great  offence.  Herod 
then  gave  his  daughter  in  marriage  to  a  son  of  his  older 
brother  Phasael.  But  having  another  daughter,  he  offered  her 


TO  THE  DESTRUCTION  OP  JERUSALEM.        583 

to  Pheroras,  if  he  would  divorce  his  ignoble  wife,  which  he 
promised  with  an  oath,  that  he  would  do;  but  when  the 
time  arrived,  he  again  refused.  There  was  another  thing 
which  widened  the  breach  between  the  two  brothers.  The 
whole  nation  of  the  Jews  were  required  to  take  an  oath  of  alle- 
giance to  Augustus,  and  to  the  king.  This  the  Pharisees,  as 
before,  to  the  number  of  seven  thousand,  absolutely  refused, 
from  conscientious  motives ;  believing  it  unlawful  to  swear  alle- 
giance to  any  foreign  prince.  To  punish  their  contumacy, 
Herod  imposed  a  pecuniary  mulct  on  the  whole  body;  which 
sum  the  wife  of  Pheroras,  on  account  of  her  attachment  to  this 
sect,  paid  down  for  them.  The  Pharisees  were  so  much  de- 
lighted with  this  act  of  generosity,  that  they  willingly  received, 
and  gave  circulation  to  a  pretended  prophecy,  which  some 
visionary  had  uttered,  that  the  kingdom  would  be  transferred 
from  the  family  of  Herod  to  the  descendants  of  Pheroras  by 
this  woman.  This  report  having  reached  the  ears  of  Herod, 
he  was  so  exasperated  that  he  put  several  of  the  Pharisees  to 
death.  Then,  convening  a  council,  he  laid  open  before  them, 
the  whole  affair,  and  peremptorily  required  that  Pheroras 
should  immediately  put  away  this  woman,  or  never  expect  to 
be  treated  by  him  as  a  brother  any  more.  To  which  Pheroras 
replied,  that  nothing  should  induce  him  to  part  with  his  beloved 
wife;  that  he  would  rather  die  than  be  separated  from  her. 
Herod,  greatly  resenting  this  obstinacy,  forbad  Pheroras  to 
enter  his  house,  and  commanded  Antipater  and  all  the  other 
members  of  his  family  to  have  no  manner  of  intercourse  with 
him  or  his  wife.  This  rough  treatment  prepared  Pheroras  to 
listen  to  the  plot  of  Antipater,  to  take  off  the  old  king  by  poi- 
son. 

Antipater,  to  avoid  all  suspicion,  managed  to  have  himself 
called  to  Rome,  to  wait  upon  Augustus;  and  Pheroras  gladly 
complied  with  the  king's  commands  to  leave  Jerusalem,  and 
go  to  his  tetrarchy;  swearing  that  he  would  never  return  as 
long  as  Herod  lived.  This  resolution  he  kept;  for  although 
he  was  sent  for  by  his  brother  when  he  was  sick,  he  would  not 
come;  yet,  when  he  was  taken  ill,  Herod  visited  him  and 
treated  him  very  kindly.  After  the  death  of  Pheroras,  some 
of  his  servants  accused  his  wife  to  Herod,  of  poisoning  him. 
This  led  to  a  strict  inquiry,  which  resulted  in  the  discovery  of 
the  plot,  in  which  he  and  Antipater  had  been  engaged  against 
the  king's  life.  It  appeared,  that  Antipater  had  got  a  friend 
in  Alexandria,  to  prepare  the  poison,  whence  it  was  brought  to 
Jerusalem  to  Pheroras,  who  had  agreed  to  administer  it  to  his 
brother. 

The  wife  of  Pheroras,  on  being  questioned  by  the  king,  con- 


584  HISTORY    OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

firmed  the  whole  matter ;  but  said,  that  after  his  kind  visit  to 
Pheroras.  he  changed  his  mind,  and  commanded  her  to  throw 
the  poison  in  the  fire,  which  she  did  in  his  presence,  except  a 
small  quantity,  which  she  reserved  for  her  own  use,  if  she 
should  need  it.  The  whole  testimony  went  to  show,  that  Anti- 
pater,  after  procuring  the  death  of  his  two  brothers,  had  now 
laid  a  most  wicked  plot  for  the  poisoning  of  his  father. 

The  temple  of  Janus,  at  Rome,  was  closed  this  year.  The 
custom  was,  to  keep  the  gates  open  in  time  of  war,  and  to  shut 
them  in  time  of  peace.  They  had  been  closed  before  only  four 
times  since  the  building  of  the  city.  The  first  time  was  in  the 
reign  of  Numa ;  the  second  after  the  end  of  the  first  Punic 
•war;  the  third  after  Augustus  had  vanquished  Antony;  the 
fourth,  when  Augustus  returned  to  Rome  from  the  conquest  of 
the  Cantabrians.  In  the  same  year,  the  most  memorable  in  the 
annals  of  man,  the  angel  Gabriel,  who  had  appeared  to  Zacha- 
rias  in  the  temple,  was  sent  to  Nazareth,  a  city  of  Galilee,  to 
Mary,  a  virgin  of  the  house  of  David,  lately  espoused  to  Joseph, 
of  the  same  lineage,  to  declare  to  her  the  good  tidings,  that  of 
her  should  be  born  THE  SON  OF  GOD;  and,  accordingly,  being 
overshadowed  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  she  conceived  and  brought 
forth  a  son  who  was,  CHRIST  THE  SAVIOUR  OF  THE  WORLD. 

Joseph  and  Mary,  having  their  residence  at  Nazareth,  were 
providentially  called  to  Bethlehem  of  Judea,  by  the  following 
circumstances.  It  was  customary  in  the  Roman  empire,  to 
take  a  survey  or  assessment  of  all  persons  and  estates  every 
fifth  year.  In  taking  this  account,  a  register  was  made  of  all 
sorts  of  persons  women  and  children,  as  well  as  men ;  with  the 
ages,  occupations,  and  estates  of  each.  Augustus  was  the  first 
who  extended  this  survey,  or  registration,  to  the  provinces. 
During  his  long  reign,  he .  caused  it  to  be  executed  in  all  the 
provinces  three  times.  Such  a  registration  was  at  this  time 
going  on  throughout  the  Roman  empire.  The  decree  requiring 
it  was  issued  in  the  year  8  B.  C. ;  but,  as  our  present  era  begins 
four  years  later  than  the  birth  of  Christ,  the  date  of  this  de- 
cree was  only  three  or  four  years  before  he  was  actually  born. 
During  these  years,  it  had  been  going  forward  in  Ccelo-Syria, 
Phenicia,  and  Judea,  until  this  year,  when  it  extended  to 
Bethlehem. 

Joseph  and  Mary,  belonging  to  the  family  of  David,  whose 
city  was  Bethlehem,  were  required  to  attend  there,  to  be  regis- 
tered with  the  other  branches  of  that  family.  While  they  were 
there  on  this  occasion,  JESUS  CHRIST  THE  SON  OF  GOD  was 
born  in  that  place,  according  to  the  prophecy  of  Micah,  v.  2 : 
"But  thou,  Bethlehem  Ephratah,  though  thou  be  little  among 
the  thousands  of  Judah,  yet  out  of  thee  shall  he  come  forth 


TO  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.  585 

unto  me  that  is  to  be  Ruler  in  Israel ;  whose  goings  forth  have 
been  from  of  old,  from  everlasting." 

It  need  excite  no  surprise  that  we  have  allowed  three  years 
for  the  execution  of  this  decree,  since  it  is  known  that  it  was 
always  committed  to  the  governors  of  the  provinces,  and  they 
were  not  always  expeditious.  To  perform  such  a  work,  in  the 
whole  province  of  Syria,  when  the  survey  was  required  to  be  so 
particular,  both  as  to  persons  and  estates,  would  take  much 
time.  Joab  was  nine  months  and  twenty  days  in  taking  a  cen- 
sus of  ten  tribes  of  Israel,  and  only  reckoned  the  men  fit  for 
war.  When  William  the  Conqueror  had  a  survey  made  of 
England — that  recorded  in  Dooms-day  book — it  occupied  six 
years.  But,  although  the  object  of  this  registration  was  for  the 
purpose  of  laying  taxes,  no  taxes  were  collected  at  the  time,  nor 
until  twelve  years  afterwards,  when  Archelaus  was  banished, 
and  a  Roman  procurator  put  in  his  place.  The  procurator 
under  whom  this  taxing  actually  took  place,  was  P.  S.  Quirinius, 
called  by  the  Evangelist,  Cyrenius,  who  was  at  that  time  gover- 
nor of  Syria.  A  correct  understanding  of  this  matter  will 
easily  reconcile  Luke  with  Josephus.  Thus,  in  the  first  verse 
of  the  second  chapter  of  Luke,  it  is  said,  "that  in  those  days 
there  went  out  a  decree  from  Cesar  Augustus,  that  all  the  world 
should  be  taxed,"  or  rather,  should  be  assessed  or  registered,  in 
order  to  be  taxed.  Then,  in  the  second  verse,  it  is  said,  "  and 
this  taxing  was  first  made  when  Cyrenius  was  governor  of 
Syria."  That  is,  the  decree  took  effect,  and  the  taxing  was 
first  actually  made  several  years  afterwards,  when  Cyrenius  was 
first  governor  of  Syria;  for  when  Christ  was  born,  Cyrenius 
never  had  been  governor  of  Syria. 

In  this  same  year,  the  fourth  before  the  vulgar  Christian  era, 
certain  wise  men  of  the  Magian  sect,  came  from  the  east,  under 
the  guidance  of  a  star,  and  worshipped  the  infant  Messiah  at 
Bethlehem.  Soon  after  this,  Herod  put  all  the  children  at 
Bethlehem  to  death,  who  were  under  two  years  of  age.  Macro- 
bius,  a  writer  of  the  fifth  century,  says  that  one  of  Herod's  own 
children  was  of  this  number,  and  that  Augustus  when  he  heard 
it,  said  "that  it  was  better  to  be  Herod's  hog  than  his  son;" 
but  the  story  is  not  probable.  The  sarcasm  of  Augustus  was 
probably  uttered,  upon  hearing  of  his  having  put  to  death  his 
three  sons,  Alexander,  Aristobulus,  and  Antipater.  For  Antipa- 
ter,  having  returned  from  Rome  without  knowing  that  his  wicked 
plot  was  discovered,  was  immediately  arrested,  and  being 
brought  before  Q.  Varus,  the  new  governor  of  Syria,  was  con- 
victed of  the  crime  of  treasonably  designing  the  death  of  his 
father;  on  which  he  was  condemned,  and  the  sentence  being 
approved  by  Augustus,  was  put  to  death. 


586  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISKAELITISH    NATION 

Herod  lived  only  five  days  after  the  execution  of  his  son. 
He  died  in  the  seventieth  year  of  his  age,  and  the  thirty-seventh 
of  his  reign.  Knowing  that  he  was  detested  by  the  Jews,  and 
that  the  report  of  his  death  would  be  a  matter  of  rejoicing  to 
the  people,  he  formed  a  project,  perhaps  the  wickedest  that  ever 
entered  into  the  mind  of  man.  Having  summoned  all  the  most 
eminent  men  in  his  kingdom  to  attend  him  at  Jericho,  where  he 
then  lay  in  the  pangs  of  death,  as  soon  as  they  arrived,  he  or- 
dered them  to  be  shut  up  in  the  circus ;  and  then  sending  for 
Salome  his  sister,  and  her  husband  Alexas,  he  gave  command 
that  as  soon  as  he  was  dead  they  should  send  the  soldiers  to 
put  them  all  to  death ;  for  this,  said  he,  will  provide  mourners 
for  my  funeral  throughout  Judea.  But  wicked  as  Salome  and 
her  husband  were,  they  would  not  fulfil  their  promises,  in  exe- 
cuting an  order  of  such  unprecedented  cruelty;  though,  per- 
haps, they  were  restrained  by  a  fear  of  the  people,  rather  than 
by  any  aversion  to  the  commission  of  such  a  crime. 

After  the  death  of  Herod,  therefore,  all  these  men  were  set 
free.  The  enormous  wickedness  of  this  last  act  of  the  tyrant's 
life,  seems  to  remove  all  objection  that  might  arise  in  the  minds 
of  any,  against  the  account  of  the  massacre  of  the  infants  of 
Bethlehem,  on  the  ground  that  no  one  could  be  guilty  of  such 
cruelty.  The  disease  with  which  this  wicked  tyrant  was  carried 
out  of  the  world,  was  attended  with  such  circumstances  as  led 
all  the  people  to  believe  that  the  just  vengeance  of  Heaven  was 
pursuing  him.  Josephus,  and  after  him  Eusebius,  give  the  fol- 
lowing account:  "Herod's  disease  grew  yet  more  and  more 
grievously  violent ;  God  exacting  this  vengeance  on  him  as  the 
punishment  of  the  many  great  enormities  of  which  he  had  been 
guilty.  He  had  a  slow  fever,  which  inwardly  consumed  him. 
His  appetite  was  voracious  and  insatiable.  His  bowels  were 
ulcerated,  especially  the  colon,  which  occasioned  grievous  pains. 
His  feet  were  swollen,  and  oozed  out  a  fetid  humor.  An  ulcer 
broke  out  in  the  lower  part  of  his  belly,  which  bred  worms  and 
lice  abundantly.  His  breath  was  short  and  the  smell  fetid.  He 
had  also  a  troublesome  flux  of  rheum,  with  asthmatic  difficulty 
of  breathing;  and  the  termination  of  life  was  at  length  pro- 
duced by  convulsions  of  the  whole  body."  His  pains  were  ter- 
rible to  the  very  last  moment. 

Herod  married  nine  wives,  by  whom  he  had  several  children. 
Three  of  his  sons,  as  we  have  seen,  he  put  to  death.  Of  his 
other  children,  it  will  only  be  necessary  to  mention  those  who 
are  noticed  in  Scripture.  By  his  wife  Malthace,  he  had  Ar- 
chelaus  and  Herod  Antipas ;  by  Cleopatra,  Philip ;  and  by  Ma- 
riamne,  Herod  Philip.  His  son  Aristobulus,  whom  he  put  to 
death,  was  married  to  Berenice,  by  whom  he  had  Agrippa, 
commonly  called  Herod  Agrippa,  the  same  who  put  James  the 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  587 

apostle  to  death,  and  was  smitten  of  God  at  Cesarea  for  bis  im- 
pious pride.  Herodias  was  also  the  daughter  of  the  same 
parents.  She  was  first  married  to  her  uncle,  Herod  Philip,  but 
eloped  from  him  and  became  the  wife  of  Herod  Antipas.  By 
her  first  husband  she  had  Salome,  who  went  with  her,  and  was 
the  damsel  whose  dancing  pleased  Herod  so  exceedingly,  and 
occasioned  the  death  of  John  the  Baptist. 

To  Agrippa,  mentioned  above,  there  was  born  a  son,  also 
named  Agrippa,  and  two  daughters,  Drusilla  and  Berenice. 
Before  these  Paul  pleaded  his  cause.  (Acts  xxv.  26.)  Drusilla 
was  married  to  Felix,  the  procurator  or  governor  of  Judea. 

Herod  distributed  his  dominions  among  his  sons,  above  men- 
tioned, as  follows :  Archelaus  was  left  heir  to  the  kingdom  of 
Judea ;  Herod  Antipas  had  the  tetrarchy  of  Galilee  and  Perea ; 
and  Philip,  Auranitis,  Trachonitis,  Paneas,  and  Batanea. 


SECTION  X. 

JOSEPH     RETURNS    FROM    EGYPT VULGAR    ERA — ARCHELAUS     GOES     TO    ROME     AND     19 

DEPOSED — CYRENIUS     GOVERNOR    OF     SYRIA — THE   JEWS     RESIST   THE   TAXATION    BY 
THE  ROMANS ANNAS  APPOINTED  HIGH-PRIEST  BY  THE  ROMANS DEATH  OF  AUGUSTUS. 

AFTER  the  death  of  Herod,  Joseph  being  warned  by  an  angel  in 
a  dream,  arose  and  took  the  young  child  and  his  mother,  and 
returned  trom  Egypt  into  the  land  of  Israel;  but  when  he  heard 
that  Archelaus  did  reign  in  Judea  in  the  room  of  his  father,  he 
went  to  Galilee,  and  again  resided  at  Nazareth,  with  Mary  his 
wife.  There  Jesus  abode  until  he  entered  on  his  public  min- 
istry. 

The  Christian  era,  which  is  now  in  common  use,  by  the  mis- 
take of  Dionysius  Exiguus,  who  introduced  it  in  the  sixth 
century,  commences  four  years  later  than  the  real  time  of  the 
birth  of  Christ.  If  Christians  had  from  the  beginning  used 
this  era,  there  could  have  been  no  mistake  in  the  case ;  but  as 
the  birth  of  our  Saviour  was  not  used  as  an  era  for  chronologi- 
cal purposes,  for  more  than  five  hundred  years,  it  is  not  strange 
that  a  mistake  of  a  few  years  should  have  occurred.  Some, 
indeed,  make  the  difference  only  two  years,  but  most  of  the 
learned  follow  Usher,  who  makes  it  four. 

Archelaus,  who  succeeded  his  father  in  the  kingdom,  con- 
ducted himself  in  a  manner  so  tyrannical,  that  ambassadors 
were  sent  to  Rome,  both  from  the  Jews  and  Samaritans,  to 
complain  of  his  mal-administration.  In  consequence  of  these 
accusations  he  was  cited  by  Augustus  to  appear  before  him  and 
answer  for  his  conduct.  When  Archelaus  went  to  Rome, 
Herod  Antipas  did  the  same ;  and  also  Salome,  Herod's  sister. 
The  object  of  Herod  was  to  solicit  the  kingdom  for  himself,  m 


588  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

which  he  had  the  interest  of  the  rest  of  the  family  on  his  side ; 
for  Archelaus  was  held  in  detestation  by  all.  After  Archelaus 
had  left  Judea,  with  the  leave  of  Varus  the  procurator,  an  em- 
bassy of  fifty  of  the  chief  men  of  Jerusalem  went  to  Rome  to 
petition  Augustus  to  permit  them  to  live  according  to  their  own 
laws,  under  a  Roman  governor.  When  he  arrived,  not  being 
able  to  justify  himself  before  the  emperor,  but  being  found 
guilty  of  all  that  was  charged  against  him,  he  was  deposed 
from  his  kingdom,  had  all  his  goods  confiscated,  and  was  him- 
self banished  to  Vienne  in  Gaul.  The  duration  of  his  reign  in 
Judea  was  only  ten  years.  After  the  deposition  of  Archelaus, 
Augustus  appointed  Cyrenius  (Quirinius)  to  be  governor  of 
Syria,  and  sent  with  him  Coponius  a  Roman  knight,  to  be  pro- 
curator of  Judea,  under  the  authority  of  Cyrenius,  Judea  being 
a  part  of  the  province  of  Syria.  When  they  arrived  at  Jeru- 
salem, they  seized  on  the  goods  of  Archelaus  and  changed  the 
civil  government  of  the  Jews.  The  power  of  life  and  death 
was  now  taken  from  the  Jews  and  assumed  by  the  officers  of 
the  emperor ;  and  taxes  were  paid  directly  into  the  treasury  of 
the  Romans,  which  was  never  done  before. 

The  raising  of  these  taxes  caused  great  disturbances  among 
the  Jews.  Some  thought  that  they  were  under  obligations  to 
serve  no  king  but  God ;  most  believed  that  it  was  wrong  for  the 
Jews  to  be  subject  to  any  foreign  power.  Those  who  made 
opposition  on  the  first  ground,  were  fanatical  and  seditious  men, 
who  were  led  on  by  one  Judas  of  Galilee,  a  very  turbulent  man, 
of  whom  mention  is  made  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  (v.  37,) 
but  he  was  soon  cut  off,  and  all  his  followers  dispersed.  They 
who  resisted  on  the  latter  ground,  were  a  more  formidable 
body,  and  included  the  whole  sect  of  the  Pharisees.  Their 
opinions  were  received  by  the  mass  of  the  people.  And  hence 
we  may  learn  the  reason  why  the  Publicans,  or  tax-gatherers, 
were  so  odious  to  the  Pharisees. 

While  Cyrenius  was  at  Jerusalem,  among  other  important 
changes,  he  removed  Jaazar  from  being  high-priest,  and  ap- 
pointed Annas,  the  son  of  Seth,  as  his  successor.  In  the  same 
year,  our  Lord  and  Saviour  being  now  twelve  years  of  age, 
came  up  to  Jerusalem  with  Joseph  and  Mary,  and  entered  the 
temple,  where  the  doctors  of  the  law  were  convened,  heard 
their  discourses,  and  engaged  in  the  discussion  of  important 
points  with  them,  so  that  all  who  heard  him  were  astonished. 

In  the  year  ten  of  the  vulgar  era,  Coponius  was  recalled  from 
being  procurator  of  Judea,  and  Marcus  Ambivius  was  put  in 
his  place.  In  this  year  also  died  Salome,  the  sister  of  Herod, 
whose  crafty  and  malicious  intrigues  had  been  the  occasion  of 
unspeakable  evil  to  her  brother's  family. 

A.  D.  12.     Augustus,  now  old,  associated  Tiberius  with  him 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  589 

in  the  empire.  From  this  date,  his  reign  is  reckoned  by  Luke, 
where  he  speaks  of  the  "  fifteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  Tiberius 
Cesar;"  Luke  iii.  1.  Judea  was  now  destined  to  a  very  fre- 
quent change  of  masters,  for  in  A.  D.  13,  Ambivius  was  suc- 
ceeded in  his  office  of  procurator  by  Annius  Rufus. 

A.  D.  14.  Augustus  Cesar  departed  this  life,  after  he  had 
nearly  attained  the  age  of  seventy-six  years.  The  length  of 
his  reign  was  fifty-six  years,  reckoning  from  the  time  of  the 
first  consulship ;  but  if  we  reckon  from  the  victory  of  Actium, 
it  was  forty-four  years.  He  ended  his  days  at  Nola,  in  Cam- 
pania, not  far  from  Rome.  The  whole  power  of  the  empire 
now  devolved  on  Tiberius,  who  had  been  made  a  partner  with 
his  father  before  his  death.  He  was  at  this  time  fifty-five  years 
of  age,  and  reigned  twenty-two  years  and  a  half. 


SECTION  XL 

FROCURATORSHIP  OF  VALERIUS  GRATUS — ANNAS  REMOVED  FROM  THE  OFFICE  OF  HIGH- 
PRIEST  AND  ISMAEL  SUBSTITUTED — ELEAZAR,  SON  OF  ANNAS  IS  PUT  IN  HIS  PLACE, 
AND  THE  NEXT  YEAR  GRATUS  REMOVES  HIM,  AND  SUBSTITUTES  SIMON  SON  OF 

CANN1TH — CAIAPHAS — GRATUS   RECALLED  AND   SUCCEEDED   BY  PONTIUS  PILATE 

PREACHING  OF  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST — BAPTISM  OF  CHRIST DEATH  OF  JOHN— PUBLIC 

MINISTRY  OF   CHRIST DEATH  OF   CHRIST — HIS  RESURRECTION  AND   ASCENSION — 

PILATE'S  ACCOUNT  OF  CHRIST,  SENT  TO  THE  EMPEROR — PILATE  REMOVED  BY  VITEL- 
LIUS,  GOVERNOR  OF  SYRIA,  AND  SENT  TO  ROME,  WHENCE  HE  WAS  BANISHED  TO 
GAUL — TIBERIUS  DIES,  AND  IS  SUCCEEDED  BY  CAIUS  CALIGULA. 

A.  D.  15,  VALERIUS  GRATUS  was  sent  into  Judea  by  Tiberius, 
to  be  procurator,  in  which  office  he  continued  eleven  years. 

A.  D.  23,  Valerius  Gratus  removed  Annas  from  the  office  of 
high-priest,  and  substituted  in  his  place  Ismael  the  son  of 
Fabus.  Annas  held  the  office  fifteen  years.  But  the  very 
next  year,  A.  D.  24,  becoming  dissatisfied  with  Ismael,  he 
deposed  him,  and  put  in  his  place  Eleazar,  the  son  of  Annas, 
whom  he  had  deprived  of  the  office.  The  year  following,  A.  D. 
25,  the  capricious  Gratus  removed  Eleazar,  and  put  Simon  the 
son  of  Cannith  in  the  office.  A.  D.  26,  Simon  was  displaced  to 
make  way  for  Joseph,  surnamed  Caiaphas,  the  son-in-law  of 
Annas,  who  had  been  deposed.  These  are  the  persons  spoken 
of  in  the  Gospels,  who  had  the  chief  concern  in  the  pro- 
secution of  our  Saviour.  And  the  facts  mentioned  above, 
will  serve  to  explain  several  things  in  the  sacred  history. 
Caiaphas  is  said  to  have  been  the  high-priest  for  that  year,  as  if 
the  office  had  been  an  annual  one ;  whereas,  it  was  for  life,  by 
the  law,  if  the  person  did  not  become  disqualified ;  but  we  see 
from  the  preceding  history,  that  for  a  number  of  years  no  one 
person  had,  in  fact,  filled  the  place  for  more  than  a  year. 

A.  D.  26,  Valerius  Gratus  was  recalled,  and  Pontius  Pilate 
sent  to  be  procurator  of  Judea;  a  man  ready  for  every  evil 


HISTORY  OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

work.  Philo  Judeus  charges  him  with  selling  justice,  and 
giving  any  sentence  for  money ;  also  of  cruelty,  rapine,  mur- 
der, and  injuries  of  every  sort. 

In  this  year,  A.  D.  26,  according  to  the  vulgar  era,  John 
the  Baptist  began  to  preach  in  the  wilderness  of  Judea.  This 
was  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  Tiberius.  He  con- 
tinued his  ministry  for  about  three  years  and  a  half.  When 
John  was  engaged  in  his  public  ministry,  preaching  repentance 
and  baptising  the  people,  and  announcing  that  the  Messiah's 
reign  was  near  at  hand,  Jesus  Christ  came  forth  from  his  retire- 
ment at  Nazareth,  and  presented  himself  to  John  for  baptism. 
At  first  this  good  man  scrupled  to  perform  the  rite,  but  imme- 
diately complied,  when  he  heard  the  reason  assigned  by  Jesus 
for  desiring  it. 

When  Jesus  was  baptized  in  Jordan,  the  heavens  were  open- 
ed, and  a  voice  was  heard  from  heaven,  saying,  "THIS  IS  MY 
BELOVED  SON;"  and  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  as  a  dove,  and 
rested  on  him.  John  knew  the  divine  character  of  Jesus,  and 
was  therefore  willing  to  see  all  men  flocking  after  him,  though 
his  own  popularity  was  thereby  diminished.  He  pointed  him 
out  to  his  own  disciples  as  the  Messiah,  and  corrected  their 
wrong  feelings  flowing  from  attachment  to  himself.  Jesus  now 
entered  on  the  public  exercise  of  his  ministry,  in  which  he 
laboured  incessantly,  until  the  day  of  his  death. 

John,  while  preaching  in  Galilee,  fell  under  the  notice  of 
Herod  the  tetrarch,  who  was  pleased  to  hear  his  discourses,  and 
so  much  influenced  by  them  as  to  make  a  partial  reformation  in 
his  conduct.  But  on  John's  faithfully  reproving  him  for  taking 
his  brother's  wife,  he  was  so  much  offended  that  he  cast  him 
into  prison.  Herodias  was  urgent  to  have  him  put  to  death, 
which  Herod  declined,  more  for  fear  of  the  people  than  from 
any  higher  motives.  But  on  Herod's  birth-day,  Salome,  the 
daughter  of  Herodias,  so  delighted  him  by  her  dancing,  that  he 
made  her  a  promise,  confirmed  with  an  oath,  to  give  her  what 
she  should  ask.  The  girl,  instructed  by  her  mother,  demanded 
the  head  of  John,  which  the  king,  though  reluctantly,  com- 
manded to  be  brought  to  her  in  a  dish. 

The  history  of  the  Evangelist  respecting  Herod  Antipas  is 
corroborated  by  Josephus,  who  says:  "About  this  time  there 
happened  to  be  a  difference  between  Aretas  king  of  Petrsea  and 
Herod,  upon  this  occasion :  Herod  the  tetrarch,  had  married  the 
daughter  of  Aretas ;  but  in  a  journey  which  he  took  to  Rome, 
he  made  a  visit  to  his  brother  Herod  (Philip).  Here  falling  in 
love  with  Herodias,  his  brother's  wife,  he  ventured  to  make  her 
proposals  of  marriage.  She  consented,  and  agreed  that  when 
he  was  returned  from  Rome  she  would  go  and  live  with  him ; 
and  he  promised  to  put  away  the  daughter  of  Aretas." 


<TO  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.  691 

Josephus  also  informs  us,  that  Herodias  had  a  daughter  by 
her  first  husband,  whose  name  was  Salome.  Josephus,  more- 
over, represents  Herodias  to  have  been  a  woman  of  great  ambi- 
tion, and  one  who  had  much  influence  over  Herod ;  for  by  her 
persuasions  he  was  induced  to  go  to  Rome  to  solicit  his 
brother's  crown.  The  defeat  which  Herod  met  with  in  his  war 
with  Aretas,  the  father  of  his  former  wife,  is  represented  by 
Josephus  as  a  judgment  of  God  upon  him  for  what  he  had  done 
to  John,  called  the  Baptist;  for,  says  he,  "Herod  slew  him, 
who  was  a  good  man,  and  commanded  the  Jews  to  exercise 
virtue,  both  towards  one  and  another  and  towards  God,  and  so 
to  come  to  baptism."  Josephus,  indeed,  while  he  states  the 
fact,  seems  not  to  have  been  informed  of  the  true  cause  of 
John's  death,  but  supposes  that  it  was  owing  to  Herod's 
jealousy  of  John's  popularity,  and  influence  with  the  people, 
which  might  put  it  in  his  power  to  excite  them  to  revolt. 

The  only  mention  which  the  Jewish  historian  makes  of  Jesus 
Christ,  is  in*the  following  remarkable  passage.  "  Now,  there 
was  about  this  time,  Jesus,  a  wise  man,  if  it  be  lawful  to  call 
him  a  man ;  for  he  was  a  doer  of  wonderful  works,  a  teacher  of 
such  men  as  received  the  truth  with  pleasure.  He  drew  over 
to  him,  both  many  of  the  Jews  and  of  the  Gentiles.  He  was 
the  Christ.  And  when  Pilate,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  prin- 
cipal men  among  us,  had  condemned  him  to  the  cross,  those 
that  loved  him  at  the  first  did  not  forsake  him ;  for  he  appear- 
ed to  them  alive  again,  the  third  day,  as  the  divine  prophets 
had  foretold  these  and  many  other  things,  concerning  him. 
And  the  sect  of  Christians,  so  named  from  him,  is  not  extinct 
at  this  day."  Most  modern  critics,  it  is  true,  have  pronounced 
this  passage  an  interpolation,  and  contend  that  it  was  never 
written  by  Josephus  ;  but  no  convincing  arguments  have  been 
adduced  to  prove  that  it  is  spurious. 

Jesus  Christ  having  spent  about  three  years  and  a  half  in  his 
public  ministry,  during  which  time  he  performed  innumerable 
miracles,  was  apprehended  by  the  malice  of  his  enemies;  and 
after  being  subjected  to  much  injustice,  reproach,  and  cruel 
treatment,  was  condemned  to  be  crucified ;  which  painful  pun- 
ishment, he  accordingly  endured,  in  circumstances  of  great 
ignominy.  At  his  death,  many  prodigies  occurred,  a  par- 
ticular account  of  which  is  given  in  the  Gospels.  On  the 
third  day  he  arose  again,  and  appeared  unto  his  disciples ;  and 
for  forty  days  conversed  frequently  with  them,  and  permitted 
them,  by  their  sense  of  feeling,  as  well  as  of  sight  and  hearing, 
to  be  fully  satisfied  of  the  reality  of  his  resurrection.  Having 
finished  giving  his  disciples  those  instructions  which  he  deemed 
it  necessary  to  communicate  in  person,  he  ascended  to  heaven, 
in  their  sight,  from  Mount  Olivet,  while  in  the  act  of  blessing 


592  HISTOKY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

them.  Before  he  left  them,  he  promised  to  send  the  HOLT 
GHOST,  or  PARACLETE,  to  teach  and  comfort  them ;  which  pro- 
mise was  fulfilled  at  the  feast  of  Pentecost,  about  ten  days  after 
his  ascension;  when  this  divine  Instructor  came  upon  them,  and 
furnished  them  with  all  the  wisdom,  strength,  and  miraculous 
endowment,  necessary  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  great  and 
arduous  work  for  which  they  were  commissioned. 

Pilate  sent  to  the  emperor,  according  to  the  usage  in  such 
cases,  an  account  of  the  character  and  crucifixion  of  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  which  was  extant  and  appealed  to  in  the  second  cen- 
tury. But  this  document  is  now  lost. 

Vitellius  being  now  governor  of  Syria,  the  Samaritans,  who 
had  been  treated  with  severity  by  Pilate  on  account  of  an  im- 
poster  who  arose  among  them,  sent  an  embassy  to  the  governor 
complaining  of  his  tyrannical  conduct.  The  consequence  was, 
that  Vitellius  removed  him  from  his  office,  and  ordered  him  to 
Rome  to  answer  for  his  conduct,  appointing  Marcellus  to  be 
procurator  in  his  place.  This  was  about  the  year  A.  D.  37. 
In  the  following  year,  A.  D.  38,  Tiberius  died,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded in  the  government  by  Caius  Caligula,  before  whom  the 
cause  of  Pilate  came;  and  who  banished  him  to  Vienne  in  Gaul, 
where  it  is  said  he  put  an  end  to  his  life. 


SECTION  XII. 

PREACHING    OF   THE   APOSTLES — MARTYRDOM    OF    STEPHEN    AND    ENSUING    PERSECUTION! 

CONVERSION   OF    PAUL — CAIAPHAS    REMOVED   FROM    THE    HIGH-PRIESTHOOD   BY    VI- 

TELLIUS,   AND    ANANAS    SUBSTITUTED  —  AGRIPPA   ACQUIRES    THE    SUPREME    POWER  OF 
JUDEA — HEROD  ANTIPAS    BANISHED    TO  GAUL — EMBASSY  FROM  ALEXANDRIA  TO   ROME 

PHILO    JUDEUS — CAIUS     SUCCEEDED     BY    CLAUDIUS — THEOPHILUS     REMOVED   FROM 

THE    PRIESTHOOD    AND    SIMON   PUT   IN    HIS    PLACE — PETRONIUS,  GOVERNOR    OF  SYRIA, 
SUCCEEDED    BY    MARSUS — AGRIPPA  ZEALOUS   FOR  THE  JEWISH  RELIGION,  BUT  SEVERE 

TOWARDS     THE     CHRISTIANS — REMARKABLE     DEATH     OF    AGRIPPA HIS     CHARACTER 

AND    SUCCESSORS. 

AFTER  the  apostles  of  Jesus  began  to  preach  his  resurrection, 
an  attempt  was  made  to  suppress  them  by  force,  but  this  proved 
ineffectual.  A  violent  persecution,  however,  was  carried  on 
against  the  disciples,  in  which  Stephen  was  condemned  to  death 
by  the  Sanhedrim,  and  stoned.  It  would  seem,  from  this  fact, 
that  when  this  event  occurred  there  was  no  Roman  governor  or 
procurator  at  Jerusalem ;  or  the  Sanhedrim  would  not,  in  con- 
tempt of  his  authority,  have  dared  to  inflict  capital  punishment 
on  any  one.  It  is  probable,  therefore,  that  the  martyrdom  of 
Stephen  took  place  after  Pilate  was  removed,  and  before  an- 
other had  succeeded  him. 

The  persecution  after  the  death  of  Stephen,  became  very 
hot,  chiefly  through  the  zeal  of  a  young  Pharisee,  whose  name 


TO  THE   DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.  593 

•was  Saul.  He  was  one  of  the  Sanhedrim  who  gave  his  vote 
for  the  death  of  the  proto-martyr,  and  superintended  his  execu- 
tion. Being  determined  to  extirpate  the  rising  sect,  he  went 
from  place  to  place  apprehending  men  and  women  and  com- 
mitting them  to  prison.  But  finding  that  many  fled,  and  that 
Damascus  was  a  place  of  refuge  for  them,  he  obtained  a  com- 
mission from  the  high-priest,  and  a  guard  to  proceed  to  that 
place,  to  bring  bound  to  Jerusalem  all  that  he  should  find  who 
were  followers  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  But  before  he  reached 
the  place,  while  journeying,  about  noon,  he  was  overwhelmed 
with  a  blaze  of  light,  surpassing  the  light  of  mid-day,  and  by 
terror,  or  some  irresistible  power,  being  struck  to  the  ground, 
he  heard  a  person  speaking  to  him,  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
light  saw  near  to  him  the  very  Jesus  whom  he  was  persecuting 
The  young  man  when  he  arose  was  blind,  and  was  led  into 
Damascus,  where  he  remained  blind,  neither  eating  nor  drink- 
ing for  three  days;  when  a  disciple,  being  divinely  directed, 
came  to  him  and  instructed  him  in  the  doctrines  of  Christ,  and 
then  baptized  him.  From  this  time  to  the  close  of  life,  Saul, 
afterwards  called  Paul,  was  a  most  zealous,  able,  and  successful 
propagator  of  the  faith  of  Jesus. 

About  A.  D.  39,  Vitellius,  the  governor  of  Syria,  paid  a 
visit  to  Jerusalem,  and  bestowed  on  the  Jews  many  favours  and 
immunities.  One  method  which  Herod  had  devised  of  govern- 
ing that  turbulent  people,  was  to  keep  in  his  possession  the 
costly  robes  which  were  worn  on  solemn  occasions  by  the  high- 
priest.  They  were  preserved  in  the  castle  of  Antonia,  which 
he  had  built,  and  continued  in  the  possession  of  his  successors 
in  power  until  this  visit  of  Vitellius,  at  the  passover,  when 
they  were  given  into  the  possession  of  the  Jews. 

Vitellius,  on  some  complaint  against  Caiaphas,  deprived  him 
of  his  office,  and  made  Jonathan  the  son  of  Annas,  or  Ananas, 
high-priest  in  his  stead,  and  then  returned  home.  For  some 
time  after  this  the  Christian  churches  seem  to  have  been  undis- 
turbed by  persecution,  and  to  have  increased  in  numbers  very 
rapidly.  Soon  after  the  events  above  related,  we  find  Judea 
under  the  power  of  Herod  Agrippa.  He  was  the  son  of  Aris- 
tobulus,  one  of  the  sons  of  Herod  by  Mariamne,  whom  his 
father  put  to  death.  Few  men  ever  experienced  greater  vicis- 
situdes of  fortune  than  this  Herod.  Josephus  gives  a  detailed 
account  of  his  adventures,  which  our  limits  do  not  permit  us  to 
repeat.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  after  suffering  innumerable  dis- 
appointments and  disasters,  and  being  for  two  years  imprisoned 
by  Tiberius,  he  was  not  only  released  by  Caligula,  but  received 
from  him  the  gift  of  a  golden  chain,  and  a  diadem.  He  was 
first  made  king  of  Lysanias,  Gaulanitis,  Trachonitis,  and 
Batanea. 
38 


594  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

The  success  of  Agrippa  in  obtaining  the  title  of  king,  so 
excited  the  envy  and  inflamed  the  ambition  of  Herodias,  that 
she  would  not  suffer  Herod  Antipas,  her  husband,  to  rest  until 
he  should  also  go  to  Rome  to  seek  for  himself  a  kingdom.  But 
the  event  was  very  different  from  their  wishes  and  expectations, 
for  as  soon  as  Herod  Agrippa  heard  of  their  visit  to  Rome,  he 
wrote  to  Caius  Caligula,  that  Antipas  had  held  secret  commu- 
nications with  the  Parthians,  and  had  collected  vast  military 
stores.  Upon  this  the  emperor  instead  of  making  him  a  king, 
banished  him  to  Lyons,  whither  Herodias  went  with  him.  His 
tetrarchy  was  now  added  to  the  dominions  of  Herod  Agrippa. 

About  this  time,  A.  D.  41,  the  famous  embassy  from  Alex- 
andria to  Rome,  composed  both  of  Jews  and  Greeks,  took  place. 
The  celebrated  Philo  went  as  the  principal  of  the  Jewish 
ambassadors,  and  one  Apion,  at  the  head  of  the  Greeks ;  of  all 
which,  Philo  and  Josephus  have  given  a  detailed  account.  The 
dissension  between  them  principally  related  to  the  refusal  of  the 
Jews  to  worship  the  image  of  the  emperor. 

Caligula  now  recalled  Vitellius  from  the  government  of  Syria, 
and  appointed  Petronius  to  succeed  him.  At  the  same  time  he 
sent  express  orders  that  the  emperor's  image  should  be  set  up 
in  the  temple  at  Jerusalem.  To  enforce  this  order,  Petronius 
came  to  Ptolemais  with  an  army,  where  he  was  met  by  many 
thousand  Jews,  who  expressed  their  determination  never  to  sub- 
mit to  such  a  profanation.  But  by  the  intercession  of  king 
Agrippa,  who  was  then  at  Rome,  the  order  was  countermanded. 
"When  he  heard  of  the  resistance  of  the  Jews,  however,  he  was 
greatly  enraged,  and  wrote  an  angry  letter  to  Petronius,  whom 
he  suspected  of  acting  in  concert  with  the  Jews.  This  year, 
A.  D.  41,  Caligula  was  assassinated. 

Claudius  Drusus  succeeded  Caius  Caligula  as  emperor  of 
Rome.  By  his  advancement,  Herod  Agrippa  was  promoted  to 
be  king  of  Samaria  and  Judea,  in  addition  to  his  former  domin- 
ions ;  and,  moreover,  he  manifested  his  particular  friendship  for 
him  by  having  him  appointed  one  of  the  consuls  of  Rome.  To 
Herod,  the  brother  of  Agrippa,  Claudius  also  gave  the  little 
kingdom  of  Chalcis. 

The  Jews,  who  had  been  much  oppressed  under  the  govern- 
ment of  the  cruel  Caligula,  were  greatly  favoured  by  Claudius, 
who  permitted  them  everywhere  to  live  agreeably  to  their  own 
law,  and  put  the  Jews  of  Alexandria  in  possession  of  their  for- 
mer privileges. 

A.  D.  42,  Agrippa  returned  to  Jerusalem  to  take  possession 
of  his  newly  acquired  dominion,  on  which  occasion  he  offered 
many  sacrifices  of  thanksgiving,  and  as  a  memorial,  suspended 
in  the  temple  the  golden  chain  which  he  had  received  from 
Caligula,  when  released  from  prison.  At  this  time,  Theophilus 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  595 

officiated  as  high-priest  of  the  Jews ;  but  soon  after,  Agrippa 
removed  him  from  office,  and  substituted  in  his  place  Simon 
Cantharus,  the  son  of  Simon  Bocthus.  The  year  following, 
however,  he  offered  the  place  to  Jonathan,  who  declined  it,  but 
recommended  his  brother  Matthias,  on  whom  the  office  was 'con- 
ferred. About  this  time,  A.  D.  42  or  43,  Petronius  was  recalled 
from  the  government  of  Syria,  and  was  succeeded  by  Marsus. 
He  was  far  less  favourable  to  the  Jews  than  his  predecessor, 
and  when  Agrippa  undertook  to  raise  and  strengthen  the  walls 
around  a  part  of  the  city,  which  had  been  recently  built,  Mar- 
sus interposed,  represented  the  undertaking  to  the  emperor 
as  dangerous  to  the  Roman  empire,  and  obtained  an  edict  for- 
bidding the  further  progress  of  the  work.  , 

Agrippa  was  much  attached  to  the  Jewish  nation,  and  strict 
in  his  observance  of  all  religious  ceremonies  of  the  law.  Jose- 
phus  says  of  him,  "  That  he  was  of  a  mild  and  gentle  dispo- 
sition, and  good  to  all  men ;  beneficent  to  strangers,  but  espe- 
cially kind  to  the  Jews,  with  whom  he  sympathized  in  all  their 
troubles."  His  residence,  after  he  became  king  of  Judea,  was 
almost  constantly  at  Jerusalem,  where  he  practised  the  Jewish 
ceremonies,  and  did  not  let  a  day  pass  without  worshipping 
God,  according  to  the  law  of  Moses. 

It  may  seem  to  be  inconsistent  with  the  character  here  given 
'of  Agrippa,  that  he  should  carry  on  a  cruel  persecution  against 
the  inoffensive  Christians,  of  which  Luke  gives  the  following 
account:  "Now  about  that  time,  Herod  the  king  stretched 
forth  his  hands,  to  vex  certain  of  the  church;  and  he  killed 
James  the  brother  of  John  with  the  sword,  and  because  he  saw 
it  pleased  the  Jews,  he  proceeded  farther  to  take  Peter  also." 
(Acts  xii.  1,  2,  3.)  But  we  have  seen  that  this  prince  was 
superstitiously  attached  to  all  the  Jewish  ceremonies,  and  that 
he  made  it  a  primary  object  to  please  the  nation  in  his  whole 
administration ;  and  as  they  could  not  be  more  gratified  by  any 
thing  than  the  death  of  the  leading  teachers  in  the  Christian 
church,  he  was  induced  to  pursue  a  course  in  regard  to  this 
matter,  not  altogether  consonant  with  his  general  character. 
Luke,  in  the  passage  quoted,  adverts  to  the  true  motive  of  his 
conduct,  when  he  says,  "because  he  saw  it  pleased  the  Jews,  he 
proceeded  farther  to  take  Peter  also."  But  his  design  against 
the  life  of  Peter  was  frustrated  by  a  miraculous  interposition. 
An  angel  was  sent  to  release  him  from  his  confinement. 

Whatever  the  character  of  Herod  Agrippa  might  have  been 
in  other  respects,  he  seems  to  have  been  a  very  vainglorious 
person.  There  is  a  remarkable  coincidence  between  the  narra- 
tives of  Luke  and  Josephus,  in  regard  to  the  circumstances  of 
the  death  of  this  prince.  Luke  says,  "  And  he  went  down  from 
Judea  to  Cesarea  and  there  abode.  And  upon  a  set  day, 


596  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

Herod,  arrayed  in  royal  apparel,  sat  upon  his  throne  and  made 
an  oration  to  them.  And  the  people  gave  a  shout,  saying,  It  is 
the  voice  of  a  god  and  not  of  a  man ;  and  immediately  the  angel 
of  the  Lord  smote  him,  because  he  gave  not  God  the  glory,  and 
he  was  eaten  of  worms,  and  gave  up  the  ghost." 

The  words  of  Josephus  are  these:  "Having  now  reigned 
three  whole  years  over  Judea,  he  went  to  the  city  Cesarea, 
formerly  called  Straton's  Tower.  Here  he  celebrated  shows 
in  honour  of  Cesar.  On  this  occasion,  there  was  a  vast  resort 
of  persons  of  rank  and  distinction  from  all  parts  of  the  coun- 
try. On  the  second  day  of  the  shows,  early  in  the  morning, 
he  came  into  the  theatre,  dressed  in  a  robe  of  silver,  of  most 
curious  workmanship.  The  rays  of  the  rising  sun,  reflected 
from  so  splendid  a  garb,  gave  him  a  majestic  and  awful  appear- 
ance. In  a  short  time  they  began,  in  several  parts  of  the 
theatre,  flattering  acclamations,  which  proved  pernicious  to 
him.  They  called  him  a  god,  and  entreated  him  to  be  propi- 
tious to  them;  saying,  'Hitherto  we  have  respected  you  as  a 
man,  but  now  we  acknowledge  you  to  be  more  than  mortal.' 
The  king  neither  reproved  these  persons  nor  rejected  the  impi- 
ous flat'tery.  Soon  after  this,  casting  his  eyes  upwards,  he  saw 
an  owl,  sitting  on  a  cord  over  his  head.  He  perceived  it  to  be 
a  messenger  of  evil  to  him,  as  it  had  been  before  of  his  pros- 
perity, and  was  struck  with  the  deepest  concern.  Immediately 
after  this,  he  was  seized  with  pains  in  his  bowels,  extremely 
violent  from  the  first.  Then  turning  himself  to  his  friends,  he 
spoke  to  them  in  this  manner:  'I,  your  god,  am  required  to 
leave  this  world ;  fate  instantly  refuting  these  false  applauses 
bestowed  upon  me.  I,  who  have  been  called  immortal,  am  hur- 
ried away  to  death.  But  God's  appointment  must  be  submit- 
ted to.'  While  he  was  speaking,  his  pains  became  more  violent : 
he  was  carried,  therefore,  with  all  haste  to  his  palace.  His 
pains  continuing  to  increase,  he  expired  in  five  days  time,  in 
the  fifty-fourth  year  of  his  age,  &c." 

Agrippa  left  behind  him  one  son,  also  named  Agrippa,  about 
seventeen  years  of  age,  and  three  daughters.  One  of  these, 
Berenice,  was  married  to  Herod,  king  of  Chalcis,  her  father's 
brother;  the  other  two,  Mariamne  and  Drusilla,  were  unmar- 
ried at  the  time  of  their  father's  death.  Of  the  youngest  of 
these,  Drusilla,  some  notice  will  be  taken  in  this  history  here- 
after, as  she  is  particularly  noticed  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles. 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  597 


SECTION  XIII. 

FADUS  MADE  PROCURATOR  OP  JUDEA — DEARTH  IN  THE  REIGN  OP  CLAUDIUS — PROSE- 
LYTES TO  JUDAISM — FALSE  MESSIAH — FADUS  RECALLED,  AND  SUCCEEDED  BY 
TIBERIUS  ALEXANDER — HEROD  KING  OF  CHALCIS  DISPLACED  JOSEPH  THE  SON  OF 
CAMUS  FROM  THE  HIGH-PRIESTHOOD,  AND  SUBSTITUTED  ANANIAS  THE  SON  OF 
NEBEDEUS — TIBERIUS  ALEXANDER  RECALLED,  AND  CUMANUS  APPOINTED  TO  SUC- 
CEED HIM — COMMOTIONS  AT  JERUSALEM DISPUTE  BETWEEN  THE  GALILEANS  AND 

SAMARITANS CUMANUS  RECALLED  AND  FELIX  APPOINTED  PROCURATOR — TUMUL- 
TUOUS CONDUCT  OF  THE  JEWS — DEATH  OF  CLAUDIUS — SUCCEEDED  BY  NERO — ANAR- 
CHICAL STATE  OF  JUDEA  DURING  THE  PROCURATORSHIP  OF  FELIX — IS  SUCCEEDED 
BY  FESTUS — BOTH  RESIDE  AT  CESAREA — FESTUS  DIES — IS  SUCCEEDED  BY  ALBI- 
NUS — STATE  OF  SOCIETY  MORE  AND  MORE  DISORDERED — ANANUS  MADE  HIGII- 
PRIEST CEST1US  GALLUS  VISITS  JERUSALEM. 

AFTER  the  death  of  Agrippa,  A.  D.  45,  Fadus  was  appointed 
procurator  of  Judea.  Claudius  would  have  given  the  kingdom 
to  the  son  of  his  friend,  but  was  dissuaded  from  it  on  account 
of  his  youth.  A  contention  soon  arose  between  this  officer  and 
the  Jews,  respecting  the  pontifical  vestments  which  he  ordered 
to  be  deposited,  as  formerly,  in  the  castle  of  Antonia.  This 
was  by  direction  of  the  emperor.  And  when  the  Jews  proved 
refractory,  Cassius  Longinus,  who  had  been  sent  to  Syria  in 
the  place  of  Marsus,  came  with  an  army  to  enforce  the  empe- 
ror's edict ;  but  the  Jews  prevailed  on  him  to  wait  until  they 
could  petition  the  emperor,  who  was  induced  by  the  intercession 
of  Herod  king  of  Chalcis,  to  relinquish  his  purpose.  Claudius 
then  appointed  this  Herod  to  preside  over  the  temple,  and 
select  the  high-priests.  He  removed  Cantharus  from  office, 
and  appointed  Joseph,  son  of  Camus,  to  succeed  him. 

In  the  Acts  we  read,  that  "a  prophet,  named  Agabus,  stood 
up,  and  signified  by  the  Spirit,  that  there  should  be  a  great 
dearth  throughout  all  the  world,  which,  says  Luke,  came  to  pass 
in  the  days  of  Claudius  Cesar."  Now,  during  the  reign  of  Clau- 
dius, there  were  no  less  than  four  times  of  famine.  The  one 
referred  to  above,  occurred  while  Fadus  was  procurator  at 
Judea,  and  was  the  last  of  the  four;  for  it  extended  to  the 
reign  of  Tiberius.  About  this  time,  the  Jews  received  some 
proselytes  to  their  religion,  of  rather  an  extraordinary  charac- 
ter for  rank,  who  proved  themselves  to  be  very  sincere  con- 
verts, by  their  munificence  to  the  Jewish  nation ;  especially  in 
the  time  of  the  forementioned  famine.  The  persons  to  whom 
I  refer,  were  Helena,  queen  of  Adiabene,  in  Mesopotamia,  and 
her  son  Izates.  At  the  time  when  this  dearth  occurred, 
Helena,  was  at  Jerusalem,  and  supplied  the  people  with  large 
quantities  of  provisions;  and  Izates  sent  them,  at  the  same 
time,  large  sums  of  money.  These  royal  personages  had  built, 
near  Jerusalem,  a  sepulchre  of  magnificent  workmanship,  in 
which  after  their  death  they  were  interred. 


598  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

While  Fadus  was  procurator  of  Judea,  a  false  Messiah  made 
his  appearance,  who  deluded  great  multitudes  of  people,  and 
persuaded  them  to  follow  him  to  Jordan,  where  he  promised 
that  he  would  divide  the  waters,  and  lead  them  over  on  dry 
ground.  But  while  this  multitude  was  on  their  way,  they  were 
overtaken  by  a  troop  of  Roman  cavalry,  sent  after  them  by 
Fadus.  The  imposter  was  brought  back  and  beheaded,  and  all 
his  followers  were  dispersed.  Josephus  calls  this  impostor 
Theudas,  but  from  what  Gamaliel  said  in  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim, 
(Acts  v.  36,)  it  appears  that  Theudas  was  before  Judas  the 
Gaulonite,  and  was  accompanied  by  only  four  hundred  men, 
who  all  forsook  him.  Probably,  therefore,  Josephus  was  mis- 
taken about  the  name;  unless,  which  is  not  improbable,  there 
were  two  of  the  same  name. 

A.  D.  46,  Fadus  was  recalled,  and  a  man  of  Jewish  origin, 
by  the  name  of  Tiberius  Alexander,  was  made  procurator  of 
Judea. 

A.  D.  47,  Herod,  king  of  Chalcis,  having  received  autho- 
rity from  the  emperor  to  appoint  the  high-priest  at  Jeru- 
salem, displaced  Joseph,  the  son  of  Camus,  and  gave  the  office 
to  Ananias,  the  son  of  Nebedeus.  This  was  among  his  last 
acts;  for  he  died  shortly  after,  and  his  kingdom  was  given 
to  Claudius  Agrippa,  the  son  of  king  Agrippa,  with  the  same 
authority  over  the  temple  and  priesthood  which  had  been 
possessed  by  Herod,  king  of  Chalcis.  In  the  same  year,  A.  D. 
47,  Claudius  recalled  Tiberius  Alexander,  and  appointed  V. 
Cumanus  to  be  procurator  in  his  stead. 

The  following  year,  A.  D.  48,  during  the  celebration  of  the 
passover,  a  cohort  of  Roman  soldiers  were  stationed  before  the 
gates  of  the  temple  to  preserve  order.  But  one  of  the  soldiers, 
by  an  indecent  action,  so,  provoked  the  Jews,  who  were  going 
up  to  the  temple  to  worship,  that  some  rash  young  men  assaulted 
the  soldiers  with  stones.  Cumanus,  at  first,  endeavoured  to 
allay  the  irritation  of  the  populace ;  but  failing  in  this,  he  sum- 
moned the  soldiers  into  the  castle  of  Antonia,  by  which  the 
Jews  understood  that  he  was  about  to  make  an  attack  on  the 
temple.  So  great  a  panic  seized  the  multitude  who  were  within 
the  walls,  that  when  a  violent  rush  took  place  to  escape  through 
the  gates,  more  than  a  thousand  of  them  were  crushed  to  death. 
Another  tumult  took  place  in  consequence  of  the  impious  con- 
duct of  a  Roman  soldier,  who,  having  seized  a  copy  of  the  law, 
tore  it  in  pieces,  with  insulting  and  blasphemous  language.  A 
complaint  was  made  to  Cumanus,  who,  seeing  no  other  method 
of  appeasing  the  people,  ordered  the  offending  soldier  to  be 
beheaded.  The  commotions  among  the  people  increased  every 
day.  A  dispute  now  arose  between  the  Galileans  and  the 
Samaritans,  on  account  of  a  murder  committed  on  a  Jew  in  one 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION  OP  JERUSALEM.  599 

of  the  Samaritan  villages.  The  Roman  officer  refusing  to  do 
them  justice,  the  Jews  undertook  to  revenge  themselves,  by 
invading  and  plundering  the  Samaritan  territory ;  hut  Cumanus 
coining  on  them  with  his  cavalry,  S9on  dispersed  them.  Many, 
however,  about  this  time,  joined  themselves  to  troops  of  robbers, 
and  by  their  predatory  incursions,  greatly  disturbed  the  peace 
of  the  country. 

H.  Quadratus  had  been  made  governor  of  Syria,  in  the  place 
of  Longinus ;  and  he  being  now  at  Tyre,  complaints  were  made 
to  him,  both  by  the  Jews  and  Samaritans.  He  determined, 
therefore,  to  come  to  Judea,  and  examine  into  the  affair  for 
himself.  At  first,  he  felt  disposed  to  condemn  the  Samaritans, 
but  on  learning  that  the  Jews  had  acted  in  a  rebellious  manner, 
in  defiance  of  the  Roman  authority,  he  ordered  such  of  them  as 
Ananus  had  taken,  to  be  crucified.  He,  moreover,  put  to 
death  a  leading  man  whose  name  was  Doras,  and  several  others ; 
and  sent  the  high-priests  Jonathan  and  Ananus  the  president  of 
the  temple,  in  chains  to  Rome.  Finally,  he  ordered  all  parties, 
and  the  procurator  himself,  to  go  to  Italy,  and  submit  their 
cause  to  the  emperor;  and  then  returned  to  Antioch.  When 
the  cause  came  before  the  emperor,  the  Jews  had  justice  done 
them,  through  the  influence  of  Agrippa,  who  was  then  at 
Rome.  The  Samaritans  were  condemned,  and  three  of  their 
leaders  ordered  to  be  executed.  The  Roman  tribune,  who  had 
been  guilty  of  exciting  the  disturbance,  was  ordered  to  be 
sent  back  to  Jerusalem,  and  to  be  dragged  through  the  streets, 
and  then  beheaded.  Cumanus  himself,  also  was  recalled. 

A.  D.  53,  Felix  a  freed-man,  was  appointed  procurator  of 
Judea,  and  continued  in  office  a  number  of  years.  Agrippa 
seems  to  have  been  as  much  a  favourite  of  Augustus  as  his 
father ;  for  in  place  of  his  little  kingdom  of  Chalcis,  he  gave 
him  the  tetrarchy  which  had  belonged  to  Philip,  the  son  of 
Herod  the  Great. 

Drusilla,  the  youngest  daughter  of  Herod  Agrippa,  was 
given  by  her  brother  in  marriage  to  Azizus,  king  of  Emesa, 
who  to  obtain  her,  had  submitted  to  circumcision.  But  Felix, 
who  had  already  two  wives,  became  enamoured  of  her ;  and 
by  means  of  one  Simon  a  sorcerer,  made  her  offers  of  mar- 
riage, and  gained  her  consent. 

Although  Claudius  showed  himself  favourable  to  the  Jews, 
so  many  tumults  were  raised  by  them  in  the  city  of  Rome,  that 
he  published  an  edict  that  they  should  all  leave  the  city, 
•which  however  was  never  fully  executed.  He,  however,  strictly 
forbade  all  public  meetings  among  them.  During  all  this  pe- 
riod, the  Romans  made  no  distinction  between  Jews  and  Chris- 
tians; for  the  latter  were  considered  as  merely  a  new  sect 
among  the  Jews.  They,  therefore,  fell  under  the  operation  of 


600  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

all  edicts  which  related  to  the  Jews.  Accordingly,  we  read  in 
the  Acts  (xviii)  that  "a  certain  Jew,  named  Aquila,  born  in 
Pontus,  lately  had  come  from  Italy,  with  his  wife  Priscilla, 
because  that  Claudius  had  commanded  all  Jews  to  depart  from 
Rome." 

Claudius  the  emperor  died  A.  D.  55  or  56,  and  was  succeed- 
ed by  Nero,  the  son  of  his  wife  Agrippina,  by  her  former 
husband.  Nero  was  a  cruel  tyrant  when  in  power,  although  he 
appeared  to  be  mild  and  amiable  in  private  life.  Soon  after 
his  accession  to  the  throne,  he  put  several  persons  to  death, 
to  gratify  his  own  malignant  temper;  and  among  the  rest, 
Agrippina  his  own  mother,  to  whom  he  owed  the  possession  of 
the  empire.  Agrippa,  however,  shared  the  favour  of  Nero  as 
he  had  done  that  of  his  predecessor;  for  he  increased  his 
dominions,  by  the  addition  of  the  cities  of  Tarichosa,  Tiberias, 
Abila,  and  Julias,  with  the  territories  which  appertained  to 
them. 

At  the  time  when  Felix  arrived  in  Judea,  the  country  was 
almost  in  a  state  of  anarchy.  The  curse  of  God  seemed 
evidently  to  be  brooding  over  that  ill-fated  nation.  The  whole 
land  was  infested  with  robbers,  and  swarmed  with  impostors. 
About  this  time,  also,  arose  the  Sicarii,  a  desperate  set  of 
assassins,  who  received  their  name  from  a  short  sword  or 
dagger  which  they  carried  under  their  outward  garment.  These 
men,  by  mingling  with  the  crowd,  would  suddenly  strike  their 
victim,  and  then  concealing  their  weapon,  hide  themselves 
among  the  multitude. 

Felix  employed  these  men  to  put  Jonathan  the  high-priest 
out  of  the  way;  for  by  his  intrusion  as  an  adviser,  he  had 
become  troublesome  to  the  procurator.  Jonathan,  having  had 
a  chief  influence  in  getting  Felix  appointed  to  this  office, 
thought  he  had  a  right  to  exercise  a  good  deal  of  freedom  in 
advising  and  admonishing  him.  But  he  dearly  paid  for  his 
officiousness,  for  Felix  was  not  a  man  that  could  endure  reproof. 

Among  the  many  sorcerers,  jugglers,  and  other  impostors, 
who  appeared  about  this  time,  there  was  an  Egyptian  Jew,  who 
drew  after  him  thirty  thousand  persons,  whom  he  led  to  the 
mount  of  Olives,  promising  that  he  would  cause  the  walls  of 
Jerusalem  to  fall  down  at  his  word ;  but  Felix  fell  upon  the 
deluded  multitude,  and  slew  about  four  hundred  of  them,  and 
took  two  thousand  prisoners.  The  impostor  himself  made  his 
escape.  Many  other  impostors  led  their  followers  out  into  the 
wilderness,  where  they  promised  that  they  would  show  great 
signs  and  miracles;  but  Felix  showed  no  mercy  to  such  men, 
and  caused  many  of  them  to  be  put  to  death.  The  Jew  above 
mentioned,  is  probably  the  man  to  whom  Lysias,  the  captain  of 
the  temple,  had  reference,  when  he  said  to  Paul,  (Acts  xxi. 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  601 

37,)  "Art  thou  not  that  Egyptian  which  before  these  days, 
madest  an  uproar,  and  leddest  out  into  the  wilderness  four 
thousand  men,  that  were  murderers." 

Felix,  as  well  as  his  successors,  resided  at  Cesarea.  We 
find,  therefore,  (Acts  xxiii.  23 — 35,)  that  the  captain  of  the 
temple,  Claudius  Lysias,  when  he  had  learned  that  a  conspi- 
racy was  formed  by  about  forty  Jews  to  kill  Paul,  sent  him  off 
by  night,  escorted  by  a  strong  guard,  to  Felix  the  governor,  at 
Cesarea.  Here  he  was  kept  in  confinement  during  the  remain- 
ing time  of  Felix's  administration,  which  was  two  whole  years ; 
but  liberty  was  given  for  his  friends  to  visit  him. 

On  a  certain  occasion,  Felix,  and  his  wife  Drusilla,  already 
mentioned,  heard  Paul  preach ;  and  the  effect  of  his  discourse, 
"while  he  reasoned  of  righteousness,  temperance,  and  judg- 
ment," was  such  that  Felix  trembled,  and  he  seems  to  have  in- 
terrupted the  apostle,  not  wishing  to  hear  any  more  about  these 
matters  at  that  time ;  but  promising  that  when  he  should  have 
a  convenient  season  he  would  call  for  him.  And  he  did  fre- 
quently send  for  Paul,  and  converse  with  him ;  but  bis  object 
was  to  obtain  money  for  his  release;  thinking,  probably,  that 
some  of  his  friends,  would  be  willing  to  pay  a  large  sum  for  his 
ransom. 

This  history  of  Luke  is  corroborated  fully  by  Josephus,  and 
in  some  important  particulars,  by  Tacitus.  The  marriage  of 
Felix  to  Drusilla,  a  Jewess,  is  particularly  mentioned  by  the 
Jewish  historian,  who  relates  that  she  was  the  most  beautiful 
woman  of  her  time,  and  had  been  married  to  Azizus,  the  king 
of  Emesa,  but  was  seduced  by  means  of  one  Simon,  a  Jew  of 
Cyprus,  to  forsake  her  husband,  and  become  the  wife  of  Felix. 
Tacitus  says,  "  That,  while  Felix  was  procurator  of  Judea,  he 
acted  in  a  very  arbitrary  manner,  and  scrupled  no  kind  of  in- 
justice." When  Felix  returned  to  Rome,  the  Jews  forwarded 
complaints  against  him  to  Nero,  on  account  of  his  cruelty  and 
injustice  while  procurator  of  Judea. 

The  conduct  of  Felix  towards  Paul  was  very  reprehensible. 
When  he  vacated  his  office,  he  left  him  a  prisoner,  for  no  other 
reason  but  because  he  wished  to  gratify  the  Jews.  The  words 
of  Luke  are,  "But  after  two  years  Porcius  Festus  came  into 
Felix's  room :  and  Felix,  willing  to  show  the  Jews  a  pleasure, 
left  Paul  bound." 

The  exact  year  in  which  Festus  came  into  office,  is  not  easi- 
ly ascertained;  but  it  must  have  been  between  A.  D.  57  and 
A.  D.  60.  That  he  was  the  successor  of  Felix  as  procurator, 
is  often  asserted  by  Josephus.  Soon  after  his  arrival  in  Judea, 
he  visited  Jerusalem,  where  the  Jews  renewed  their  accusations 
against  Paul,  and  requested  that  he  might  be  brought  up  to 
Jerusalem  for  his  trial.  But  Paul,  knowing  the  malice  and 
treachery  of  the  Jews,  in  order  to  avoid  this,  made  use  of  his 


602  HISTORY   OF  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

privilege  as  a  Roman  citizen,  to  appeal  to  Cesar ;  on  which, 
Festus,  after  consultation  with  his  council,  resolved  to  send  him 
to  Rome. 

Soon  after  this,  Festus  received  a  visit  from  king  Agrippa 
and  his  sister  Berenice.  These  being  Jews,  Festus,  sensible  of 
his  ignorance  of  Jewish  customs,  was  desirous  that  they  should 
hear  Paul,  and  then  advise  him  what  he  should  write  to  the 
emperor  respecting  him.  Agrippa  expressed  a  strong  desire  to 
have  an  opportunity  of  hearing  the  defence  of  a  man  who  had 
become  so  famous  by  his  preaching  and  his  sufferings.  Accord- 
ingly, on  a  day  appointed,  Festus,  Agrippa,  Berenice,  and  the 
chief  captains  and  principal  men  of  Cesarea,  came  with  great 
pomp  into  the  hall  of  audience,  where  Paul  was  brought  before 
them,  chained;  and  on  receiving  permission  from  Agrippa,  en- 
tered on  his  defence,  in  which  he  gave  a  succinct  account  of 
his  life,  and  especially  of  his  miraculous  conversion.  At  the 
close  of  his  oration  he  made  a  solemn  appeal  to  the  conscience 
of  Agrippa,  as  a  Jew  who  believed  in  the  prophecies,  and  ex- 
torted from  him  that  remarkable  expression  of  his  feelings, 
"Almost  thou  persuadest  me  to  be  a  Christian." 

During  the  administration  of  Festus,  the  state  of  society 
among  the  Jews  rather  grew  worse  than  better.  Agrippa  hav- 
ing, as  was  before  mentioned,  the  presidency  of  the  temple, 
produced  a  great  excitement,  by  adding  to  the  palace  of  Herod 
a  high  building  which  overlooked  the  whole  city,  and  gave  him 
the  opportunity  of  seeing  what  was  going  on  within  the  enclo- 
sure of  the  temple.  To  prevent  this,  the  Jews  built  a  high 
wall  between  that  and  the  temple,  which  entirely  intercepted  the 
view  from  Agrippa's  tower.  Agrippa,  backed  by  the  authority 
of  Festus,  gave  orders  that  this  wall  should  be  taken  down : 
but  the  chief  men  of  Jerusalem  urged  that  they  might  be  per- 
mitted to  lay  the  whole  matter  before  the  emperor.  Nero, 
influenced,  it  is  said,  by  his  wife  Poppea,  who  is  thought  to  have 
been  a  secret  proselyte,  gave  permission  for  the  wall  to  stand. 
But  for  some  reason  he  detained  all  the  members  of  the  embas- 
sy sent  to  him  on  this  occasion,  among  whom  was  Ismael  the 
high-priest.  That  office  being  then  left  vacant,  Agrippa,  by 
the  authority  vested  in  him,  appointed  Joseph  Cabis,  the  son  of 
Simon,  to  fill  the  place.  After  the  death  of  Festus,  which 
occurred  about  A.  D.  63,  Albinus  was  appointed  procurator  of 
Judea.  He  was  no  better  a  man  than  his  predecessors,  for  he 
was  in  the  habit  of  compromising  with  the  robbers  seized  by 
public  authority,  for  a  sum  of  money.  The  number  of  robbers 
and  sicarii,  was  greatly  increased  about  this  time  by  the  dis- 
mission of  eighteen  thousand  labourers  from  the  temple;  that 
work  being  now  entirely  finished.  These  men  thus  turned 
adrift  and  having  no  regular  occupation,  betook  themselves  very 
generally  to  unlawful  means  of  procuring  a  subsistence.  Every 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  603 

day,  therefore,  the  state  of  society  became  more  disorderly  and 
miserable.  In  fact  nearly  all  the  bonds  of  civil  society  seemed 
to  be  severed.  Albinus  was  not  wanting  in  severity  against  the 
disturbers  of  the  peace;  except  when  they  could  gratify  his 
avarice  by  a  round  sum  of  money;  so  that  many  of  the  ring- 
leaders escaped  punishment,  and  no  salutary  purpose  was  an- 
swered by  the  executions  which  took  place.  Just  before  the  arri- 
val of  Albinus  in  Judea,  Agrippa  had  given  the  office  of  high- 
priest  to  Ananus,  the  son  of  the  former  priest  of  that  name. 
He  was  a  zealous  Sadducee,  and  according  to  the  spirit  of  his  sect, 
was  severe  in  executing  punishment  upon  delinquents.  When 
he  first  entered  on  his  office  Festus  was  dead,  but  his  succes- 
sor was  not  yet  arrived.  In  this  interregnum,  Josephus  informs 
us,  "that  he  assembled  the  Sanhedrim  and  brought  before  them 
the  brother  of  Jesus,  who  is  called  Christ,  and  whose  name  was 
James,  and  some  others ;  and  having  accused  them  before  this 
tribunal,  as  violators  of  the  law,  he  delivered  them  to  be 
stoned."  Of  this  proceeding  most  of  the  Jews  disapproved, 
and  begged  of  Agrippa  to  write  to  the  high-priest,  and  forbid 
his  acting  in  so  unjustifiable  a  manner.  And  some  of  them 
went  to  meet  Albinus,  who  was  on  his  way  to  Judea,  and  by 
their  representations  induced  him  to  send  a  threatening  letter 
to  Ananus.  Agrippa  found  it  necessary  to  dismiss  him  from 
office  a  few  months  after  he  had  been  made  high-priest,  and 
appointed  Jesus,  son  of  Damneus,  his  successor. 

Gessius  Florus  succeeded  Albinus,  as  procurator  of  Judea, 
A.  D.  65.  This  man  was  of  a  more  detestable  character  than 
any  of  his  predecessors.  The  Jews  thought  Albinus  a  very 
bad  man ;  but  in  comparison  with  Florus,  they  called  him  good. 
Florus  was  rapacious  and  cruel,  and  his  avarice  insatiable.  He 
was  openly  the  patron  of  the  bands  of  robbers,  in  whose 
wicked  gains  he  shared.  No  wonder  then  that  robbers  in- 
creased, until  their  oppression  became  so  intolerable,  that 
many  Jews  emigrated  from  their  own  country  and  went  to 
reside  in  foreign  lands.  The  revolt  of  the  Jews  is  less  won- 
derful, when  we  reflect  on  the  distracted  and  desperate  condi- 
tion of  the  nation.  They  were  now  ripening  fast  for  those 
dreadful  calamities  which  were  preparing  to  burst  upon  them. 

Cestius  Gallus,  governor  of  Syria,  visited  Jerusalem  at  the 
feast  of  the  passover;  and  to  form  some  estimate  of  the  num- 
ber of  persons  collected  at  Jerusalem,  on  this  festival,  he 
ordered  the  number  of  lambs  used  on  the  occasion  to  be 
counted.  They  were  found  to  be  two  hundred  and  fifty-six 
thousand ;  but  this  number,  Josephus  thinks  falls  short  of  the 
truth,  which  he  supposes  was  not  less  than  three  hundred  thou- 
sand. Now,  if  we  reckon  ten  persons  to  every  lamb — for  small 
households  united  in  this  fesitval — the  number  of  Jews  at  Jeru- 
lem,  during  that  passover,  will  be  three  millions. 


604  HISTORY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 


SECTION  XIV. 

ROME   SET   ON   FIRE    BY     NERO — DISTURBANCES   AT     CESAREA — FLORUS,   THE    PROCURA- 
TOR,   EXCITES    INSURRECTION — HIS    CRUELTY  — THE    JEWS    COMPLAIN    TO    AGRIPPA 

ELEAZAR  SON  OP  THE  HIGH-PRIEST,  AND  MASTER  OF  THE  TEMPLE,  PERSUADES 
THE  PRIESTS  TO  REJECT  ALL  PAGAN  SACRIFICES — DREADFUL  COMMOTION'S  IN 

JUDEA,    AND     MASSACRES     IN   THE     TEMPLE CESTIUS     GALLUS     MARCHES    AN     ARMY 

TOWARDS    JERUSALEM THE    JEWS     ASSEMBLED    AT     THE    FEAST    OF     TABERNACLES, 

FURIOUSLY  RUSH  ON  THE  HOSTILE  ARMY,  AND  SLAY  FIVE  HUNDRED  MEN — AGRIPPA 
INTERPOSES — PERSUADES  THE  JEWS  TO  HAKE  PEACE,  BUT  IN  VAIN — GALLUS 

BRINGS    BACK   HIS   ARMY    TO    THE   GATES    OF    JERUSALEM RETIRES    AGAIN   TO     SCO- 

PAS — IS  ATTACKED  IN  THE  DEFILE  OF  AN  AMBUSCADE,  AND  FLIES  WITH  A  FEW 
HUNDRED  MEN — JOSEPHUS,  THE  HISTORIAN,  APPOINTED  TO  THE  COMMAND  OF  GALI- 
LEE AND  GAMALA — NERO  SENDS  VESPASIAN  TO  JUDEA — HE  FIRST  SUBDUES  GALI- 
LEE— BANDS  OF  ROBBERS  INFEST  THE  COUNTRY THE  ZEALOTS — PARTIES  IN  JERU- 
SALEM— CRUELTIES  PERPETRATED. 

IN  the  year  A.  D.  65,  the  city  of  Rome  was  burnt;  set  on 
fire  by  Nero  himself,  as  all  believed,  but  laid  to  the  charge  of 
the  hated  and  persecuted  Christians;  who  were  subjected  to 
the  most  horrid  cruelties,  and  torturing  deaths,  as  if  they  had 
indeed  been  the  perpetrators  of  this  enormous  crime. 

A.  D.  66,  disturbances  took  place  at  Cesarea  in  consequence 
of  an  imperial  edict,  which  gave  to  the  Syrian  and  Greek  in- 
habitants of  the  place  a  rank  above  the  Jewish  citizens.  The 
spirit  of  hostility  between  the  parties  began  to  grow  hot.  Oc- 
casions of  dispute  were  not  wanting.  A  Greek,  in  building  his 
house,  nearly  closed  the  entrance  into  the  Jewish  synagogue ; 
and  on  the  Sabbath,  to  insult  the  Jewish  worship,  began  to 
sacrifice  birds  on  an  earthen  vessel,  near  the  door  of  the  syna- 
gogue. The  parties  became  exceedingly  exasperated  against 
each  other,  and  were  just  ready  to  break  out  into  acts  of  hos- 
tility. The  master  of  horse  came  forward  to  quell  the  tumult, 
but  was  driven  back  by  the  Greeks.  The  Jews  now  carried 
away  their  sacred  books  from  the  synagogue,  and  made  their 
complaint  to  the  procurator,  who  was  then  at  Sebaste;  but 
Florus  put  the  embassy,  consisting  of  twelve  distinguished  men, 
in  prison;  alleging  as  a  reason,  the  removal  of  their  sacred 
books  from  Cesarea. 

It  seems  evidently  to  have  been  the  wish  of  Florus  to  excite 
insurrection,  by  goading  the  Jews  to  desperation.  He  demand- 
ed a  large  sum  of  money  to  be  paid  to  him  out  of  the  treasury 
at  Jerusalem,  and  when  this  produced  a  tumult,  and  called  forth 
bitter  reproaches  against  the  rapacity  of  the  procurator,  he 
came  in  person,  accompanied  by  a  body  of  soldiers,  horse  and 
foot.  The  people  came  out  to  receive  him  with  the  usual  marks 
of  external  respect,  but  he  drove  them  back.  He  now  demand- 
ed that  all  who  had  joined  in  the  tumult  and  reproaches  against 
him  should  be  given  up,  and  would  hear  no  apology,  but  gave 


TO  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.  605 

orders  to  his  soldiers  to  plunder  the  upper  market.  In  the 
execution  of  these  orders,  they  were  guilty  of  great  disorders, 
and  some  massacres.  Peaceable  citizens  were  dragged  before 
Floras,  and  among  the  rest,  some  of  the  chiefs  of  the  publicans, 
who  held  the  rank  of  Roman  knights,  and  who,  after  being 
scourged,  were  crucified.  The  next  day  Floras  ordered  the 
Jews  to  go  out  of  the  city  and  meet  with  the  usual  shout  of  joy 
and  respect,  two  cohorts  of  soldiers  who  had  been  ordered  from 
Cesarea;  but  he  sent  secret  orders  to  these  soldiers  to  receive 
them  with  insult,  and  if  they  showed  any  dissatisfaction,  to  fall 
upon  them.  The  result  was,  that  many  were  wounded,  and 
others  crushed  to  death  in  the  crowd.  His  next  attempt  was 
to  press  into  the  temple  with  his  soldiers,  but  the  Jews  offered 
so  determined  a  resistance  that  the  Romans  were  repulsed,  and 
forced  to  take  refuge  in  the  castle.  The  Jews  now  the  more 
effectually  to  prevent  the  Romans  from  entering  into  the  tem- 
ple, broke  down  the  covered  way  which  led  from  the  castle  An- 
tonia  to  the  temple. 

Florus,  after  these  commotions,  returned  to  Cesarea,  leaving 
only  one  company  of  soldiers  at  Jerusalem.  But  he  sent  an 
account  of  these  disturbances  to  Cestius  Gallus;  and  the  prin- 
cipal Jews,  with  Berenice,  forwarded  their  account,  in  which 
they  complained  grievously  of  the  unreasonable  and  cruel  con- 
duct of  the  procurator. 

Cestius,  while  he  ordered  an  army  to  be  in  readiness,  sent  a 
confidential  messenger  to  see  what  the  existing  state  of  affairs 
was.  This  man  met  Agrippa  on  his  return  from  Egypt,  at 
Jamnia,  and  both  together  went  to  Jerusalem,  where  they  were 
met  by  the  people  with  loud  complaints  against  Florus.  But 
they  received  Agrippa  with  joy,  and  treated  the  message  of 
Gallus  with  respect.  Nay,  when  Agrippa,  in  an  oration,  urged 
them  to  obedience,  they  promised  acquiescence,  and  paid  up 
their  arrears  of  taxes  to  the  Romans,  and  built  up  the  portico 
which  they  had  recently  demolished.  But,  afterwards,  when 
Agrippa  exhorted  them  to  remain  obedient  to  Florus  until  an- 
other should  be  sent,  they  were  so  enraged  that  they  drove  him 
with  stones  out  of  the  city. 

Eleazar  the  son  of  the  high-priest  Ananus,  being  now  the 
president  of  the  temple,  rashly  persuaded  the  priests  to  reject 
all  sacrifies  which  came  from  Pagans;  so  that  the  sacrifices 
offered  by  the  emperor  were  henceforth  discontinued.  The 
orderly  part  of  the  inhabitants  now  sent  to  Florus  and  Agrippa 
for  a  body  of  soldiers,  to  preserve  order.  The  former  gave 
them  no  answer,  but  Agrippa,  who  now  resided  at  Cesarea,  sent 
them  a  force  of  three  thousand  horse.  With  these,  the  party  in 
favour  of  obedience  took  possession  of  the  upper  city,  while  the 
temple  and  lower  town  remained  under  the  power  of  the  fac- 


606  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

tions.  These  men  were  actuated  by  an  insane  and  fiery  zeal, 
and  would  not  so  much  as  suffer  the  other  party  to  enter  the 
temple  for  worship.  Skirmishes  daily  took  place  between  them  ; 
and  the  revolters,  aided  by  the  Sicarii,  actually  broke  into  the 
upper  city,  and  set  fire  to  the  palace  of  king  Agrippa ;  and  the 
next  day  made  an  attack  on  the  castle  of  Antonia,  which  they 
took,  and  put  the  Roman  garrison  to  the  sword. 

The  strong  fortress  of  Masada  had  been,  some  time  before 
this,  surprised  by  a  band  of  robbers,  and  the  Roman  garrison 
put  to  the  sword.  At  this  time,  many  Jews  of  distinction  had 
fled  for  refuge  to  the  castle  of  Herod,  where  they  defended 
themselves  bravely  against  the  revolters.  Among  these  was 
Menahem,  the  son  of  the  notorious  Judas  of  Galilee;  who, 
going  to  Masada,  broke  open  the  armory  and  obtained  arms  for 
a  set  of  robbers  and  desperadoes,  with  whom,  returning  to  the 
castle  at  Jerusalem,  he  proclaimed  himself  king,  and  took  the 
command  of  its  defence.  The  besieged  at  length  begged  per- 
mission to  depart,  which  was  granted  to  all  except  the  Romans. 
The  next  day,  Ananus  was  found  dead  in  the  palace ;  and  his 
brother  Hezekiah  was  also  put  to  death  by  the  robbers.  Soon 
after  this,  Menahem  was  slain  in  the  temple,  with  most  of  his 
followers,  by  Eleazar  and  his  party. 

During  this  year,  A.  D.  66,  the  whole  Jewish  nation  was  in 
a  state  of  terrible  commotion.  At  Jerusalem,  the  factious 
Jews  who  continued  to  besiege  the  Romans  in  the  castle  were 
guilty  of  a  horrible  act  of  treachery  and  cruelty;  for  having 
promised  safety  to  the  besieged,  if  they  would  lay  down  their 
arms,  they,  nevertheless,  massacred  every  one  of  them.  On 
the  same  day,  all  the  Jewish  inhabitants  of  Cesarea  were  mas- 
sacred by  the  Greeks;  and  this  served  as  a  signal  for  an 
insurrection  of  the  two  parties,  in  opposition  to  each  other.  In 
all  the  cities,  where  there  was  a  mixed  population,  there  was  no 
safety  for  any  man,  but  in  the  strength  of  his  own  party.  At 
the  same  time,  the  Jews  of  Alexandria  were  attacked,  and  all 
who  could  not  make  their  escape  were  put  to  death.  Fifty 
thousand  Jews,  are  said  to  have  been  slain  there  in  one  day. 

Cestius  Gallus,  to  quell  the  spirit  of  insurrection  which  had 
made  its  appearance  in  Palestine,  marched  an  army  thither, 
and  invaded  Galilee,  sacked  many  cities  and  slew  thousands  of 
Jews.  Having  apparently  reduced  the  rebellious  to  subjection, 
near  the  close  of  the  year,  he  marched  his  army  towards  Jeru- 
salem, and  encamped  within  a  few  miles  of  the  city.  The 
Jews  were  at  this  time  assembled  from  all  parts  at  Jerusalem, 
to  celebrate  the  feast  of  tabernacles.  When  the  multitude 
heard  of  the  approach  of  the  hostile  army,  they  seized  such 
arms  as  they  could  get,  and  rushed  forth  with  incredible  fury 
on  the  Sabbath,  and  killed  above  five  hundred  of  the  enemy, 


TO  THE   DESTRUCTION   OF   JERUSALEM.  607 

•while  they  suffered  the  loss  of  only  a  few  men.  And  the 
Romans  were  again  attacked  on  their  retreat  by  Simon  Gioras, 
and  suffered  considerable  loss. 

Agrippa  now  interposed,  and  sent  two  ambassadors  to  per- 
suade the  Jews  to  peace,  and  to  offer  them  an  amnesty  for  the 
past;  but  such  was  their  inconsiderate  fury,  that  they  fel^i  upon 
these  messengers  of  peace  and  murdered  them. 

Cestius  Gallus  now  came  back  with  his  army  to  Jerusalem, 
and  having  waited  in  vain  for  three  days  to  receive  proposals  of 
peace,  proceeded  to  obtain  possession  of  two  of  the  northern 
districts  of  the  city,  and  drive  the  rebels  into  the  inner  city. 
He  then  attacked  the  upper  city,  and  for  five  days  the  most 
strenuous  efforts  were  used  to  gain  possession  of  the  wall,  but 
they  were  unsuccessful. 

Cestius  then  formed  a  testudo,*  and  was  about  setting  the 
gates  on  fire,  under  the  cover  of  this  defence,  on  which  many 
of  the  rebels  fled  from  the  city,  and  the  peaceable  inhabitants 
invited  him  to  enter.  But  distrusting  the  apparent  friendship 
of  the  inhabitants,  he  marched  his  army  back  to  Scopas,  which 
encouraged  the  rebels  to  attack  him  on  his  way,  so  that  it  was 
with  difficulty  he  reached  his  entrenchments  that  night,  and 
made  his  way  the  next  day  to  Gabao.  After  remaining  at 
this  place  a  few  days,  Cestius  endeavoured  to  draw  off  his  army 
to  Antipatris,  but  the  robbers  and  rebels  increasing  in  number 
and  confidence,  not  only  pursued  him,  but  way-laid  him  in  the 
defiles  of  the  mountains,  and  so  obstructed  his  course,  that  he 
left  the  main  body  and  the  military  engines,  and  fled  by  night 
with  a  few  hundred  men. 

The  state  of  things  became  now  so  distracted  and  desperate 
at  Jerusalem,  as  Josephus  informs  us,  that  the  more  prudent 
citizens  left  the  city.  No  doubt  he  has  reference  to  the 
departure  of  the  whole  body  of  Christians,  who  agreeably  to 
the  warning  of  their  Master,  (Matt.  xxiv.  15 — 20,)  fled  from  the 
city,  and  went  over  Jordan,  wherever  they  could  find  a  secure 
abode ;  but  the  largest  body  took  up  their  residence  at  Pella. 

The  rebels,  after  the  defeat  of  Cestius,  were  so  elated  that 
they  thought  of  nothing  but  resistance,  and  constrained  all  the 
peaceable  inhabitants  to  join  with  them.  Ananus  the  high- 
priest,  and  Joseph  the  son  of  Gorian,  were  appointed  com- 
manders. Eleazar,  on  account  of  his  rash  and  arbitrary  dispo- 
sition, had  no  office  in  the  new  arrangement  of  government; 
but  having  appropriated  to  himself  a  large  part  of  the  spoils 
taken  from  Cestius,  he  was  able  by  his  largesses  to  gain  over 
the  populace  to  his  interest.  As  resistance  was  fully  deter- 

*  The  Romans,  when  attacking  a  walled  town,  disposed  their  troops  in  a  pecu- 
liar manner,  which,  from  the  appearance  of  their  shields,  held  up  and  joined 
together,  they  called  testudo  or  tortoise. 


608  HISTORY   OF  THE   ISRAELITISH  NATION 

mined  on,  generals,  or  prefects  were  appointed  for  every  dis- 
trict of  the  country.  Among  these  we  recognise  Flavius  Jose- 
phus,  the  historian,  who  has  handed  down  to  us  an  account  of 
these  events.  To  him  was  assigned  for  his  command,  Galilee 
and  Gamala.  Having  repaired  to  Galilee,  he  began  by  ap- 
pointing a  council  of  seventy,  to  manage  all  important  civil 
affairs ;  and  in  every  city,  seven  judges,  to  attend  to  matters  of 
less  importance.  He  took  care  to  fortify  all  the  towns  which 
were  capable  of  standing  a  siege ;  and  by  his  industry  and 
address,  soon  collected  an  army  of  one  hundred  thousand  men. 
But  notwithstanding  this  formidable  force,  which  he  took  care 
to  have  organized  and  disciplined  after  the  Roman  manner, 
such  was  the  spirit  of  turbulence  and  revolt  among  his  sol- 
diers, that  his  own  life  was  often  in  jeopardy.  It  was  with 
much  difficulty  that  he  escaped  the  machinations  of  John  of 
Gischalus,  a  very  crafty  leader  of  banditti. 

Ananus  the  high-priest,  finding  that  all  prospect  of  peace 
was  gone,  endeavoured  to  put  Jerusalem  into  a  state  of  defence. 
As  Simon  of  Gioras  was  committing  great  devastation  with  his 
band  of  lawless  followers,  he  sent  an  army  against  him.  But 
Simon  fled  to  Masada,  which  had  now  become  a  mere  den  of 
thieves. 

Nero,  on  hearing  of  these  commotions  in  Judea,  was  greatly 
displeased  with  the  governor  of  Syria,  to  whose  negligence  he 
attributed  all  these  misfortunes.  To  put  a  stop  to  the  growing 
evil,  he  commissioned  Vespasian,  who  had  just  returned  from 
a  victorious  campaign  against  the  Germans  and  Britons,  to  take 
the  command  in  Syria.  He  also  sent  Titus,  the  son  of  Vespa- 
sian, to  Alexandria,  with  orders  to  transport  into  Judea  two 
Roman  legions  which  were  stationed  there. 

The  Jews,  in  the  meantime,  made  an  attempt  to  take  the 
strong  city  of  Askelon,  but  were  repulsed  with  the  loss  of  ten 
thousand  men.  A  second  attempt  was  not  more  successful; 
for  falling  into  an  ambush,  they  lost  eight  thousand  men,  and 
the  remainder  took  refuge  in  the  town  of  Bezedel,  which  the 
Romans  set  on  fire,  and  they  perished  in  the  flames. 

A.  D.  67,  Vespasian  arrived  at  Ptolemais  accompanied  by 
Agrippa,  and  having  collected  troops  from  all  the  Roman  sta- 
tions in  the  surrounding  country,  and  being  joined  by  his  son 
Titus,  with  the  two  legions  from  Egypt,  he  found  himself  at 
the  head  of  an  army  of  sixty  thousand  effective  men. 

Vespasian  first  turned  his  course  to  Galilee,  where  Josephus 
commanded.  The  inhabitants  were  at  once  filled  with  conster- 
nation, and  most  of  the  soldiers  of  Josephus  forsook  him  and 
fled.  As  many  Jews  had  taken  refuge  in  Jotapata,  one  of  the 
strongest  places  in  Galilee,  Josephus  threw  himself,  with  the 
few  men  whom  he  had  left,  into  that  city.  Vespasian  soon  ap- 


TO  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.  609 

peared  before  the  place  with  his  army,  and  commenced  a  regu- 
lar siege.  Josephus  and  the  garrison  made  a  brave  defence, 
but  after  enduring  a  siege  of  forty-seven  days,  the  place  was 
taken.  Forty-thousand  Jews  were  slain  during  the  siege,  and 
the  city  was  utterly  demolished.  Josephus,  with  forty  other 
Jews,  concealed  himself  in  a  cave ;  but  they  were  betrayed  by 
a  woman,  who  knew  their  place  of  refuge.  The  Romans  en- 
treated him  to  yield,  and  promised  to  spare  his  life,  but  his 
companions  would  not  permit  him  to  surrender.  At  the  sug- 
gestion of  Josephus,  it  was  agreed  that  they  should  by  lot  des- 
troy one  another ;  but  after  all  were  slain  except  Josephus  and 
one  other,  they  surrendered  themselves  to  the  Romans.  At 
first  Josephus  was  put  in  chains,  but  after  he  had  predicted 
that  Vespasian  would  be  exalted  to  the  imperial  throne,  he  was 
treated  with  kindness  and  respect. 

While  the  siege  of  Jotapata  was  in  progress,  Trajan  and 
Titus  assailed  the  town  of  Joppa,  in  the  vicinity,  where  twenty- 
thousand  men  were  slain,  and  none  left  but  women  and  children. 
The  winter  having  now  commenced,  Vespasian  marched  back 
to  Ptolemais,  and  sent  two  legions  to  Cesarea,  and  two  to  Scy- 
thopolis.  Having  visited  Cesarea  Philippi,  in  the  kingdom  01 
Agrippa,  he  and  his  army  were  splendidly  entertained  by  that 
prince,  for  twenty  days. 

The  remaining  cities  of  Galilee  were  next  reduced.  The 
only  place  which  made  much  resistance  was  Gamala,  on  the  sea 
of  Gennesareth,  and  situated  on  the  top  of  a  precipitous  moun- 
tain, accessible  only  on  one  side.  After  Agrippa  had  besieged 
this  place  for  seven  months,  Vespasian  sat  down  before  it,  and 
pitched  his  camp  on  the  accessible  side.  Agrippa,  while  sum- 
moning the  town  to  surrender,  was  wounded  by  a  sling,  and 
repulsed.  When  a  breach  was  at  length  made  in  the  walls,  and 
the  Romans  attempted  to  enter,  most  of  the  assailants  were  slain  ; 
and  Vespasian  himself  was  once  so  surrounded  by  the  enemy, 
that  he  escaped  with  much  difficulty.  At  last  many  made  their 
escape  by  clambering  down  the  rocks  or  creeping  through  the 
sewers.  But  one  of  the  towers  having  been  undermined,  fell, 
and  a  way  was  opened  for  the  entrance  of  the  Romans.  The 
Jews  now  fled  to  the  citadel,  but  this  was  scaled,  and  all  the  in- 
habitants put  to  the  sword,  women  and  children  not  excepted. 

The  fortress  on  mount  Tabor  was  soon  reduced,  but  the  town 
of  Gischala,  held  by  John,  the  leader  of  a  band  of  robbers, 
was  among  the  last  in  Galilee  which  yielded.  John  at  length 
left  it,  after  which  the  people  willingly  admitted  Titus. 

John  of  Gischala,  being  now  obliged  to  relinquish  his  strong 
hold,  went  directly  to  Jerusalem,  and  though  he  concealed  as 
much  as  he  could,  the  disastrous  state  of  affairs  in  Galilee, 
enough  was  known  to  produce  deep  depression  in  the  inhabi- 
tants of  that  place.  At  this  time  the  companies  of  robbers 
39 


610  HISTORY  OP  THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

spread  alarm  and  devastation  through  the  country.  Many  of 
these  freebooters  having  taken  refuge  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem, 
began  to  carry  on  the  same  trade  there.  For  a  while,  by  their 
violence  and  their  numbers,  they  carried  all  before  them,  and 
meeting  with  no  resistance,  proceeded  with  still  increasing  au- 
dacity, until  they  set  aside  the  most  sacred  rights  and  institu- 
tions. They  made  one  Phannias  high-priest,  who,  although  of 
the  sacredotal  race,  had  been  bred  to  labour  in  the  field,  and 
knew  nothing  of  the  duties  of  his  office.  These  men  gave 
themselves  the  name  of  Zealots,  and  to  secure  themselves  from 
any  attack,  withdrew  to  the  temple  and  occupied  it  as  their 
citadel.  At  length  Ananus  Gorion  the  son  of  Joseph,  and 
Simon  the  son  of  Gamaliel,  succeeded  in  persuading  the  people 
to  resist.  But  before  they  could  arm  themselves  completely, 
they  were  attacked  by  the  Zealots,  and  an  obstinate  battle  was 
fought,  in  which  many  were  killed  and  wounded  on  both  sides. 
These  conflicts  afterwards  became  matters  of  almost  daily 
occurrence,  and  generally  the  Zealots  had  the  advantage. 
On  one  occasion,  however,  Ananus  succeeded  in  driving  them 
in,  and  followed  so  closely  that  he  entered  the  outer  gates  of 
the  temple  with  his  men.  On  this,  the  Zealots  retreated  to  the 
inner  temple,  whither  Ananus,  through  reverence,  would  not 
follow  them.  But  he  introduced  within  the  outer  wall  of  the 
temple  a  guard  of  six  thousand  men,  who  were  periodically 
relieved  by  others. 

John  of  Gischala  was  secretly  in  league  with  the  Zealots,  but 
openly  professed  himself  on  the  side  of  Ananus.  Some  sus- 
picion of  his  fidelity  having  arisen  he  purged  himself  by  a 
solemn  oath,  by  which  Ananus  was  so  completely  deceived, 
that  he  sent  him  with  proposals  of  peace  to  the  Zealots,  when 
he  took  the  opportunity  of  advising  them  to  call  to  their  aid 
the  Idumeans.  In  a  short  time  several  thousands  of  these 
people  presented  themselves  at  the  gates  of  Jerusalem,  but  were 
refused  admittance,  on  which  they  encamped  without  the  walls. 
While  things  were  in  this  posture,  a  very  stormy  night  occur- 
red, in  which  there  was  much  wind  and  thunder  as  well  as  rain. 
In  the  middle  of  the  night  the  Zealots  passed  the  guard  in  the 
temple,  without  being  noticed,  and  found  means  to  open  the 
gates  of  the  temple.  Then  proceeding  to  the  gates  of  the  city, 
they  let  in  the  Idumeans,  and  conducted  them  to  the  court  of 
the  temple,  where  they  fell  on  the  guard,  who  were  totally 
unprepared  for  such  an  attack.  The  noise  soon  awaked  the 
inhabitants  of  the  city,  but  as  no  timely  assistance  could  be 
afforded  to  the  men  shut  up  in  the  temple,  they  were  nearly  all 
cut  off.  The  Idumeans  and  Zealots  then  attacked  the  inhab- 
itants, and  slew  many  of  them,  among  whom  was  Ananus  the 
high-priest,  whose  body  was  found  in  the  morning. 

The  loss  of  this  man  at  this  time  was  irreparable,  for  he 


TO  THE   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  611 

•was  a  friend  of  peace,  and  by  degrees  was  gaining  an  influence 
over  the  minds  of  the  people  favourable  to  peace;  so  that 
Josephus  expresses  it  as  his  opinion,  that  if  he  had  lived,  a 
reconciliation  with  the  Romans  would  have  been  brought  about. 
But  Providence  had  other  things  in  view  for  this  devoted  people. 

Great  cruelties  were  now  exercised  by  the  Zealots  and  their 
auxiliaries  on  the  citizens.  They  endeavoured  first  to  make 
them  join  their  party,  and  those  who  refused  were  massacred, 
scourged,  or  imprisoned  in  the  temple.  Many  now  sought 
refuge  among  the  Romans,  who  looked  on  with  pleasure,  to 
see  their  enemies  destroying  one  another.  But  all  who  were 
taken  in  an  attempt  to  fly  were  immediately  put  to  death  by 
the  Jews.  In  the  midst  of  this  confusion,  John  of  Gischala, 
a  brave  and  sagacious,  but  wicked  man,  watched  his  opportuni- 
ty for  making  himself  master  of  the  city,  but  met  with  deter- 
mined opposition.  His  adherents  and  opposers,  however,  divi- 
ded the  citizens  into  two  factions,  between  whom  there  were 
many  bloody  conflicts.  While  these  things  were  transacted 
within  the  city,  the  state  of  affairs  in  the  country  was  very 
little  better;  for,  the  Sicarii  increased  daily,  and  laid  the 
country  waste,  sometimes  even  massacreing  the  people  of  whole 
villages.  One  thing  which  proved  that  the  protection  of  God 
was  departed  from  the  nation,  was  that  now,  when  the  males 
went  up  to  Jerusalem  to  the  solemn  feasts,  these  robbers  and 
murderers  attacked  the  towns,  killed  the  women  and  children, 
and  carried  off  the  property,  a  thing  unknown  in  all  the  former 
history  of  this  people ;  for  God  had  promised  to  restrain  their 
enemies  at  such  times. 

When  Vespasian  heard  of  the  wretched  condition  of  Jerusa- 
lem, he  wished  to  march  his  army  immediately  to  the  place ; 
but  not  thinking  it  proper  to  leave  towns  unsubdued  in  his  rear, 
he  set  himself  with  vigour  to  reduce  the  country  to  subjection. 
Placidius  was  sent  against  Perea,  where  the  Jews  made  an 
obstinate  resistance.  At  Jericho,  a  battle  was  fought  on  the 
banks  of  the  Jordan,  when  multitudes  of  the  wretched  Jews 
were  driven  into  the  river  and  drowned;  twelve  thousand 
were  slain  in  the  field,  and  several  thousand  taken  prisoners. 
The  other  towns  then  submitted.  This  was  A.  D.  68. 

A.  D.  69,  Vespasian  had  subdued  all  the  region  of  Judea 
round  about  Jerusalem,  so  that  the  communication  between  the 
city  and  country  was  cut  off,  and  the  Zealots  prevented  those 
within,  who  desired  it,  from  joining  the  Romans.  It  was  now 
the  intention  of  the  Roman  general  to  invest  the  city  of  Jerusa- 
lem and  bring  the  war  to  a  conclusion ;  but  the  intelligence  from 
Italy  perplexed  him.  First,  he  heard  that  Vindex  had  rebelled 
in  Gaul ;  next,  that  Nero  was  dead,  and  that  Galba  was  pro- 
claimed emperor  by  the  army  in  Spain ;  then,  that  Galba,  after 
a  reign  of  seven,  months,  had  been  murdered  j  and  that  Otho 


612  HISTOKY   OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

had  been  declared  emperor.  Being  greatly  interested  in  these 
revolutions,  he  deferred  the  siege  of  Jerusalem,  and  waited  at 
Cesarea  for  further  intelligence.  This  short  respite  given  by 
the  Romans,  only  rendered  the  situation  of  the  Jews  more 
wretched;  for  without  and  within  the  walls,  all  was  disorder 
and  mutual  conflict. 

Simon,  son  of  Gioras,  a  man  of  desperate  courage,  had  joined 
himself  to  the  robbers  of  Masada,  and  by  his  bold  exploits 
became  so  famous,  that  multitudes  flocked  to  his  standard.  He 
had  now  at  his  command  an  army  of  forty  thousand  men.  This 
daring  robber  extended  his  depredations  far  and  wide,  until  he 
came  into  Judea.  The  Zealots  sent  out  an  army  against  him, 
but  they  were  defeated  and  driven  back  to  Jerusalem,  while 
Simon  himself  came  up  to  the  very  walls,  and  by  his  violence 
and  threats,  filled  the  Zealots  with  dismay.  Simon  now 
returned  to  Idumea,  and  carried  on  his  work  of  murder  and 
robbery.  The  Idumeans  fled  to  Jerusalem,  and  he  pursued 
them  to  the  very  walls.  Within  the  city,  the  Zealots,  and 
especially  John  the  Gischalite  and  his  party,  were  guilty  of 
unheard  of  wickedness.  All  laws,  human  and  divine,  were 
trampled  under  foot.  To  plunder  and  murder  the  rich,  and  to 
ravish  the  women,  were  occurrences  of  every  day.  Josephus 
says  that  "the  whole  city  was  one  great  brothel,  a  horrid  den 
of  thieves,  and  a  hateful  cave  of  murderers." 

The  Idumeans,  after  entering  the  city  this  second  time, 
attached  themselves  to  the  party  opposed  to  John  and  the 
Zealots,  and  by  them  many  of  the  latter  were  slain.  They 
plundered  the  palace  which  John  had  made  the  depository  of 
his  treasures.  Upon  this,  the  Zealots  scattered  through  the 
different  parts  of  the  city,  united  their  forces  to  make  an  attack 
on  the  Idumeans  and  the  people.  These,  doubting  their  own 
strength  to  resist  the  force  of  their  enemies,  now  opened  their 
gates  to  Simon  and  his  men,  who,  coming  in,  closely  besieged 
John  in  the  temple. 


SECTION  XV. 

VESPASIAN'S  PRKPARATIONS  FOR  CARRYING  ON  THE  WAR — STATE  OF  PARTIES  IN  JERU- 
SALEM— TITUS    MARCHES    HIS   ARMY  TO  JERUSALEM    AND    COMMENCES    THE    SIEGE 

GREAT  MULTITUDES  OF  PEOPLE  WITHIN  THE  WALLS — EXTERNAL  PART  OF  THE  CITY 
TAKEN  BY  TITUS — GREAT  EFFORTS  MADE  TO  BRING  THE  JEWS  TO  TERMS,  BUT  IN 
VAIN — CASTLE  OF  ANTONIA  DEMOLISHED — A  LADY  EATS  HER  OWN  CHILD  IN  THE 
FAMINE — THE  TEMPLE  IS  SET  ON  FIRE  AND  DESTROYED,  CONTRARY  TO  THE  WISHES 
AND  ORDERS  OF  TITUS — THE  WALLS  THROWN  DOWN,  AND  THF.  SITE  OF  THE  TEMPLE 
PLOUGHED  OVER — DREADFUL  INFATUATION  OF  THE  JEWISH  NATION — THEIR  RESTORA- 
TION CLEARLY  PREDICTED. 

BEFORE  the  close  of  this  year,  A.  D.  69,  Vespasian  received 
intelligence  that  the  German  legions  had  raised  Vitellius  to  the 
throne  of  the  empire.  At  this,  he  and  his  whole  army  were 
much  dissatisfied.  Aft^r  some  consultation,  therefore,  they 


TO   THE   DESTKUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.  613 

proclaimed  Vespasian  emperor  of  Rome,  and  entreated  him  to 
uphold  the  sinking  empire.  From  entreaties  they  proceeded  to 
threats,  declaring  that  they  would  put  him  to  death  if  he  re- 
fused to  accept  the  honour. 

^  Vespasian  first  wrote  to  Tiberius  Alexander,  in  Egypt,  con- 
tinuing him  in  his  office,  and  engaging  him  to  secure  the  fidelity 
of  the  two  legions  stationed  there.  The  news  of  his  advance- 
ment spread  rapidly,  and  before  he  left  Berytus,  many  ambas- 
sadors waited  on  him,  to  congratulate  him.  In  the  meantime 
Vitellius  was  defeated  at  Cremona,  by  Priscus,  and  Sabinus 
had  taken  possession  of  the  capitol  at  Rome,  in  the  name  of 
Vespasian.  Vitellius  was  murdered  in  the  streets  of  Rome, 
and  Mucianus,  sent  with  an  army  by  Vespasian,  having  arrived . 
at  Rome,  Vespasian  was  universally  acknowledged  emperor. 
Vespasian  was  at  Alexandria  when  this  pleasing  intelligence 
reached  him.  He,  therefore,  sent  his  son  Titus  back  to  Judea, 
to  finish  the  war,  and  set  sail  himself  for  Rome,  immediately, 
although  it  was  in  the  midst  of  winter. 

A.  D.  70.  At  the  commencement  of  this  year  a  third  party 
arose  in  Jerusalem,  under  the  conduct  of  Eleazar,  the  son  of 
Simon,  of  whom  some  account  has  been  already  given.  He, 
being  jealous  of  John's  power,  formed  a  party  and  took  posses- 
sion of  the  inner  temple.  Thus  John  had  to  contend  with 
Simon,  who  had  possession  of  a  large  part  of  the  city,  and  at 
the  same  time  with  Eleazar,  who  had  shut  himself  up  in  the 
inner  temple.  By  the  continual  conflicts  between  John  and 
Simon,  the  whole  of  that  part  of  the  city  which  was  adjacent 
to  the  temple,  was  laid  waste,  and  the  houses  burnt,  by  which 
vast  quantities  of  provisions  were  consumed.  And  often  the 
streets  were  covered  with  the  dead  bodies  of  the  slain,  Avhich 
lay  there  unburied.  Nor  could  any  one  escape,  for  the  gates 
were  carefully  watched,  and  even  the  kcpearance  of  discontent 
exposed  a  man  to  death,  as  a  friend  to  tne  Romans. 

A.  D.  Tl.  Titus  now  marched  his  army  from  Cesarea  to- 
wards Jerusalem,  and  encamped  about  thirty  furlongs  from  the 
city.  He  then  rode,  with  a  few  hundred  horse,  to  reconnoitre 
the  situation  of  the  town,  and  to  see  whether  the  Jews  within 
were  at  all  disposed  to  yield.  But  when  he  came  near,  the 
rebels  rushed  out  and  separated  him  from  the  main  body  of  his 
party,  so  that  he  had  no  way  of  escape,  but  to  break  through 
his  enemies,  which,  at  great  risk,  he  accomplished.  He  now 
moved  forward  two  legions  within  seven  furlongs  of  the  city, 
and  formed  a  line  of  intrenchments  behind  them.  The  legion 
from  Jericho  he  stationed  on  the  mount  of  Olives,  six  furlongs 
from  Jerusalem,  and  began  a  line  of  circumvallation.  But  now 
the  three  parties  in  Jerusalem,  seeing  the  enemy  at  the  door, 
united  their  forces  and  sallied  out  against  the  legion  on  the 
mount  of  Olives.  These  sallies  were  made  very  frequently, 
39* 


614  HISTORY   OF   THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

and  in  one  of  them  Titus  was  again  in  imminent  danger  of  his 
life.  But  this  union  of  parties  in  the  city  did  not  last  long. 
As  Eleazar  opened  the  gates  of  the  temple  to  all  who  came  to 
worship,  John  sent  in  some  of  his  party,  with  their  weapons 
concealed  under  their  garments.  These  fell  upon  the  Zealots 
of  Eleazar's  party,  and  a  bloody  massacre  ensued.  Thus  John 
made  himself  master  of  the  whole  temple;  and  there  remained 
now  but  the  two  parties  of  John  and  Simon. 

Titus  now  summoned  the  city  to  surrender,  but  on  receiving 
no  favourable  answer,  he  levelled  the  land  from  Scopas,  where 
his  camp  was,  up  near  to  the  city,  cutting  down  all  the  trees 
and  removing  the  gardens.  The  Jews  now  made  a  sally  on 
the  Romans  with  considerable  success;  but  Titus  advanced  his 
army  within  two  furlongs  of  the  city,  and  stationed  some  of  his 
best  soldiers  near  the  walls.  It  was  now  the  season  of  the  pass- 
over,  and  vast  multitudes  of  the  Jews  were  collected  within  the 
walls  of  the  city.  As  to  the  forces  within  the  city,  Simon  had 
two  thousand  men,  and  five  thousand  Idumeans,  and  held  pos- 
session of  the  upper  and  lower  city.  John  had  six  thousand 
men,  with  twenty-five  hundred  Zealots,  and  had  also  possession 
of  the  temple,  and  such  parts  as  were  fully  commanded  by  it. 
Titus  was  now  prepared  to  make  an  assault  on  the  outer  wall. 
But  before  the  attack  commenced,  Flavius  Josephus  was  sent 
to  make  peace,  but  the  only  answer  returned,  was  a  shower  of 
arrows,  which  wounded  a  Roman  officer  who  accompanied  him. 
Mounts  were  now  raised  near  the  walls,  in  erecting  which,  the 
soldiers  were  protected  by  their  military  engines.  On  these 
mounts  three  moveable  towers  were  erected,  and  the  battering 
rams  were  brought  to  bear  on  the  walls  in  three  several  places. 
These  tremendous  engines  produced  such  terror  in  the  city,  that 
the  two  parties  again  united  and  made  a  desperate  sally,  to  set 
the  machines  on  fire,  but  many  of  the  Jews  were  taken  and 
crucified  before  the  city.  One  of  the  moveable  towers  fell,  but 
it  caused  no  obstruction  to  the  progress  of  the  siege.  The  bat- 
tering rams  soon  made  a  breach  in  the  wall,  through  which  the 
Romans  rushed  into  the  new  city,  and  took  possession  of  it  on 
the  fourteenth  day  of  the  siege.  They  then  demolished  a  great 
part  of  the  outer  wall,  and  the  Jews  retired  within  the  second 
wall.  The  Roman  camp  was  now  removed  within  the  outer 
wall,  and  an  assault  made  on  the  second  wall ;  and  in  five  days 
a  practicable  breach  was  effected.  The  Jews  made  a  brave 
resistance,  so  that  for  three  days  the  Romans  were  unable  to 
enter  the  breach;  or,  as  often  as  they  entered  were  repulsed. 
The  Romans,  therefore,  did  what  Titus  had  at  first  resolved  not 
to  do;  they  demolished  almost  the  whole  of  the  second  wall. 

Titus,  having  now  obtained  possession  of  the  interior  part  of 
the  city,  gave  his  soldiers  a  respite  of  four  days,  suspending 
operations,  in  hopes  that  the  Jews  would  surrender;  for  he 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  615 

knew  that  they  began  to  be  sorely  pressed  with  famine.  But 
finding  no  desire  of  peace  among  them,  he  prepared  to  make 
an  assault  on  the  castle  of  Antonia,  and  pressed  on  the  siege 
with  vigour.  Being  very  solicitous  to  preserve  the  city  from 
total  destruction,  he  sent  Josephus  again  to  persuade  the  Jews 
to  make  peace ;  but  they  treated  the  offer  with  scorn.  Some 
found  means  of  escaping  from  the  city,  whom  Titus  permitted 
to  pass  through  his  camp,  and  go  wherever  they  would.  The 
famine,  within  the  city,  now  increased  every  day,  and  the  rob- 
bers began,  in  search  of  food,  to  break  into  the  houses  of  the 
citizens,  exercising  horrid  cruelties  on  those  who  were  unable 
to  supply  them,  supposing  that  they  had  concealed  their  pro- 
visions in  some  secret  place.  The  rich  were  often  prosecuted 
on  false  accusations,  merely  for  the  purpose  of  getting  posses- 
sion of  their  wealth ;  for  there  was  no  difficulty  in  finding  false 
witnesses  to  swear  to  any  charge.  The  state  of  morals  was 
probably  never  worse  among  any  people  on  earth  than  it  was 
at  this  time  in  Jerusalem.  It  is  the  remark  of  Josephus,  that 
"a  race  of  men  so  abandoned  as  those  who  then  had  possession 
of  the  city,  never  appeared  on  earth;  and  that  Titus  was  com- 
pelled, by  their  abominable  excesses,  to  destroy  the  city." 

Multitudes  of  unhappy  wretches,  pressed  with  hunger,  ven- 
tured out  of  the  city  in  search  of  food,  most  of  whom  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  Romans,  by  whom  they  were  commonly  cruci- 
fied in  some  conspicuous  place.  Five  hundred  were  often  thus 
executed  in  one  day;  but  the  leaders  within  the  city  persuaded 
the  people  that  those  numerous  executions  were  of  the  deserters 
who  left  the  city  to  join  the  Roman  camp.  Titus  cut  off  the 
hands  of  some  of  the  prisoners,  to  inform  the  people  that  no 
deserters  would  be  punished,  but  only  such  as  were  made  pri- 
soners of  war.  At  the  same  time,  he  sent  a  message  to  Simon 
and  John,  exhorting  them  not  to  destroy  the  city  by  their 
obstinacy,  but  to  preserve  their  own  lives,  and  those  of  their 
fellow  citizens.  To  which,  from  the  walls,  they  returned  a 
taunting  answer,  saying  that  they  cared  not  for  their  own  lives, 
nor  for  their  country. 

Preparations  being  now  made  for  an  assault  on  the  tower  of 
Antonia,  by  three  mounts  reared  in  the  most  convenient  points, 
John,  the  leader  of  the  Zealots,  dug  a  mine  under  one  of  these 
towers,  and  overthrew  it ;  and  Simon  sallied  out  and  set  fire  to 
the  towers  and  machines  on  the  other  two.  Nay,  these  daring 
men  pursued  the  Romans  into  their  very  camp.  Titus  now  built 
a  wall  round  the  whole  circumference  of  the  city,  that  those 
within,  being  more  completely  blocked  up,  might  be  compelled 
by  famine,  to  surrender.  This  wall,  thirty-nine  furlongs  in  the 
extent  of  its  circuit,  was  supplied  with  thirteen  towers,  and  was 
finished  in  ten  days. 

The  distresses  of  the  famine  now  became  dreadful  beyond 


616  HISTORY  OF   THE   ISRAELITISH   NATION 

conception.  At  first,  the  dead  were  buried  at  the  public  ex- 
pense ;  but  after  a  while  the  dead  bodies  were  thrown  over  the 
wall,  as  it  was  found  impossible  to  bury  them  all.  And  all  par- 
ties within  were  so  much  weakened  by  the  famine,  that  they 
could  make  no  more  sallies  to  obstruct  the  besiegers. 

Titus  pitying  the  wretched  condition  of  those  pent  up  in  the 
inner  city,  determined  once  more  to  renew  his  attack  on  the 
castle  of  Antonia;  and  for  that  purpose  brought  wood,  which 
could  no  longer  be  had  near  the  city,  from  a  distance  of  ninety 
furlongs.  But  the  distress  of  the  famine  produced  no  effect  on 
the  tyranny  of  Simon.  He  now  put  to  death  Matthias  the 
high-priest,  who  had  let  him  in  the  city;  and  also  his  three 
sons,  besides  the  high-priest  Ananias,  and  fifteen  others  of  the 
first  distinction. 

Judas,  an  officer  who  had  the  command  of  a  tower,  with  ten 
other  men  of  distinction,  had,  on  account  of  the  intolerable 
cruelty  of  Simon,  resolved  to  surrender  the  city  to  the  Romans ; 
but  while  they  delayed  through  distrust  of  the  enemy's  sincerity, 
Simon  came  upon  the  conspirators  and  cut  them  all  off. 

Titus  being  still  unwilling  to  abandon  the  hope  of  preserving 
the  city,  and  especially  the  temple,  sent  Josephus  a  third  time, 
to  endeavour  to  persuade  his  countrymen  to  make  peace.  But 
he  was  now  more  roughly  handled  than  on  any  former  occa- 
sion ;  for  as  he  was  going  round  the  walls,  he  was  wounded  in 
the  head  with  a  stone,  by  which  he  was  knocked  down  senseless 
to  the  ground;  nor  was  it  without  great  difficulty  that  the 
Romans  could  rescue  him  from  the  Jews,  who  made  a  great 
effort  to  seize,  and  drag  him  into  the  city.  As  it  was  found- 
that  some  of  the  Jews,  to  conceal  their  gold,  had  swallowed  it, 
the  Syrians  and  Arabs  cut  open  in  one  night  two  thousand  living 
deserters,  to  search  for  money  in  their  bowels.  This  cruel 
practice  Titus  prohibited  on  pain  of  death,  as  its  continuance 
would  have  stopped  entirely  all  desertions  from  the  city. 

The  number  of  dead  bodies  carried  through  a  single  gate,  in 
one  month,  was  declared  by  Manneus,  who  fled  to  the  Romans, 
to  be  one  hundred  and  fifteen  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
eighty-eight;  besides  those  buried  by  their  relatives.  The 
whole  number  of  dead  bodies  carried  out  during  the  siege,  was 
stated  by  some  deserters  to  be  six  hundred  thousand.  The 
number  buried  elsewhere  could  not  be  ascertained.  After  the 
famine  came  to  the  worst,  however,  they  were  not  carried  out 
at  all,  but  were  heaped  up  in  ditches  and  corners,  which  pro- 
duced an  intolerable  stench. 

On  the  third  day  of  July,  a  part  of  the  wall  of  the  town  of 
Antonia  was  thrown  down  by  the  battering  rams ;  but  the  Jews 
had  constructed  an  interior  wall,  in  an  attempt  to  scale  which, 
the  Romans  were  repulsed.  About  three  o'clock  in  the  night, 
however,  the  guards  marched  up  to  the  town  in  silence,  slew 


TO   THE   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  C17 

the  Jewish  sentinels,  and  immediately  blew  their  trumpets;  on 
which,  the  Jewish  guard  fled,  supposing  that  the  whole  Roman 
army  was  upon  them. 

Titus  brought  up  his  army  as  soon  as  possible,  and  entered 
into  the  court  of  the  temple,  when  an  obstinate  battle  was 
fought,  which  continued  from  three  o'clock  till  noon  next  day. 
But  the  Romans  were  at  length  compelled  to  withdraw  from 
the  temple,  and  be  contented,  for  the  present,  with  the  con- 
quest of  Antonia.  Orders  were  now  given  by  the  Roman 
general  for  the  complete  demolition  of  this  castle,  that  he 
might  have  the  more  room  to  station  his  army,  in  their  assault 
upon  the  temple.  When  Titus  heard  that  the  daily  service  of 
the  altar  had  ceased,  he  sent  Josephus  again  to  hold  a  confer- 
ence, with  John,  and  ascertain  whether  he  would  be  willing  to 
agree  to  some  terms  which  might  preserve  the  temple  from 
destruction,  offering  to  permit  the  daily  service  to  be  continued 
by  men  of  his  own  selection.  But  John  declared  that  the  tem- 
ple could  never  be  taken,  and  would  enter  into  no  accommoda- 
tion. Titus,  himself,  now  most  earnestly  addressed  the  Jews, 
entreating  them  to  preserve  their  beautiful  temple — Josephus 
acting  as  interpreter — but  it  was  all  ineffectual.  The  Zealots 
attributed  this  moderation  to  mere  cowardice.  Titus,  there- 
fore, brought  up  his  army,  and  at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning 
the  temple  was  attacked.  The  Jewish  guards  were  found  at 
their  posts,  and  soon  sounded  an  alarm ;  but  the  night  was  so 
dark  that  the  Jews  were  unable  to  distinguish  friends  from 
foes,  and  actually  slew  many  of  their  own  men.  This  the 
Romans  avoided  by  their  watchword.  The  battle,  thus  com- 
menced, lasted  till  noon,  without  any  decisive  advantage  on 
either  side.  In  seven  days  the  castle  of  Antonia  was  demol- 
ished, and  on  the  space  where  it  had  stood,  four  mounts  were 
reared  before  the  temple.  These  mounts  were  designed  to 
bring  the  battering  rams  to  bear  upon  the  buildings  on  the 
northern  side  of  the  temple,  to  which  buildings  the  Jews  them- 
selves set  fire.  The  sufferings,  by  the  famine,  were  extreme. 
The  people  devoured  any  thing  which  they  could  lay  hold  of; 
even  their  girdles,  shoes,  and  the  leather  of  their  shields.  ^ 

A  woman,  whose  name  was  Mary,  of  a  respectable  family  in 
the  country,  having  been  often  plundered  by  the  robbers,  had 
taken  refuge  in  Jerusalem.  Being  destitute  of  food,  and  with- 
out means  of  obtaining  any,  she  roasted  her  own  infant  child, 
and  having  eaten  part  of  it,  reserved  the  remainder  for  another 
occasion,  when  the  soldiers,  allured  by  the  smell,  rushed  into 
the  house  and  demanded  food.  She  boldly  declared  what  she 
had  done,  and  showed  them  the  half  of  the  child  whicl 
left.  This  horrid  transaction  was  soon  known  through  the  city 
and  in  the  camp  of  Titus,  who  protested  that  these  miseries 
were  not  owing  to  him. 


618  HISTORY   OF    THE  ISRAELITISH  NATION 

Early  in  August  the  battering  rams  were  brought  to  bear 
upon  the  temple,  and  were  plied  for  several  days,  without  mak- 
ing any  sensible  impression.  Next  an  attempt  was  made  to 
undermine  the  northern  gate  of  the  temple,  but  it  was  unsuc- 
cessful, as  was  also  the  attempt  to  scale  the  cloisters  Avith  lad- 
ders ;  for  the  Jews  fought  so  bravely  that  they  repulsed  the 
Romans,  and  got  possession  of  one  of  their  standards.  Titus, 
having  relinguished  the  hope  of  preserving  the  temple,  now 
gave  orders  to  set  the  gates  on  fire.  By  this  means  the  flames 
spread  into  some  of  the  contiguous  buildings.  The  fire  con- 
tinued to  rage  the  whole  day,  for  the  Jews  made  no  effort  to 
extinguish  it.  On  the  next  day,  however,  it  was  extinguished 
by  the  order  of  Titus. 

A  counsel  was  now  called  to  deliberate  whether  the  temple 
should  be  destroyed.  Some  were  in  favour  of  its  destruction, 
in  order  to  guard  against  future  rebellions  of  the  Jews;  but 
Titus  persisted  in  his  resolution  to  preserve  this  splendid  edi- 
fice. He  accordingly  issued  an  order  that  the  sanctuary  should 
not  be  injured.  Titus  now  resolved  to  storm  the  temple  with 
his  whole  army;  but  while  he  was  preparing  for  the  assault, 
the  Jews  made  several  sallies  from  the  eastern  gate.  The 
Romans,  in  driving  them  back  on  one  of  these  occasions,  pene- 
trated, after  them,  into  the  interior  of  the  temple,  when  a 
Roman  soldier  seized  a  fire-brand  and  threw  it  through  a  win- 
dow or  small  door  into  a  passage,  which  led  to  the  apartments 
on  the  north  side  of  the  sanctuary.  From  this  place  the 
flames  soon  burst  out.  When  Titus  heard  of  it,  he  hastened 
to  arrest  the  progress  of  the  flames,  but  could  not  command 
the  attention  of  his  men,  who  were  engaged  in  conflict  with  the 
Jews ;  and  even  the  soldiers  who  followed  him  disregarded  his 
commands,  and  instead  of  extinguishing,  did  what  they  could 
to  increase  the  conflagration.  The  battle  now  raged  around 
the  altar,  streams  of  blood  flowed  into  the  outer  court,  and 
the  surrounding  space  was  covered  with  dead  bodies.  Titus 
now  went,  with  his  chief  officers,  into  the  sanctuary,  and  into 
the  most  holy  place,  and  then  made  one  more  attempt  to  have 
the  fire  extinguished,  but  with  as  small  success  as  before.  The 
soldiers  appeared  to  be  actuated  by  a  sort  of  fury,  and  applied 
firebrands  to  every  combustible  part.  Finding  it  impossible  to 
save  the  temple,  Titus  retired  from  the  scene.  The  chambers 
of  the  inner  court  were  now  consumed,  and  all  the  rest  of  the 
edifice,  except  the  buildings  on  the  east  and  south,  which  were 
afterwards  destroyed. 

About  six  thousand  persons,  mostly  women  and  children, 
were  burnt  in  the  temple,  who,  trusting  to  the  predictions  of  a 
false  prophet,  that  God  would  work  a  miracle  for  their  deliver- 
ance, went  into  the  temple,  and  there  remained  until  it  was 
destroyed.  According  to  the  testimony  of  Josephus,  there 


TO  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.  619 

were  then  many  false  prophets  employed  by  the  leaders,  to 
deceive  the  people. 

The  gold  taken  by  the  Roman  soldiers,  in  and  about  the  tem- 
ple, was  in  such  abundance,  that  its  value,  for  a  time,  was  not 
more  than  one-half  of  what  it  had  previously  been.  The  lower 
city  was  now  fully  in  possession  of  the  Romans,  by  whom  it 
was  burnt  as  far  as  the  pool  of  Siloam.  The  Zealots,  there- 
fore, were  compelled  to  retreat  to  the  upper  city,  where  they 
were  closely  besieged,  and  whence  they  had  no  opportunity  of 
making  their  escape.  New  mounts  were  now  raised,  and  the 
machines  of  war  were  brought  into  play;  and  early  in  the 
month  of  September,  the  upper  city,  after  a  feeble  but  desper- 
ate resistance,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Romans.  Very  little 
mercy  was  shown  to  the  vanquished.  They  were  slaughtered 
in  heaps  in  every  street  and  house,  and  multitudes  of  dead 
bodies  were  found  in  the  houses  of  those  who  had  died  with 
famine,  as  well  as  in  the  vaults  and  common  sewers.  When 
Titus  surveyed  the  city,  he  expressed  great  astonishment  at  the 
strength  of  its  fortifications,  and  exclaimed,  that  it  was  surely 
God  himself  who  expelled  the  Jews  from  fortifications  from 
which  they  never  could  have  been  driven  by  man.  The  cap- 
tives were  very  numerous.  The  handsomest  were  selected  for 
the  triumph.  A  large  number  were  presented  by  Titus  to 
the  theatres  of  the  provinces,  but  the  majority  were  sent  into 
Egypt,  to  be  sold  as  slaves.  John,  the  leader  of  the  Zealots, 
was  found  almost  dead  with  hunger,  in  one  of  the  vaults.  He 
begged  for  his  life,  which  was  granted,  but  he  was  kept  in 
chains  until  his  death. 

The  Romans  now  set  themselves  to  destroy  the  walls,  and 
all  that  remained  of  the  city.  Josephus  says,  expressly,  that 
the  ground  was  levelled,  as  though  no  buildings  had  ever  stood 
upon  it.  Three  of  the  highest  of  the  towers  and  a  part  of  the 
western  wall  were  kept  standing,  as  a  monument  to  future  ages 
of  the  ancient  splendour  of  the  city.  The  tenth  legion  was 
left  as  a  garrison,  and  the  other  soldiers  were  all  sent  away. 

The  obstinacy  of  the  resistance  of  the  Jews  has  been  some- 
times attributed  to  an  expectation  of  assistance  from  their 
brethren  in  Babylonia,  but  was  really  owing  to  fanatical  infatu- 
ation. During  the  siege,  ninety-seven  thousand  became  cap- 
tives, and  eleven  hundred  thousand  perished.  For  the  siege 
took  place  at  a  time  when  the  city  was  full  of  strangers,  in 
attendance  on  the  passover,  and  of  refugees  from  the  surround- 
ing country. 

Titus  proceeded  from  Jerusalem  to  Cesarea,  on  the  coast, 
where  he  left  part  of  his  army.  He  then  visited  Cesarea 
Philippi,  where  he  celebrated  games;  and,  for  the  amusement 
of  the  people,  caused  many  of  the  Jewish  captives  to  be  cast 
to  the  wild  beasts,  and  many  more  to  kill  one  another,  in  the 


620  HISTORY   OF   THE  ISRAELITISH   NATION. 

show  of  gladiators.  He  exhibited  the  same  cruel  spectacle  at 
Cesarea,  on  the  sea-coast,  and  at  Berytus;  at  the  former  of 
which  places  he  celebrated  the  birth-day  of  his  brother,  and  at 
the  latter,  that  of  his  father. 

The  fate  of  John,  the  leader  of  the  Zealots,  has  been  men- 
tioned. At  the  close  of  the  siege  Simon  was  not  found,  but 
after  the  removal  of  the  Roman  army,  he  came  forth  like  a 
spectre  from  one  of  the  vaults,  where  he  had  concealed  himself 
until  his  provisions  were  exhausted.  Having  surrendered  him- 
self to  the  governor  of  the  place,  he  was  sent  in  chains  to 
Titus,  at  Cesarea,  who  directed  him  to  be  reserved  to  grace  his 
triumph. 

The  same  infatuation  which  brought  destruction  on  the  Jews 
of  Palestine,  seems  to  have  infatuated  those  who  dwelt  in  other 
countries.  In  Egypt  and  Gyrene,  particularly,  they  exposed 
themselves,  by  their  madness,  to  the  same  destruction  which 
had  so  awfully  overtaken  their  brethren  in  Judea.  Their  tem- 
ple in  Egypt  was  destroyed,  by  order  of  Vespasian,  after  it 
had  stood  three  hundred  and  forty-three  years. 

The  same  reckless  fury  seems  to  have  actuated  the  relics  of 
this  nation  for  several  ages.  In  the  reign  of  Trajan,  and  of 
Adrian,  they  were  guilty  of  great  disorders,  and  rose  in  insur- 
rection against  the  Roman  government,  which  occasioned  the 
destruction  of  multitudes  of  this  devoted  people.  Nor  was 
this  all.  To  this  very  day,  they  have  been  driven  from  coun- 
try to  country,  everywhere  oppressed  and  persecuted — no 
where  finding  rest,  and  never  able  to  collect  into  a  body,  or  to 
gain  any  permanent  residence  of  their  own — yet  preserved  in 
existence  as  a  distinct  people,  retaining  their  national  charac- 
teristics and  their  own  religious  customs,  without  mingling  with 
the  people  among  whom  they  dwell. 

Thus  do  they  stand,  a '  monument  of  God's  displeasure 
against  their  nation's  sin,  in  rejecting  and  crucifying  the  SON 
OF  GOD,  the  promised  Messiah,  and  of  the  truth  of  divine 
revelation,  by  the  fulfilment  of  numerous  prophecies,  which 
foretold  their  future  condition.  Still,  however,  they  are  pre- 
served in  mercy,  as  well  as  judgment.  For  it  is  clear  from 
prophecy,  that,  as  a  nation,  they  will  be  restored  to  the  privi- 
leges of  the  Church  from  which  for  so  long  a  time  they  have 
been  cut  off  by  unbelief.  For  a  season,  until  the  time  ap- 
pointed, God  hath  concluded  them  all  in  unbelief,  that  in  the 
day  of  visitation,  he  may  have  mercy  on  all.  "So  ALL  ISRAEL 

SHALL   BE   SAVED." 


THE  END. 


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